How do you qualify for priority boarding on Southwest?

Although Southwest priority boarding isn't based on the cabin class you fly, you can get the perk by:
  1. Purchasing EarlyBird Check-In or Upgraded Boarding.
  2. Carrying a credit card that offers priority boarding benefits.
  3. Purchasing a higher fare ticket.
  4. Being an elite member.




People Also Ask

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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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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To qualify for A-List status, you'll need to fly 25 one-way qualifying flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points per calendar year. To qualify for A-List Preferred status, you'll need to fly 50 Southwest Airlines® one-way qualifying flights or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points per calendar year.

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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.

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Upgraded Boarding gives Customers the ability to upgrade their boarding position to A1-A15 24 hours before the flight depending on availability. This allows our Customers the opportunity to be among the first to board the aircraft, pick their preferred available seat, and access the overhead bin space.

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Economy passengers, including those with basic economy fares, can purchase a priority boarding add-on to enter the plane with Group 4. You can't purchase this upgrade during the initial booking process, so you'll need to add it during check-in, online or at the airport.

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If you need your carry-on bag during a long layover or prefer not to wait at a late-night baggage claim after a long day of flying, then purchasing a priority boarding upgrade may be well worth it. In essence, purchasing priority boarding is staking claim to readily accessible overhead bin space.

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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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If someone on your reservation has A-List status, Southwest will automatically reserve boarding positions for the entire group 36 hours before departure. Likewise, you can purchase Business Select fares to guarantee A1-A15 boarding positions -- but these fares are often rather pricey.

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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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If you travel by plane and you are a woman with small children or an old person with disabilities, you have priority boarding, which means you get on board the aircraft before the staff start boarding. Then comes boarding for those in line 1 (first class), then 2 (business class), then the others (economy class).

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If you need your carry-on bag during a long layover or prefer not to wait at a late-night baggage claim after a long day of flying, then purchasing a priority boarding upgrade may be well worth it. In essence, purchasing priority boarding is staking claim to readily accessible overhead bin space.

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Better comfort. Not only does waiting to board let you bypass the often stressful and crowded lines (or 'gate lice' as one woman put it), doing so lets you enjoy more legroom, open seating, and less claustrophobia for a few minutes longer in the gate rather than the plane.

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You can add Priority Boarding to your trip to get an earlier boarding group. If you add Premier Access to your trip you get Priority Boarding automatically and you get access to faster check-in and security lines.

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Southwest Airlines doesn't actually have a dedicated first-class fare, instead, it's known as Business Select. Generally, first-class tickets are the most expensive fare that you can purchase.

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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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EarlyBird Check-In pricing starts at $15. Pricing may vary based on the popularity and length of each (one-way) flight. A credit card must be used for the purchase of EarlyBird Check-In. Please review our optional travel charges for more details.

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Southwest Is A Safe Airline
They are a favorite among travelers looking for cheap flights without having to compromise on comfort or security. According to the most recent list of the world's safest airlines, Southwest was ranked in the top 15 airlines in the world in 2021, even beating out Delta, American, and United.

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What is Upgraded Boarding? With the best available A1-A15 boarding position, you'll get earliest access to seats and overhead bins on eligible flight segments. When should I purchase it? Flight segments within 24 hours of departure are eligible for upgrade.

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