Southwest Airlines Boarding Groups: What Changed and How It Works Now

One of the great things about flying Southwest Airlines for over 50 years was that upon boarding you could select any seat that was available. Southwest's open seating philosophy came to an end on January 27, 2026 with the airline?s decision to start assigning seating and a brand-new boarding process. The entire process at the gate is a new experience, if you haven't flown southwest since the switch. This guide will explain the new southwest boarding groups, what it entails from check-in to takeoff, and what you can do to board in your seat sooner.

New Southwest Boarding Groups Explained

Instead of the old A/B/C system, Southwest now has 8 groups of passengers numbered for boarding. The system used to be based mainly on the order in which you checked in, but it is now more a combination of the fare you purchased, seat you selected, and your membership status. Of course, no longer will you be pushed to one side of the boarding lane queue to find your group, because the numbered stanchions no longer exist, but instead will be called out one group at a time, with digital screens above the boarding lanes to indicate.

Before moving on to individually boarding by group, here's a quick look at the new southwest airlines boarding policy:

Groups 1?2 (Choice Extra & Extra Legroom)

The first two are intended for the passengers paying for the highest flexibility and comfort. This includes:

• The bookings of travelers who settled in for Choice Extra fare bundle
• Anyone who purchased an upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat
• Southwest's top loyalty level is A-List Preferred.
• A-List members who remotely upgrade to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours of departing if they have one available

Extra Legroom seats are located close to the front of the cabin as well as around the rows leading towards the exits and provide a couple of extra inches of cabin space.

Groups 3?5 (Choice Preferred, A-List, Rapid Rewards Cardholders)

The middle groups include a selection of different fare types and loyalty benefits. Those who paid for a Choice Preferred ticket touch down here as would regular A-List members who did not opt to get an Extra Legroom seat. Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers who don't already have an earlier group assignment based on fare or status will also board in Group 5. This is a significant change over from the previous system, in which cardholders would only be afforded a modest "position boost" but not a promised "early group".

Groups 6?8 (Choice & Basic Fares)

Individuals who fly on a standard Choice fare or a no-frills Basic fare will be in Groups 6, 7 or 8. Basic fare passengers do not have the option to book a seat as well, seats are allocated at check-in, although Rapid Rewards Cardmembers and Tier status holders do have the option to select a seat, on availability, on their basic fare.

It is important to note that arriving late doesn't mean you'll be assigned to a low seat. You will know your seat in advance, and will not lose it- it belongs to you, regardless of the order in which your group is called.

Preboarding & Passengers with Disabilities

Southwest continues to provide preboarding for travelers with a specific seating need, persons with disabilities or for travelers who have a medical device. A gate or ticket agent will validate and provide a preboarding pass, valid for one traveling companion. Each family member/ friend will board with their own group, not in preboarding. The change was agreed upon, in part, because of a longstanding issue regarding passengers using preboarding for the wheelchair, but not requiring it, as well as passengers who are legally entitled to it.

How Southwest Boarding Works at the Gate

The physical event at the gate has also been changed. Southwest got rid of the silver numbered stanchions that have been at each gate for decades. Alternate boarding lanes replaced, plus digital displays for the current boarding group.

Boarding Order Step-by-Step

Preboarding to final group boarding is easy and simple to accomplish while navigating the boarding process. Let's take a look at the process, step-by-step:

• Boarding is deemed as preboarding for persons with disabilities and their one companion.
• Groups 1?2 line up and board including premium fares, A-List Preferred members and Extra Legroom seats.
• Following groups 3?5 are Choice Preferred fares, A-list members, and Rapid Rewards Cardmembers respectively.
• Groups 6?8 board next, those who do not have an earlier assignment for Choice and Basic fare passengers.
• Gate agents will call each group selective, not to everyone, unlike opening the-door to everyone and this should help keep the line moving and to avoid crowds at the gate.

You can see on your boarding pass which seat in your group you're assigned for you - no need to guess if you've checked in.

Assigned Seating: Can You Still Move Seats?

On Southwest, which has implemented assigned seating, passengers can't move around freely once they're on board. Prior to departing, there are some opportunities to move seats on your own. In practice, that means:

• Once you have booked your seat, it is already assigned to you and confirmed at the time you book.
• If you don't have Tier status or a Rapid Rewards Cardmember, your seat assignment is based upon check-in for Basic fares.
• Where you are seated is no longer up to the discretion of your boarding group. It only impacts the moment you board the flight and the amount of time until it will find an overhead bin.
• You can adjust it yourself using the Southwest App or Website, but there is a time limit ? up to 60 minutes prior to a domestic flight and 90 minutes for an international flight. Alteration to seats (e.g. Extra Legroom) will incur extra charges as per ticket.
• Being on an airplane, the choice of seat is not yours to make. It's up to the flight crew. They may grant permission to move to another open seat in the same zone, but it's not always possible, especially to seek extra Legroom in high demand areas like the premium rows, which are purchased individually. 

A frequently asked question is, does southwest do family boarding. In short, it's no, not as it once was. Southwest had used to have a family boarding window for the A and B groups, enabling parents to come on time with their children. That's not today, now they've assigned the seats. Instead, every person in the same reservation automatically becomes in the same boarding group; depending on the fare they book at the time of booking and their choice of seat.

How to Get a Better Boarding Group on Southwest

There are a couple of legit ways that'll get you to ahead of an earlier boarding group; where overhead space is required or just so you'll be settled in before the early group;

• Book a higher fare bundle: Choice Extra is likely to put you in Groups 1-2 and Choice Preferred puts you in Groups 3-5.
• Purchase an Extra Legroom seat: Buying an Extra Legroom seat can cause you to push into a prior group, regardless of the price that you paid for your ticket.
• Earn A-List or A-List Preferred status: Priority boarding for the frequent flyers and A-List Preferred boarding first.
• Get a Rapid Rewards Credit Card: The individuals who do not already meet the requirements for one of the earlier groups are guaranteed to be a Group 5 member, which is one higher than Groups 6?8.
• Buy Priority Boarding: Southwest lets you buy this add-on 24 hours prior to the flight.
• Travel with a Companion Pass holder: Boarding benefits for companion passengers and companions are accrued based on whose status is higher.

For getting better group boarding southwest you can take help from the strategies mentioned above. With these things in mind you can make your traveling experience much more smoother and get better seating and overhead bin space. 

Old vs. New Southwest Boarding: Key Differences

The following outlines the differences between the old and new Southwest boarding systems, and how they will affect your travel experience.

The most important change in practice is that the number of boarding orders is no longer linked to the quality of the seats. It used to be, if a boarding position was bad, the seat really was bad! Now your seats will be locked whatever group you end up in, therefore the boarding group would mainly impact on how quickly you will be able to board and get situated, not where you sit.