Who is eligible for preboarding on Southwest?

Preboarding is available for Customers who have a specific seating need to accommodate their disability and/or need assistance in boarding the aircraft or stowing an assistive device. Customers who are traveling with assistance and emotional support animals qualify for preboarding.



People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

Some Customers with disabilities are able to preboard at the very beginning of the boarding process prior to general boarding. 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.

MORE DETAILS

Re: Preboarding with Family It's technically limited to one adult traveling with a child six years old or younger, but some agents allow multiple family members to board together at that time.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Purchase Upgraded Boarding You can purchase a Southwest Upgraded Boarding — and guarantee an A1 through A15 boarding position — starting 24 hours before departure. The cost is variable and starts at $30 per flight segment, reaching as high as $80 per segment.

MORE DETAILS

Preboarding If you do, you'll receive a boarding pass with a specific preboarding designation, and you'll be allowed to preboard with one companion. If you're traveling with more than one other person, they'll typically have to board with their original group.

MORE DETAILS

United, the airline I fly most often, explicitly limits pre-boarding to families with children two and under (though never actually enforces it). Two strikes me as too young to cut off pre-boarding, but once children hit five or six, they generally are able to wait in line and board with everyone else.

MORE DETAILS

Other family members such as grandparents can board with family boarding but they have to be the only adults. So for example you could not have both parents and a set of grandparents boarding in the family boarding group. Instead, Southwest would likely limit you to only two parents (along with the kids).

MORE DETAILS

Fliers who qualify for preboarding get on the plane before all other travelers, including first-class passengers. So, if you are eligible, you can get settled in your seat before the regular boarding process begins.

MORE DETAILS

The most common reason for denied boarding is overbooking. This is when airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on the aircraft. The reason for this common practice is so-called 'no-shows'.

MORE DETAILS

Pre-boarding with Diabetes Anyone in your travel party can also pre-board with you. All you have to do is wait for the TSA agent to call for pre-boarding for eligible people with disabilities and walk up to the desk and scan your boarding pass.

MORE DETAILS

If you're traveling with more than one other person, they'll typically have to board with their original group. People who are preboarding are not allowed to occupy an exit row seat.

MORE DETAILS

Travel Companions Can Now Board With Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred Members. Anyone on the SAME RESERVATION (that means you'll have the same confirmation number) on Southwest Airlines as someone who holds elite status with Southwest (called A-List or A-List Preferred) can now board with the elite status member.

MORE DETAILS

What is Family Boarding? Southwest offers Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. Up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Once the child is checked in, a member of the cabin crew will then guide them through security and onto the aircraft. Minors are given priority boarding so that they can get settled on the plane before the rest of the passengers board.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS