Do Southwest card holders get early bird check-in?

Early Bird Check-in: Available for free to Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus, Premier and Business Premier credit card holders only. With either card, you will get 2 Early Bird Check Ins per year.



As of 2026, Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card holders do not receive automatic, unlimited EarlyBird Check-In, but the higher-tier cards offer a credit for it. Specifically, the Southwest Priority and Southwest Performance Business cards provide holders with four Upgraded Boardings per year, which allows you to secure an A1–A15 boarding position at the gate. The Southwest Premier and Plus cards generally do not include EarlyBird Check-In as a standard "free" benefit; however, they often feature promotional offers or "reimbursement" credits for a set number of EarlyBird purchases. In 2026, with Southwest’s shift toward assigned seating on many routes, the value of EarlyBird has evolved. Cardholders now often receive "Preferred Seating" credits or early access to seat selection windows instead of the traditional "boarding position" scramble. Always check your specific "Cardmember Benefits" portal, as Southwest frequently updates these perks to align with their new cabin configurations and boarding technologies.

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SCOOP: Southwest Airlines Will No Longer Sell 'Early Bird' Check-In For All Trips. Southwest doesn't offer advance seat assignments, and that works well for them. Passengers line up in order to get their preferred seat before the best seats are gone, and this helps get everyone on quickly.

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You can use travel funds to rebook and change a Wanna Get Away fare to an Anytime or Business Select one, but you can't use travel funds to pay for Upgraded Boarding or buy EarlyBird Check-In.

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Customers can add EarlyBird Check-In to their reservation up to 36 hours prior to a flight's scheduled departure, when it is available. Upgraded Boarding guarantees an A1-A15 boarding position and, when available, can be added to a reservation up to 30 minutes before a flight's scheduled departure.

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The program includes perks like no blackout dates, no baggage fees or other hidden charges, along with the potential to earn the Southwest Companion Pass®, allows you to choose one family member or friend to fly with you every time you purchase or redeem points for a flight.

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How to get Southwest priority boarding
  1. Purchase EarlyBird Check-In.
  2. Purchase Upgraded Boarding.
  3. Book the right fare class.
  4. Carry select Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards.
  5. Reach elite status with Southwest.
  6. Travel as a family.
  7. Use your military benefits.


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You can use your Southwest Priority Card instantly after approval if you apply for it while booking a flight. You might also be able to add the Southwest Priority Card to a digital wallet, but it's not guaranteed.

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Southwest Rapid Rapid Rewards Priority benefits The Southwest Priority card offers the following benefits: Anniversary bonus: Each year on your card-opening anniversary, you'll receive 7,500 Rapid Rewards points, worth about $112, based on TPG's valuations.

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Preboarding is available for Customers with disabilities who need a specific seat to accommodate a disability, need assistance boarding the aircraft, or need to stow an assistive device.

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Does Southwest EarlyBird Check-in guarantee you Zone A boarding? Those assigned Zone A (listed on your boarding pass) are the first group of passengers to board the plane, but EarlyBird DOES NOT guarantee you Zone A boarding.

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All passengers flying in a premium cabin get priority boarding. But the group you'll be assigned to depends on which class of service you're flying. Passengers in the front cabin board with Group 1.

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What are the Rapid Rewards Rules and Regulations? Rapid Rewards is a rewards program offered by Southwest Airlines® Co. for Southwest Airlines Customers.

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How Much Are Southwest Points Worth? Depending on the itinerary, Southwest Rapid Rewards can be worth between 1 cent and 1.5 cents. As a result, 50,000 Southwest points are typically worth between $500 and $750 in award flights within the United States or one of the airline's international destinations.

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There are two Southwest credit cards that give Upgraded Boarding — a personal and business version. Both provide 4 Southwest upgraded boardings per cardmember year.

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Who should do it? A ticket upgrade may make sense if any of the following are true: You like the idea of boarding the plane quickly so you can choose your preferred seat and are guaranteed an A1 through A15 boarding position. You want to maximize the Rapid Rewards points that you earn.

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Re: Saving Seats Unfortunately, there's no policy to enforce. Officially, Southwest has no policy for or against seat saving, and in practice actively allows it. Reps will even suggest that passengers save seats for later boarding companions.

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60,000 Southwest points are worth around $798 when redeemed for airfare. While Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points are most valuable when redeemed for Travel, they're also redeemable for gift cards, hotel stays, merchandise, and more.

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