Customers should request preboarding from our Customer Service Agent at the ticket counter or departure gate. Our Agents are trained to ask factfinding questions to determine if the Customer meets the qualifications described above.
People Also Ask
EarlyBird Check-In Customers will have their boarding positions reserved beginning 36 hours prior to their flight's scheduled local departure time. Boarding passes can be accessed beginning 24 hours prior to the flight's scheduled local departure time.
Because letting uniformed military members preboard is a courtesy for those traveling on orders. If you are not uniformed, you should not have the ability to preboard with an ID card.
You request it at either the ticket counter or with the customer service agent at the gate. Just let them know you would like to request preboarding due to a disability that requires a specific seat. They aren't supposed to ask what your disability is.
A-List and A-List Preferred members receive priority boarding for everyone booked on the same reservation as boarding positions get assigned to elite Rapid Rewards members 36 hours before departure — so you don't have to purchase EarlyBird Check-In separately.
If you'd rather have money in your pocket than landing the seat of your choice, it's probably worth it to skip EarlyBird Check-In. Budget-minded group travelers. While $15 to $25 may not seem like much to pay for early boarding, it can quickly add up if you're traveling with a group.
Yes, you can request additional support from airline staff for your autistic child. This may include assistance with checking in, passing through security, and boarding the plane. It is recommended that you contact the airline in advance to make these requests.
If you have paid for upgrades in the past for this reason, request refunds from Southwest and explain that you were attempting to preboard. You do not have to disclose the disability nor discuss it in any way. Simply self identify and you will be permitted to preboard.
You're more likely to be caught if you try to board with the first group or two. Unless the gate agent is a real jerk, or you are, the worst that can happen is that you'll be told to wait for your own group.
Southwest allows preboarding only for customers who 1) need a specific seat on the plane, or 2) need assistance boarding the plane. If you find that having a specific seat helps with your anxiety, that would be a way for you to preboard.
Whether you choose to print your boarding pass the day before or just hours before the flight, your confirmed boarding position will be ready and waiting for you. You can print your boarding pass or download it on your mobile device within 24 hours of check-in.
There are two Southwest credit cards that give Upgraded Boarding — a personal and business version. Both provide 4 Southwest upgraded boardings per cardmember year. This means that if you open a card in October 2022, you will get 4 upgraded boarding credits to use over the next 12 months.
Therefore, before a flight starts boarding, you can check with a gate agent to see if this scenario is playing out on your flight. And if so, tell them that you're interested in paying for an upgrade. For a final try, if that also fails, you can ask the lead flight attendant or flight attendant at the boarding door.