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Flying Southwest Airlines has always been a unique experience thanks to its open seating policy and unconventional boarding process. If you don’t want to stress about checking in exactly 24 hours before departure, EarlyBird Check-In can give you a better boarding position.
Here’s everything you need to know, including how it works, and when it makes sense to pay for it. We'll also go over how Southwest's upcoming operational changes could impact the future of EarlyBird Check-In.
Page Contents
- What Is Southwest EarlyBird Check-In?
- How Much Does Southwest EarlyBird Check-In Cost?
- How To Purchase EarlyBird Check-In
- How To Get Southwest EarlyBird Check-In Without Buying It
- How Is EarlyBird Check-In Assigned?
- What’s the Difference Between Upgraded Boarding and EarlyBird Check-In?
- Changes Coming to Southwest Seating and Boarding
- Final Thoughts
What Is Southwest EarlyBird Check-In?
Southwest EarlyBird Check-In automatically checks you in before the standard 24-hour check-in window — guaranteeing you a better boarding position. This means a better shot at the seat you want and early access to overhead bin space.
For Wanna Get Away (soon to be “Basic” fares) and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, EarlyBird Check-In can be purchased up to 36 hours before departure, assuming it’s available. Even though Southwest will check you in ahead of time, you won’t be able to get your boarding pass until the standard 24-hour mark — just like everyone else.
Related: A Complete Guide to Southwest Rapid Rewards
How Much Does Southwest EarlyBird Check-In Cost?
EarlyBird Check-In starts at $15 per segment, but the price you'll pay depends on demand and route length. In some cases, it can now price as high as $99.
If you cancel your flight, you won’t get a refund for EarlyBird Check-In. But if Southwest cancels your flight, you can request a refund, though it might take up to seven business days to process.
And now that Southwest has started implementing its interline agreement with Icelandair, it’s also worth noting that EarlyBird Check-In is unavailable on partner airline itineraries.
How To Purchase EarlyBird Check-In
EarlyBird Check-In can be purchased when booking your flight on Southwest.com, through the Southwest mobile app, or by calling Southwest at 800-435-9792.
If you decide to add EarlyBird Check-In later, you can do so as long as there’s availability. When purchased at the time of booking, it will be listed in your confirmation email; if added later, you’ll get a separate email with a receipt.
In the event you change your flight, EarlyBird Check-In will transfer to the new flight if it departs more than 25 hours later. Or, if your new flight is within that 25-hour window, you’ll lose EarlyBird Check-In and won’t get a refund. But if you change your route, you may need to contact Southwest to transfer it manually.
Purchasing EarlyBird Check-In on group itineraries
If you’re booking a group and want to add EarlyBird Check-In later, you can choose which passengers get it. But if you add it at the time of booking, everyone on the reservation must get it.
For Companion Pass holders, if the primary traveler purchases EarlyBird Check-In, the companion will automatically get the next available boarding position.
How To Get Southwest EarlyBird Check-In Without Buying It
If you want EarlyBird Check-In without paying for it outright, you’ll need to book the right fare. Anytime fares include EarlyBird Check-In automatically, so Southwest will check you in 36 hours before departure.
That said, if you book an Anytime fare between 24 and 36 hours before your flight, your boarding position might not be as good, since assignments will have already started.
Southwest credit cards with EarlyBird Check-In benefits
If you have one of these Southwest credit cards, you can get EarlyBird Check-In for free just by charging the cost to your card:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year
- 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X points per $1 spent on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent on all Rapid Rewards® Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X points per $1 spent on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards® Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent on local transit and communting, including rideshare
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
If you have the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, you can use its $75 annual travel credit to cover EarlyBird Check-In.
Related: How To Choose the Right Southwest Airlines Credit Card
Who shouldn't purchase EarlyBird Check-In?
Business Select fares don’t include EarlyBird Check-In because they already come with A1–A15 Priority Boarding, so there’s no reason to pay for it — if Southwest will even let you.
Southwest A-List elite members — and their companions on the same reservation — automatically get an early boarding positiontoo. So if you have status, you don’t need to bother purchasing EarlyBird Check-In.
In addition, if you qualify for preboarding due to a disability, you won’t need EarlyBird Check-In. The same goes for unaccompanied minors, who have their own boarding process.
How Is EarlyBird Check-In Assigned?
Southwest assigns EarlyBird Check-In in a specific order. First, Anytime fare passengers (who get it for free) are checked in. Then, Wanna Get Away Plus fares that purchased EarlyBird Check-In are assigned positions, followed by Wanna Get Away fares that also purchased it.
Within the same fare class, boarding positions are assigned based on when you bought EarlyBird Check-In. So, the earlier you buy it, the better your position will likely be.
What’s the Difference Between Upgraded Boarding and EarlyBird Check-In?
While EarlyBird Check-In gives you a better boarding position than most, it doesn’t get you an A1–A15 spot. That’s where Upgraded Boarding comes in. Upgraded Boarding starts at $30 per segment and lets you jump the line and secure a spot in the A1–A15 range — provided there’s availability.
The key difference is that Upgraded Boarding guarantees an A1–A15 boarding position, while EarlyBird Check-In generally gets you somewhere between A16-45 — depending on how many other passengers purchase it.
Another difference: Upgraded Boarding must be purchased per segment, while EarlyBird Check-In applies to all segments on the same reservation.
If you’re flying with a Companion Pass, EarlyBird Check-In will automatically place your companion in the next available boarding position, while Upgraded Boarding requires your companion to purchase their own.
Changes Coming to Southwest Seating and Boarding
Southwest announced some big changes in late 2024 with one of the most notable being that assigned seating is coming in 2026. While the airline will keep its familiar boarding process, who boards first will likely change.
Southwest is also introducing premium seats with extra legroom at the front of the plane. EarlyBird Check-In will likely be impacted because of this operational change, too, but we don’t yet know how. There’s speculation that Southwest credit card holders may get free seat assignments ahead of check-in, which would naturally reduce the value (and future) of EarlyBird Check-In.
But for now, nothing has changed. However, if you’re booking flights for 2026 and beyond, it's worth keeping an eye on Southwest to see when and how it starts implementing its planned operational changes.
Final Thoughts
EarlyBird Check-In has long been a simple way to get a better boarding position on Southwest flights, but with assigned seating on the horizon, its value could very well change.
For flights in 2025, EarlyBird Check-In still makes sense if you want a better boarding position but don’t have elite status or a premium fare (Anytime or Business Select).
If you’re flying in 2026 or later, it’s worth paying attention to how Southwest adapts its operational model. For now, it’s business as usual, but just know that major changes are on the way.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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