Last Updated on July 2, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Southwest Airlines check-in still opens 24 hours before departure, but what happens next has changed. Since January 27, 2026, Southwest has used assigned seating instead of its old open-seating, first-come line-up — so check-in is now mostly about confirming your seat, downloading your boarding pass, and finding out which of the new boarding groups you’re in. Here’s exactly what to do, and how the process differs from the boarding system Southwest used for more than 50 years.
Quick Answer
Check in for a Southwest flight 24 hours before departure on southwest.com or the app, using your confirmation number and last name. Since Southwest switched to assigned seating in January 2026, check-in mainly confirms or assigns your seat and issues your boarding pass, which shows a boarding group from Preboard through Group 8.
Key Takeaways
- Southwest fully replaced open seating with assigned seating on January 27, 2026 — every fare now comes with a specific seat.
- Check-in still opens 24 hours before departure, but it’s no longer a race for a boarding letter; it mainly confirms your seat and gets you your boarding pass.
- EarlyBird Check-In and Upgraded Boarding (A1–A15) are gone. The paid product that replaces them is Priority Boarding, which lets you board ahead of Group 1.
- Boarding now runs through Preboard, Priority Boarding, A-List Preferred, and Groups 1 through 8, based mostly on seat type, fare, and status.
- Most fares no longer include free checked bags — only Choice Extra and A-List Preferred travelers get two bags free.
At a Glance
| Time Required | About 5 minutes online or in the app; up to 30 minutes at an airport kiosk or counter |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Tools Needed | Confirmation or Rapid Rewards number, exact passenger name, Southwest app or website, photo ID for in-person check-in |
| Cost | Free. Priority Boarding is an optional paid upgrade, priced per flight. |
When Can You Check In for Southwest Flight?
Southwest Airlines opens check-in 24 hours before your scheduled departure. Under the airline’s current assigned-seating system, most travelers already locked in a seat when they booked, so check-in’s main job is to confirm that seat and release your boarding pass. If you’re on a Basic fare, though, timing still matters: your Standard seat is assigned at check-in, and checking in as close to the 24-hour mark as possible gives you first pick from whatever Standard seats remain.
Checking in right at the 24-hour mark still helps — it just helps you land the best available seat instead of the best “letter” in line.
If you want the earliest possible boarding group regardless of your fare, Priority Boarding — Southwest’s current paid upgrade — can be purchased starting at that same 24-hour mark and lets you board ahead of Group 1.
Use the Southwest website or app for online convenience, enter your confirmation number and last name, and complete the process quickly.
If you’re traveling without checked bags, head straight to the gate after checking in and keep your day simple.
What Do You Need Before Southwest Check-In?
Before you check in, have your confirmation number or Rapid Rewards number and the passenger’s last name ready so you can access your booking online or in the app.
Keep the passenger name exactly as it appears on the reservation, since a mismatch can slow you down.
If you booked a Basic fare, set a reminder for the 24-hour mark: since Standard seats are assigned at check-in for that fare, checking in early gives you first access to whatever seats remain. If you booked Choice, Choice Preferred, or Choice Extra, your seat was likely already chosen at booking, so the 24-hour window matters less for seating and more for getting your boarding pass and, if you want it, buying Priority Boarding.
Make sure your internet connection is steady if you’re checking in on your phone or computer.
If you’ll check in at the airport or a kiosk, bring valid identification.
Note: A-List and A-List Preferred Members, along with certain Rapid Rewards Cardmembers, can select seats before the 24-hour window opens — sometimes as early as booking — so check-in timing matters less for them.
How Does Southwest Check-In Work?
Once you’ve got your confirmation number and last name ready, Southwest check-in is simple: it opens 24 hours before departure, and you can check in on the website, in the app, at a kiosk, or at the airport counter. Because seats are now assigned rather than earned by boarding position, checking in mostly confirms your existing seat (or assigns one, on Basic fares) and generates your boarding pass with its boarding group.
| Option | What you do |
|---|---|
| Website or app | Enter your confirmation number and last name |
| Kiosk or counter | Check in at the airport |
| Priority Boarding | Pay to board before Group 1, starting 24 hours before departure |
| Result | Get your confirmed seat and boarding group (Preboard through Group 8) |
Your boarding pass now shows your assigned seat along with a boarding group — Preboard, Priority Boarding, A-List Preferred, or Groups 1 through 8 — rather than the old letter-and-number combination.
How Do You Get Your Boarding Pass?
How do you get your Southwest boarding pass? You can check in online through Southwest’s website or app starting 24 hours before departure.
Enter your confirmation number or Rapid Rewards number and last name, then confirm or complete seat selection if you’re on a Basic fare. After that, you can download your pass for mobile boarding or have it emailed to you.
Enter your confirmation number and last name, then download your boarding pass for mobile use.
If you’d rather handle it at the airport, use kiosk check-in for a printed pass, or go to the counter for help.
If you buy Priority Boarding, it’s added to your existing boarding pass and moves you ahead of Group 1 — it doesn’t change your assigned seat, only when you walk down the jet bridge.
How Does Southwest Boarding Work?
Southwest now uses assigned seating, so your seat is set before you get to the gate — what your boarding group determines is when you board and how much overhead bin space is likely to be left. Boarding runs through Preboard, Priority Boarding, A-List Preferred, and then Groups 1 through 8.
Your group depends mainly on your seat type and fare bundle, plus Rapid Rewards status or credit card benefits — not on when you happened to check in.
Boarding Groups Explained
Southwest’s current boarding order looks like this:
- Preboard: passengers with disabilities who need extra time, and unaccompanied minors.
- Priority Boarding (paid) and A-List Preferred Members board next, ahead of everyone else.
