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Is upgraded boarding better than early bird?

If you want an even higher position than what you'd get with EarlyBird and you don't want to pay more for a Business Select ticket, you can purchase upgraded boarding. For $30 to $80 each way, you can buy a spot in the A1-A15 boarding group.



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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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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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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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These restrictions include, but are not limited to, your reservation must be booked 36 hours prior to scheduled departure, and on Group Travel itineraries, priority boarding will only apply to A-List and A-List Preferred Members.

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A-list will ALWAYS yield a better boarding position than Early Bird - unless the ticket happens to be booked less than 24 hours in advance, SW assigns boarding positions in the following order: A List preferred, followed by A-List, followed by Early Bird.

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As such, we do not publish flight loads. If for any reason you're uncomfortable traveling in the current environment and would like to discuss the flight load of your upcoming flight, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our Customer Service Department via any of the options below. Email here.

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When do I need to arrive at the airport for my Southwest Airlines (WN) flight? Suggested arrival time: 2 hours before scheduled departure time for US domestic flights. 3 hours before scheduled departure time for international flights to/from the US.

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Customers with eligible reservations may check in online at www.southwest.com or using the Southwest® app available here. Once you have checked in for your flight, you can print your boarding pass online, download via the Southwest app, or choose to receive a text.

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Standard procedure is to wait until the door closes to see if everybody shows up for the flight. If the seat is available, the passenger pays for the upgrade on the flight.

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As an EarlyBird Check-In Customer, you'll have the benefit of an earlier boarding position, a better opportunity to select your preferred available seat, and earlier access to overhead bin storage for your carryon luggage.

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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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Southwest has three boarding groups, A, B, and C, and each group has 60 'positions. ' Upon checking in, you'll be assigned one of these 180 positions, determining when you can board and choose your seat.

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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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  1. Book Window & Aisle Seats … & Cross Your Fingers.
  2. Monitor Your Seat Map Before Boarding.
  3. Pay For an Extra Seat to Guarantee More Space.
  4. Block the Middle Seat for a Smaller Fee.
  5. Pick the Right Plane to Avoid Middle Seats Altogether.


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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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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.

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Yes, A45 is a very good number. No worries. There may be 44 people ahead of you but probably less.

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