The right way to finest Southwest’s boarding sport

However one Southwest process that tends to divide the room is its peculiar free-for-all method to loading passengers onto the airplane. Let’s have a look at the Southwest boarding course of and reveal a number of methods to make sure you get the most effective seat.

How Southwest boarding teams work

Southwest is exclusive amongst airways in that it doesn’t assign seats. As a substitute, it assigns you a spot in line to board the airplane.

There are simply three boarding Southwest teams: A, B, and C. Vacationers in every group are assigned a quantity between 1 and 60 (for instance, A50, B18, C32, and so forth). Numbered pylons in entrance of the gate present passengers the place to face as they wait to board. A1 will board first, and the very best quantity in group C will board final.

It’s additionally value noting that those that want help for some purpose (resembling a incapacity) will preboard earlier than group A. Likewise, households with kids aged six and below will board between teams A and B.

5 methods to improve your Southwest boarding group

Right here’s the one factor it’s essential find out about Southwest boarding: it’s first-come-first-served. The sooner you verify in to your flight, the earlier you’ll be on the airplane. For instance, in case you verify in instantly after check-in is out there, it’s possible you’ll be assigned seat A30. However in case you wait to verify in after you get to the airport, it’s possible you’ll be given seat C40.

You possibly can take a number of measures to enhance your spot in line—together with paying for a premium seat.

Examine in as early as attainable

The most well-liked (and least expensive) option to vie for a positive pole place is by checking in as quickly as attainable. Southwest opens check-in to clients 24 hours earlier than departure. It’s clever to set an alarm for this event and start refreshing the Southwest website (or your app) because the seconds tick down. You possibly can wager that different vacationers in your flight are doing the identical factor.

Whereas implementing this technique will nearly definitely rating you an honest seat choice, it’s not a positive factor because of the different choices beneath that assure a greater spot. You possibly can verify in for each flight on the identical itinerary on the 24-hour mark, so if somebody is connecting to your flight they might have checked in hours earlier than you had been eligible to take action.

EarlyBird Examine-In

EarlyBird Examine-In is a service that routinely reserves your home in line 36 hours earlier than departure. That’s a full 12 hours sooner than most everybody else—just about guaranteeing that you just’ll have a seat earlier than the vast majority of the airplane. Moreover, EarlyBird Examine-In clients will board based on the order through which they bought the service. In the event you had been the primary to choose in, you’ll board sooner.

EarlyBird Examine-In prices between $15 and $25 every means. That may add up rapidly for these touring with buddies or household. It might additionally not be accessible for each flight, or Southwest could merely cap the quantity that may be bought to your flight.

In the event you’re not eager to spend the cash for an EarlyBird Examine-In, it’s possible you’ll think about a bank card that provides the service at no cost. For instance, the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card and the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card each supply two EarlyBird Examine-Ins per 12 months—only for holding the cardboard. The Southwest Premier card made our finest airline bank cards and our finest playing cards for Southwest Airways lists for its strong advantages for an affordable annual charge.

Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card

Intro bonus

Earn 85,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual charge	$69
Common APR	21.49%–28.49% variable

Upgraded Boarding

Upgraded Boarding is just like a souped-up model of EarlyBird Examine-In. Positions A1 and A15 are reserved for many who purchase Upgraded Boarding (and anybody who purchases a Enterprise Choose seat, as we’ll speak about in a minute). Meaning you might be one of many first to sit down down.

Upgraded Boarding isn’t at all times accessible—however when it’s, you possibly can anticipate to pay between $30 and $80 per leg of your journey. That’s proper, you’ll must pay a number of occasions if you wish to be on the entrance of the road on an itinerary with a connection. 

Happily, some Southwest bank cards supply just a few Upgraded Boardings at no further price annually. The Southwest Speedy Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card and Southwest® Speedy Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card each embody 4 upgraded boardings yearly. That would conceivably translate into $320 in a single 12 months, or as much as $640 in case you maintain each playing cards (which is value doing in case you usually end up shopping for Upgraded Boardings).

Pay for Enterprise Choose or Anytime fares

Southwest publishes 4 fare tiers, two of which supply improved boarding.

The primary group is Enterprise Choose, which boards between A1 and A15. Excluding these within the preboarding group who want help, Enterprise Choose passengers are absolutely the first on board (they’re even forward of those that buy Upgraded Boarding). It’s value noting that Southwest’s “enterprise” seats are not any fancier than another seat on the airplane. Southwest doesn’t function multi-cabin planes. The primary draw is the flexibility to board first, together with goodies resembling free inflight web and a complimentary premium drink (on choose flights).

The second group is Anytime, which comes with EarlyBird Examine-In. These refundable tickets are sometimes not well worth the upcharge from Southwest’s bottom-tier Wanna Get Away fares. You’re seemingly higher off merely buying an EarlyBird Examine-In in case your major concern is a tolerable boarding place.

Obtain elite standing

Southwest has two elite standing tiers:

• A-Listing: Earned after you full 20 qualifying flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying factors
• A-Listing Most well-liked: Earned after you full 40 qualifying flights or earn 70,000 tier qualifying factors

Each tiers supply the good thing about reserving your spot in line (together with different passengers in your reservation) 36 hours earlier than departure. In different phrases, elite standing successfully will get you and your journey buddies free EarlyBird Examine-Ins for all flights. That might be a large money-saver for giant households that need to be close to the entrance of the road.

Sure airline bank cards might help you to earn Southwest elite standing extra rapidly, particularly:

For each $5,000 you spend on these playing cards, you’ll obtain 1,500 tier qualifying factors. Meaning spending $120,000 in a calendar 12 months with considered one of these playing cards might earn you Southwest A-Listing standing with out ever stepping foot on a airplane.

Are Southwest boarding upgrades value it?

Due to Southwest’s snooze-you-lose boarding process, the awkwardness of looking for a seat skyrockets the nearer you might be to the top of the queue. All of the “good” seats will probably be snatched up—to not point out the overhead bin area—and in case you’re touring with buddies or household, you seemingly received’t be capable of sit collectively. On this case, a boarding improve might be properly value it.

Nobody needs the dreaded center seat, however if you’re close to the top of the Southwest boarding course of, you’re seemingly going to be the one looking for an aisle or window.

The takeaway 

Greater than maybe another airline, Southwest is one that you just’ll need to board as quickly as attainable. Something you are able to do to enhance your home in line is properly value it. The again of the road means restricted overhead bin area and an almost assured center seat.

For a free shot at a decrease boarding quantity, verify in precisely 24 hours earlier than departure. Or, spring for EarlyBird Examine-In or Upgraded Boarding to chop the road successfully.

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our protection of bank card merchandise. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings could obtain a fee from card issuers.