Who qualifies for preboarding?

Preboarding is reserved mainly for travelers needing special assistance and passengers with a child under age 2.



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Priority pre-boarding is available for those who have specific seating needs to accommodate their disability, who need assistance in boarding the aircraft, or who need assistance stowing any devices.

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Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights A person with a disability may have a physical or mental impairment that impacts a major life activity - such as walking, hearing, or breathing. This may be on a permanent or temporary basis.

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Passengers who are non-ambulatory can still fly, but they'll need help getting to and from their seat on the airplane. The aisle chair (also referred to as a straight back or high back) is a small wheelchair that is used to transport immobile passengers from their own wheelchair to a seat on the airplane.

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To keep flights orderly and boarding smooth, airlines calculate that it makes sense for small children to board early with a parent and get settled before the anxious masses wanting an on-time or early departure.

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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.

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Southwest allows preboarding only for customers who 1) need a specific seat on the plane, or 2) need assistance boarding the plane. If you find that having a specific seat helps with your anxiety, that would be a way for you to preboard.

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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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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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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 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.

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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.

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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.

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If your flight is within 72 hours, please call TSA Cares (855) 787-2227 to request assistance. TSA Cares assistance is only available for assistance through the screening checkpoint. If you need in-flight assistance or wheelchair assistance from the curb to the aircraft, please contact your airline.

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