Is it worth upgrading boarding on Southwest?

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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If you're looking for a more comfortable flight experience, then upgrading to A1 15 may be the right choice for you. It will give you priority boarding and access to the best seats in the plane, so if that's important to you then it could be worth it.

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Typically, if you have a boarding position under B30 you should be able to find a window or aisle seat. The further back in the plane you decide to sit, the more likely you will find a window or aisle seat. When do standbys board? Standby passengers will be the last to board.

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2. On Southwest it is an open seating policy meaning you can sit in any open seat. With B1 you should have no problem getting a window or aisle at mid cabin or towards the back of the plane. B1 is not bad as there would be pre boarders, family boarders and up to 60 people (from A group) in front of you.

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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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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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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.


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Southwest assigns boarding positions rather than seats
  • You'll either be in group A, B, or C, with A being allowed to board first, B being allowed to board second, and C being allowed to board last.
  • You'll be given a specific number within that range, which determines the order in which you can board within each group.


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Pay for it out of pocket. As we mentioned, the easiest way to get priority boarding with American Airlines is to fly in a premium cabin. First class passengers board in Group 1; business class passengers board in Groups 1 and 2; and premium economy passengers board in Group 4.

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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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If you check in first, there's a higher chance of getting squished into the middle seat or being near the bathrooms (ahh, the smells, the sounds, the foot traffic). For those planning to travel in Europe on a low-cost airline like Ryanair, there is a definite advantage to checking in later.

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Bulkhead seats The bulkhead is essentially the wall that separates one plane cabin from another, and the seats here have extra legroom since there's no other seat in front of them. Bulkhead seating can either be at the front of each cabin or at the front of flights that offer a business class.

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Southwest Airlines has long argued that its unassigned seating policy is popular with passengers and facilitates speedier boarding. That means planes spend less time at the gate and more time in the air generating Southwest money. Over the years, the airline has tinkered with the no-system boarding system.

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Seniors do not get priority boarding on Southwest. There is priority boarding for customers who have a specific seating need to accommodate their disability or who need assistance in boarding the aircraft or stowing an assistive device. In that case, you'll board before Family Boarding, between the A and B groups.

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No. However, there can be operational instances where we will be over available seating capacity, resulting in an oversale. Overselling a flight can occur because of weight restrictions and aircraft type changes. We don't overbook as part of our philosophy of Customer-friendly policies.

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