How do I get a or B boarding on Southwest?

You will be assigned a boarding group (A, B, or C) and position (1-60+) upon check in. Your unique group and position combination (for example: A35) will be displayed on your boarding pass and represents a reserved spot in the boarding group at the gate.



To secure an A or B boarding group on Southwest in 2026, the most high-fidelity method is the "T-Minus 24 Hour" Check-In. Because Southwest has no assigned seats, your boarding position (A1-60, B1-60, C1-60) is determined strictly by how fast you check in via the app or website exactly 24 hours before departure. If you want a "High-Fidelity" guarantee, you can purchase EarlyBird Check-In, which automatically checks you in before the 24-hour window, or upgrade to Business Select, which places you in the coveted A1-A15 group. In 2026, you can also purchase "Upgraded Boarding" at the gate (for $30-$80) to move into the A1-15 group if spots are available. A high-fidelity "pro-tip" is to use a Southwest co-branded credit card, as some of them provide four "High-Fidelity" Upgraded Boarding credits per year. By ensuring a high-fidelity A or B position, you maximize your chance of getting a "High-Fidelity" window or aisle seat and plenty of overhead bin space for your carry-on luggage.

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Purchase a Business Select fare or upgrade to Business Select: Customers who purchase a Business Select fare will get guaranteed A1-A15 boarding. If a Customer did not originally purchase a Business Select fare but wants guaranteed A1-A15 boarding, they can upgrade their flight to Business Select.

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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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If you have a B group boarding position, the chances are good that you'll still be able to get a window or aisle seat or find 2 seats together if you're traveling with a companion. Hot Tip: If you are in the B group (or even one of the first numbers in the C group), head to the back of the plane.

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Bottom Line: Your best bets to get a higher boarding position without having to earn elite status are EarlyBird Check-In and upgraded boarding at the gate. However, both options will cost you. EarlyBird Check-In costs $15 to $25 one-way per person and doesn't guarantee you'll get an A boarding number.

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Customers who purchase an Anytime fare will automatically be checked in to their flight 36 hours prior to scheduled departure—that's 12 hours before our traditional 24-hour check-in. You will receive an earlier boarding position, improved seat selection, and earlier access to overhead bins.

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Check in early. No seats are assigned on Southwest Airlines, but boarding positions are assigned at check-in. The earlier you check in, the better position you will secure for yourself. Check-In begins 24 hours prior to your departure time.

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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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You can buy Priority Boarding for one flight or your entire trip. Priority Boarding may not be available on all flights.

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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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Groups 1 and 2 are made up of passengers with elite status in MileagePlus and partner programs, as well as those passengers seated in premium cabins. Group 2 also includes United co-branded credit card members and passengers who have purchased Priority Boarding.

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A strategy that travelers have been trying for years to varying degrees of success is the middle seat trick — when checking in online, two people traveling together will each select the aisle and window seats in a three-seat row and hope that the middle seat remains open.

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Southwest follows an open seating style, meaning there are no assigned seats. You'll be assigned a boarding group (either A, B, or C) and position (1-60+) upon check-in, which determines your boarding order. Once on board, you choose your seat. If you're last to board, you likely won't get to sit with your family.

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Table of contents
  1. Regularly Check the Seat map.
  2. Changing Seats in Flight.
  3. Make use of the Emergency Exit Rules.
  4. Ask the Gate Staff to Change Your Seat.
  5. Reserving Window and Aisle Seats.
  6. Sitting Further Back.
  7. Seat Blocking for Frequent Flyers.
  8. Most Important: Select Empty Flights.


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According to Southwest, A-List and A-List Preferred members have their boarding position on the plane automatically assigned 36 hours before departure. However, they still have to check in for the flight starting at 24 hours out. The chart below shows the main perks of both elite status tiers and how you can earn them.

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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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Overall, if you're the type of person who wants to save money by refraining from paying for a seat assignment, early check-in is your best bet for a not-awful seat. Otherwise, certain airlines (namely, Southwest) reward early birds. With other airlines, however, it may not matter too much either way.

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