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Southwest Airlines is known for plentiful flights, low fares, its famous Companion Pass, and a fun attitude. It's also known for its unique boarding process — one that makes obtaining early boarding beneficial. Today we investigate the Southwest Airlines boarding process and cover the multiple free and paid ways to board Southwest early.
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How Does the Southwest Airlines Boarding Process Work?
Open seating policy
Most airlines offer assigned seating, allowing you to choose your exact seat when purchasing your ticket. Southwest Airlines, however, offers open seating. When you board a Southwest flight, you can choose any available seat. That's what makes the check-in and boarding process both unique and competitive.
Checking in and receiving a Southwest boarding pass
As long as you have a Southwest Airlines flight reserved 24 hours in advance of departure, you can check in for your flight online at Southwest.com or in the Southwest Airlines app. Alternatively, you can check in and/or get a boarding pass upon arrival at the airport at a self-service kiosk, at Skycap podiums (if available), or the Southwest Airlines ticket counter.
Southwest Airlines boarding groups
When you check in for your flight, Southwest will assign you to boarding group A, B, or C and give you a position number within that group. Your boarding pass will display both your group letter and your position within that group (for example: B9).
Seasoned Southwest travelers check in exactly 24 hours in advance in an attempt to obtain a boarding pass in group A with a low number. That’s because getting to the front of the boarding line ensures the ability to choose from the best seats on the plane. Depending on varying circumstances, travelers may want seats towards the front of the plane, the exit row with more legroom, a window or an aisle seat, or — most importantly for families and other groups traveling together — a better chance of sitting together.
Lining up at the gate
At the airport, you’ll notice numbered posts at each Southwest Airlines gate. When gate agents call your boarding group, you’ll line up in numerical order by your group post (A, B, or C). Meanwhile, monitors at the front of the lines will display which group is currently boarding. If you have B9, you'll board after the person holding a ticket with B8. Expect people in the line to ask what number you have, so they can line up accordingly.
Southwest’s counter-cultural process from check-in through boarding makes Southwest's early boarding options hot commodities. Let's investigate all the ways to board early.
Free Ways To Board Early on Southwest Airlines Flights
Pre-boarding for those with qualifying disabilities
Before general boarding of groups A, B, and C begins, Southwest offers pre-boarding for customers with a disability. Specifically, customers necessitating a specific seat, anyone requiring assistance boarding the plane, or anyone who needs to stow an assistive device may qualify. Check with gate agents to determine whether you qualify.
Good news: If you do qualify, a travel companion can pre-board with you (ask the gate agents for exceptions to the one-companion rule). They’ll ask you a list of questions and then provide a new boarding pass marked with PRBD upon approval. The PRBD alerts the boarding agent that you have permission to pre-board.
If you're pre-boarding because you need a certain seat, let the boarding agent know as soon as you have your new boarding pass and before pre-boarding starts.
Customers with disabilities who don’t qualify for pre-boarding
Customers with disabilities who don’t qualify for pre-boarding but who need extra time boarding may board between groups A and B, directly before family boarding. Check with agents at the ticket counter or the departure gate to receive a new boarding pass marked XT. This will alert the boarding agent that you can board before Family Boarding.
Southwest family boarding
For families with young children who are not assigned boarding group A, Southwest does offer family boarding between groups A and B. During family boarding, up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board together. Typically, enough seats remain after A group has boarded to ensure that at least one passenger aged fourteen years or older will sit with a child six years old or under. Additionally, families can speak with gate agents or flight attendants for assistance.
For families worried about not being able to sit next to all of their kids, rest assured: Southwest flight attendants will try to seat a child next to a friend or family member age 14 or older “to the maximum extent practicable and at no additional cost.”
Active duty military
Active-duty members of the U.S. Military (with a valid military I.D.) may also board between groups A and B — unless, of course, they received a group A boarding pass upon checking in.