- Group 1: A-List Members and Choice Extra (Extra Legroom) fares.
- Group 2: other Extra Legroom seat holders.
- Groups 3–4: Choice Preferred fares.
- Group 5: Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers who don’t already qualify for an earlier group.
- Groups 3–7: Choice fares, and Basic fares seated in Extra Legroom.
- Group 8: Basic fares in Standard or Preferred seats — the last to board.
Everyone traveling on the same reservation, including families, boards together in the same group.
Check-In Timing
Check-in still opens 24 hours before departure, and that window still matters — just for different reasons than before. For Basic fare travelers, it’s when your Standard seat gets assigned, so checking in promptly gives you the best pick of what’s left. For every other fare, your seat was likely chosen at booking, so the 24-hour mark mainly opens the window to buy Priority Boarding if you want to board ahead of Group 1.
| Option | Impact |
|---|---|
| Prompt check-in (Basic fare) | Better pick of remaining Standard seats |
| Late check-in (Basic fare) | Fewer seat choices left |
| Priority Boarding | Board ahead of Group 1 |
| Choice Extra fare | Extra Legroom seat plus Group 1 boarding |
| Family reservation | Whole party boards together in the same group |
How to Choose Your Seat
With assigned seating, your seat is largely locked in before you ever reach the airport, so the strategy has shifted from “board early” to “book the right fare.”
- Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra fares let you pick your seat at booking — the higher the fare, the closer to the front (and, with Choice Extra, into Extra Legroom).
- On a Basic fare, your seat is assigned at check-in, so checking in promptly still helps.
- Families traveling on the same reservation board together, and Southwest works to seat children 12 and under next to at least one adult in the party.
- A-List and A-List Preferred Members can select available seats, including Extra Legroom, at booking or shortly before departure at no extra cost.
Is Priority Boarding Worth It?
Warning: EarlyBird Check-In and Upgraded Boarding (A1–A15) no longer exist. If you see them referenced elsewhere, that information predates January 27, 2026 — Priority Boarding is the current replacement.
Priority Boarding is Southwest’s current paid upgrade: it moves you ahead of Group 1, regardless of your fare, and you can buy it starting 24 hours before departure and up to about 30 minutes before your original scheduled departure, if it’s still available. Southwest prices it per flight rather than at a flat rate, so cost varies by route and demand; based on real-world purchase data tracked by travel sites, it commonly falls somewhere in the $20–$50 range one-way, though busier routes can run higher.
Priority Boarding is most useful if you want guaranteed early access to overhead bin space or want to board together as a family without paying for Choice Extra seats for everyone. It doesn’t change your assigned seat — only your boarding order — so if seat location matters more to you than boarding order, upgrading your fare or seat type at booking is usually the better value.
Pro Tip: If your main goal is a specific seat rather than early boarding, it’s usually cheaper to select or upgrade your seat at booking than to buy Priority Boarding on travel day.
How Do Bags and the Southwest App Help?
Once your seat and boarding pass are set, the Southwest app helps you manage the rest of the trip. You can check in, add checked bags, and manage your boarding pass without standing in long airport lines, and the app offers digital bag tracking so you can see your bag’s status along the way.
Bag fees have changed along with seating: most fares now charge for checked bags, with free bags depending on your fare or status. Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred Members get two checked bags free; A-List Members and eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers get one free bag; Basic and Choice fares generally pay standard checked-bag fees unless a card or tier benefit applies.
You’ll also get flight notifications, including updates tied to baggage handling, so you can respond quickly if plans change.
- Track your bags in real time
- Manage your check-in, seat, and boarding pass details
- Get alerts on flight and bag status
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my Southwest boarding pass, step by step?
Check in online or in the app starting 24 hours before departure using your confirmation number and last name. Confirm your seat (or complete seat assignment on a Basic fare), then download your boarding pass from the app or email. It will show your seat and boarding group.
Should I check in 24 hours before a Southwest flight?
Yes. It’s most important on Basic fares, where checking in promptly gives you first pick of remaining Standard seats. On other fares your seat is usually already set, but checking in early still gets you your boarding pass and the option to buy Priority Boarding if you want to board ahead of Group 1.
What happened to Southwest’s open seating?
Southwest ended its longtime open-seating, first-come boarding system on January 27, 2026, switching to assigned seating with Standard, Preferred, and Extra Legroom seat types and a new Preboard-through-Group-8 boarding structure.
What is Priority Boarding, and how is it different from EarlyBird Check-In?
Priority Boarding is the paid product that replaced EarlyBird Check-In and Upgraded Boarding after January 26, 2026. Instead of checking you in 36 hours early to earn a better spot in line, it simply moves you ahead of Group 1 boarding on your assigned seat, and it’s purchasable starting 24 hours before departure.
Sources
- Southwest Airlines — Assigned Seating — backs the fare bundles, seat types, and Preboard-through-Group-8 boarding structure.
- Southwest Airlines — Priority Boarding — backs Priority Boarding’s timing, pricing structure, and refund rules.
- Southwest Airlines — Flying With Southwest — backs current check-in timing and app/bag-tracking features.
- ABC News — Southwest ends open seating — backs the January 27, 2026 transition date and new gate structure.
Conclusion
Southwest’s check-in process still opens 24 hours before departure, but what it gets you has changed. Since the airline’s January 2026 move to assigned seating, checking in is mostly about confirming your seat and grabbing your boarding pass, while your boarding group — Preboard through Group 8 — depends on your fare and seat type rather than how fast you checked in. Check in early if you’re on a Basic fare, keep your confirmation number handy, and use Priority Boarding or the right fare bundle if boarding order or seat location matters most to you. Whether you use the app, a fare upgrade, or Priority Boarding, you’re set to board with a confirmed seat and less guesswork.