Southwest® Boarding Process

You will be assigned a boarding group (A, B, or C) and position (1-60+) upon check in.

• Your unique group and position combination (for example: A35) will be displayed on your boarding pass and represents a reserved spot in the boarding group at the gate.
• Numbered posts in each of our gate areas indicate where to line up.
• When your boarding group is called, find your designated place in line and board the aircraft in numerical order with your boarding group.

Watch the below video to see how the boarding process works.

Southwest-operated flights have open seating. Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carryon items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

If you have an eligible reservation you may check in for your flight online at Southwest.com® beginning 24 hours prior to your flight's scheduled departure time. You may also check in and/or get a boarding pass upon arrival at the airport at a self-service kiosk (where available), the Skycap podium (in select locations), the Southwest Airlines® Ticket Counter, or at your departure gate.

If you purchased EarlyBird Check-In®, Business Select, Anytime, or are a Rapid Rewards® A-List Preferred or A-List Member, or on a reservation with an A-List Preferred or A-List Member, we'll automatically reserve your boarding position 36 hours before departure. You will still need to check in within 24 hours of scheduled departure to retrieve your boarding pass.

There are a few ways to get a better boarding position on your next flight:

1. Download the Southwest App: If you don’t already have the Southwest app, download it today for free! The app will send a push notification reminding you to check in 24 hours before your flight (notifications must be enabled within the app settings).

Download the Southwest App

2. Purchase EarlyBird Check-In®: This option gives you the convenience of automatic check-in before the traditional 24-hour check-in. While it doesn't guarantee an “A” boarding position, it gets you on the plane earlier and improves your seat selection options.

Get EarlyBird Check-In

3. Purchase Upgraded Boarding: This option is available starting 24 hours before the flight’s local departure time and allows Customers to upgrade their boarding position to A1-A15 depending on availability.

Purchase Upgraded Boarding

4. Purchase a Business Select fare or upgrade to Business Select: Customers who purchase a Business Select fare will get guaranteed A1-A15 boarding. If a Customer did not originally purchase a Business Select fare but wants guaranteed A1-A15 boarding, they can upgrade their flight to Business Select.

Upgrade flight to Business Select

See it in action: How to get a better boarding position.

Our friendly Agents will make an announcement in the gate area for each boarding group to assemble. When your group is called, line up in numerical order by the column that represents your boarding position (columns are labeled in groups of five), and board the airplane. There are also monitors at the front of the lines that display the group that is currently boarding.

30 minutes prior to scheduled departure time: We may begin boarding as early as 30 minutes prior to your flight’s scheduled departure time. We encourage all passengers to plan to arrive in the gate area no later than this time.

10 minutes prior to scheduled departure time: All passengers must obtain their boarding passes and be in the gate area available for boarding at least 10 minutes prior to your flight’s scheduled departure time. If not, Southwest may cancel your reserved space, and you will not be eligible for denied boarding compensation.

If you do not plan to travel on your flight: In accordance with Southwest’s No Show Policy, if you are not planning to travel on any portion of this itinerary, please cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight. Customers who fail to cancel reservations for a Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus fare segment at least ten (10) minutes prior to travel and who do not board the flight will be considered a no show, and all remaining unused Wanna Get Away funds will be forfeited. All remaining unused Business Select and Anytime funds will be converted to flight credit for the originally ticketed Passenger only. Starting July 1, 2023 (12:00 a.m. CT), for Wanna Get Away^® or Wanna Get Away Plus™ award travel reservations: if you do not cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes before the flight’s original scheduled departure time, any points used for booking will be forfeited, along with any taxes and fees associated with your award travel reservation. For Anytime or Business Select^® award travel reservation: the points used for booking will continue to be redeposited to the purchaser's Rapid Rewards^® account, and any taxes and fees associated with the award travel reservation will be converted into a flight credit for future use. 

The below chart lists key seat specifications on each Boeing 737 model we fly, including passenger capacity, average pitch*, and seat width. 

Our aircraft have one aisle and one single cabin with three seats on each side of the aircraft. The first row of seats on each side is bulkhead seating.

*As defined by our aircraft manufacturer, seat pitch is determined by measuring the distance from any point on a seat to the same point on the seat directly in front of it.

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.
• If the child and adults are all holding “A” boarding passes, they should board in their assigned boarding position rather than waiting for Family Boarding.
• Customers may choose, but are not required, to purchase EarlyBird Check-In®. EarlyBird Check-In is an option giving you the convenience of automatic check-in before our traditional 24-hour check-in. While EarlyBird Check-In doesn't guarantee an “A” boarding position, you’ll have the benefit of an earlier boarding position, a better opportunity to select your preferred available seat, and earlier access to overhead bins.

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. If a Customer with a disability simply needs a little extra time to board, we will permit the Customer to board before Family Boarding, between the “A” and “B” groups. Those Customers who need extra time to board will receive a new boarding pass with an extra time designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to board before Family Boarding.

We will allow one travel companion to act as an “attendant” and preboard with a Customer with a disability. In most cases, the Customer requires assistance from only one other person, and any additional family members or friends are asked to board with their assigned group.

Customers should request preboarding from our Customer Service Agent at the ticket counter or departure gate. Our Agents are trained to ask fact-finding questions to determine if the Customer meets the qualifications described above. Those Customers who qualify for preboarding will receive a new boarding pass with a preboarding designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (Boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to preboard.

It's important to keep in mind that Customers who preboard may not occupy an exit seat.

Note: Customers who are preboarding because of a need for a specific seat onboard the aircraft should speak with the Operations (Boarding) Agent prior to the start of preboarding to alert the Agent to the seating need.

We invite active-duty members of the U.S. Military (with valid military I.D.) who did not receive an “A” boarding pass to board between the A and B groups.

Military Travel and Benefits

Yes. However, in order to maintain the integrity of the boarding process, we ask that earlier boarding positions board with the later positions. For example, if a passenger is assigned position A16 and wants to board with a passenger assigned position A45, the passenger holding the A16 boarding pass should board with the A45 passenger.