Elite status priority boarding
Southwest Airlines offers two tiers of elite status. Earn A-List flying 20 one-way cash flight segments or earning 35,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year, and earn A-List Preferred flying 40 one-way cash flights or earning 70,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year. Both tiers of status include Priority Boarding, a benefit allowing the status holder and those traveling on the same itinerary special check-in and boarding privileges.
Other benefits include:
| A-List | A-List Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Benefits |
Priority boarding
Let's review how Priority Boarding works. Southwest will reserve a boarding position for you 36 hours before your flight’s departure. Remember, you will still check in within 24 hours of scheduled departure to obtain the boarding passes reserved for you. Also, keep in mind that your reservation must be booked 36 hours before scheduled departure to qualify for Priority Boarding. Additionally, on Group Travel itineraries (discounted options for parties of 10 or more), priority boarding will only apply to A-List and A-List Preferred Members.
Earning Southwest elite status through credit card spending
If you have one of the following Rapid Rewards credit cards from Chase, you can earn 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent on eligible purchases with that card:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Keep in mind that you cannot redeem tier qualifying points for travel. Tier-qualifying points only help you qualify for Southwest elite status.
Related: How To Choose the Right Southwest Airlines Credit Card
Paid Ways To Board Early on Southwest Airlines
Get early boarding with a Business Select or Anytime fare
Southwest Airlines offers four types of fares: Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, or Business Select. Premium Anytime or Business Select fares cost more and include early boarding benefits.
With Business Select, you get a guaranteed boarding number between A1 and A15. EarlyBird Check-In on the Anytime fare means you'll be automatically checked in 36 hours before departure, giving you a better number than those who can't check in until 24 hours before departure.
Another advantage of Anytime tickets: Customers purchasing Anytime fares receive priority over customers who book Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus and then purchase EarlyBird Check-In.
EarlyBird Check-In
When available, EarlyBird Check-In provides the convenience of automatic check-in 12 hours before the traditional 24-hour check-in. It doesn't guarantee boarding group A, but it does allow you to board the plane earlier than you otherwise would, improving your seat selection options. EarlyBird Check-In costs $15–$25 per person per segment. Keep in mind that if one customer purchases EarlyBird Check-In, then all customers on the same reservation must also purchase EarlyBird Check-In.
Notably, you can't use banked Southwest Airlines travel funds to purchase EarlyBird Check-In. Keep in mind that EarlyBird Check-In is non-refundable if you cancel your flight. However, if Southwest cancels and you've purchased Wanna Get Away® and Wanna Get Away Plus® fares, you'll be reimbursed.
Upgraded Boarding
Too late to purchase EarlyBird Check-In? Don’t worry, there’s always Upgraded Boarding, which starts at $30 per person per segment. When you check into your flight 24 hours before departure time, depending on availability, you may be able to pay (per person, per flight) to upgrade your boarding position to A1–A15. As with EarlyBird Check-In, you can't use banked Southwest Airlines travel funds to pay for Upgraded Boarding.
Choosing Your Seat After Boarding
Once you're on the plane, any open seat can be yours. Take whatever suits your interest. You may notice that people who boarded early will try to save seats for others who are boarding later, such as putting a jacket or backpack on the seat for someone who has a later boarding number.
There's no written rule for or against this policy, which means flight attendants have no rule to enforce if a disagreement occurs. However, Southwest has an open seating policy, which you can point to if you decide to sit in a seat that doesn't have a person in it. It's first come, first serve, after all. Someone might not like it, but you didn't break any rules if you choose to take up that attractive aisle seat in the exit row that someone says they're saving.
Barring this, simply claim a seat that works for you, stow your items in the overhead bin, and you're all set.
Bottom Line
Southwest may have a non-traditional boarding and seating process, but there are multiple ways to get paid or free upgrades for a better boarding position. This open seating policy has fans and detractors, but understanding how it works can help you get an earlier boarding position for a better array of seat choices on your next flight.
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