Southwest Advance Seat Selection

Southwest Airlines offers a unique boarding process compared to other major airlines, as it does not assign seats at the time of booking. Instead, passengers are assigned a boarding group (A, B, or C) and a position within that group when they check in for their flight, which opens 24 hours before departure. The earlier you check in, the better your boarding position is likely to be, giving you more choice over where you sit once on the plane. Southwest's open seating policy means that passengers choose their seats when they board, so having an earlier boarding group is essential for those who want specific seat types, such as aisle, window, or extra legroom seats near the front of the aircraft.

For passengers who want to improve their chances of getting a desirable seat, Southwest offers several options for advanced seat selection strategies. The most popular is purchasing "EarlyBird Check-In," which automatically checks passengers in 36 hours before the flight, effectively giving them a head start in securing a better boarding position. This service costs between $15 to $25 per one-way trip, depending on the route, and is available until 36 hours prior to departure.

Southwest also offers "Upgraded Boarding" for passengers who want to secure an A1-A15 boarding position, guaranteeing access to the first choice of seats. This upgrade can be purchased at the gate on the day of the flight for a fee, which varies based on availability. Frequent flyers with Southwest’s elite status, such as A-List and A-List Preferred members, benefit from priority boarding, automatically getting better boarding positions without needing to purchase EarlyBird Check-In. Additionally, Business Select fares come with guaranteed A1-A15 boarding positions, allowing these passengers to be among the first to board the aircraft.