Do I have an assigned seat? Southwest-operated flights have open seating. Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carryon items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.
People Also Ask
How do I find out how many seats are available on a Southwest flight? There's no easy way to find out. Because it doesn't offer seat assignments, Southwest does not show a map of available seats during the booking process.
Flight Check-In OnlineBeginning 24 hours prior to departure, from Southwest.com® or the Southwest® app, select “Check in.” Enter the confirmation number and first and last name of a Passenger on the itinerary, and click “Check in” (for desktop) or “Retrieve reservation” (for the Southwest app or mobile website).
B boarding group: This is the next best boarding group to be in if you want the chance to select a seat you can live with. However, being near the beginning of the B group is a lot better than the end.
As far as determining who gets to pick their seats in which order, here's how it works: A Southwest boarding group (either A, B, or C) and position (1-60) will be assigned to you at check-in and it'll be printed on your boarding pass. Group A boards first, then group B, and afterwards group C.
Group A boards first, then group B, and afterwards group C. If you end up with A1, then it's your lucky day — you'll likely get to be the first passenger on the plane. There may be some exceptions for people with certain disabilities, pre-boarders or people on an earlier connecting flight.
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.
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.
Re: Saving SeatsUnfortunately, 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.
I am a bigger person, size 24-26-28. Will I fit in an airplane seat? You will probably need to buy two coach seats and ask for a seatbelt extender (or to have yours). Remember, two coach seats are generally much cheaper and more spacious than a single first class seat.
Up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. There should be enough open seats to enable the child to sit next to at least one accompanying adult.
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.
Southwest Airlines reviewsOnline customer reviews tend to agree with Skytrax's assessment. According to the 2022 Airline Quality Rating report, Southwest was ranked as the No.1 airline in 2021 and 2020. In addition, Southwest had the second lowest consumer complaint rate in 2021.
Southwest does serve small snacks, the exact items depend on how long the flight is, but usually some peanuts and pretzels are available along with a selection of beverages, and if you ask nicely the flight attendants are most often happy to give you extra or provide a drink refill.
Southwest will accept the first two checked bags for free provided that the bags do not exceed 50 lbs and 62 inches (L+W+H). Overweight items from 51-70 pounds will cost $100. Overweight items 71-100 pounds will cost $125.
If you're in boarding Group B, you can still get a decent seat if you're in B1 to B30, but the closer you get to boarding Group C, the tougher it's going to be to get your desired seat. However, if you're okay with sitting in the rear of the plane, it will be easier to find desirable seats or seats together.