Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Southwest Airlines check-in opens 24 hours before your flight’s original scheduled departure time, but the process is very different from the airline’s old open-seating days. Since January 27, 2026, Southwest has used assigned seating. Check-in now gives you your boarding pass, confirms or assigns your seat, and shows when you will board under the new Groups 1 through 8 system.
Quick Answer
Check in for a Southwest flight starting 24 hours before the original scheduled departure on Southwest.com or the app. Enter your confirmation number plus the passenger’s first and last name. Basic fares receive a Standard seat assignment at check-in or, if necessary, at the gate. Your boarding pass shows your assigned seat and boarding group.
Key Takeaways
- Southwest changed from open seating to assigned seating for flights beginning January 27, 2026.
- Basic fares do not get a free seat-selection window at check-in. Southwest assigns a Standard seat automatically at check-in or, if needed, at the gate.
- Priority Boarding is available starting 24 hours before departure, when available, and currently costs $10–$75 per segment, per Customer.
- The current boarding order includes Preboarding, Priority Boarding, A-List Preferred, and Groups 1 through 8.
- For qualifying U.S. mainland travel booked, ticketed, or changed on or after April 9, 2026, Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares generally cost $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second.
At a Glance
| Time Required | Usually a few minutes online or in the app; airport kiosk and counter waits vary |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Tools Needed | Confirmation number, passenger first and last name, Southwest website or app, and any required travel identification or international documents |
| Cost | Check-in is free. Priority Boarding currently costs $10–$75 per segment, per Customer; paid seat upgrades can cost $4–$250 per segment, per Customer. |
When Can You Check In for a Southwest Flight?
Southwest opens online check-in 24 hours before your flight’s original scheduled departure time. You can check in through the Southwest app, Southwest.com, an airport self-service kiosk where available, a Skycap podium at select airports, or the Southwest ticket counter. Southwest confirms the current 24-hour rule in its online check-in instructions.
With Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra fares, you may already have selected your seat before check-in. If you skipped seat selection when your fare allowed it, Southwest can assign a seat at check-in.
With a Basic fare, Southwest normally assigns you a Standard seat at check-in. If it cannot assign one immediately, your travel document will tell you that the seat will be assigned at the gate. A Basic passenger does not receive a free “first pick” of the remaining Standard seats simply by checking in at exactly 24 hours.
For a Basic fare, the 24-hour mark is when you should check in to receive and review your seat assignment — not a race to choose the best free seat.
If you want to board earlier, Priority Boarding may be available for purchase starting 24 hours before the flight’s original scheduled departure. It changes when you board, not the seat printed on your boarding pass.
If you already have a boarding pass and are not checking bags, you can skip the Southwest ticket counter and go directly to the airport security checkpoint, then continue to your gate.
What Do You Need Before Southwest Check-In?
For online or app check-in, have your six-character confirmation number plus the first and last name of a passenger on the itinerary. Enter the name exactly as it appears on the reservation.
You will also need a working internet connection if you are using Southwest.com or the app. Keep any identification and travel documents required for airport security and your destination with you.
A Rapid Rewards number can be useful for retrieving a reservation at certain airport kiosks, but Southwest’s current website/app check-in instructions call for the confirmation number and passenger first and last name.
Note: A-List Preferred Members can choose an available Extra Legroom, Preferred, or Standard seat at booking. A-List Members can choose Preferred or Standard seats at booking and may move to an available Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours of departure. Some Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers also receive early seat-selection benefits.
How Does Southwest Check-In Work?
The easiest method is Southwest.com or the Southwest app. The current process is straightforward:
- Wait until the 24-hour window opens. Check-in begins 24 hours before the flight’s original scheduled departure.
- Open Southwest check-in. Select “Check in” on Southwest.com or in the Southwest app.
- Enter your reservation details. Provide the confirmation number and the passenger’s first and last name.
- Review your seat. Confirm the seat you previously selected or review the seat Southwest assigned. Basic fares normally receive a Standard seat automatically.
- Retrieve your boarding pass. Save the mobile boarding pass when eligible or print one at an airport kiosk or ticket counter.
- Add checked bags if needed. Eligible reservations can add and pay for standard checked bags online after check-in.
- Check your boarding group and gate. Your boarding pass shows your assigned seat and boarding group.
| Check-In Option | What You Do |
|---|---|
| Website or app | Enter confirmation number plus first and last name |
| Airport kiosk | Retrieve the reservation, review the seat, print a pass, and handle eligible bag tasks |
| Ticket counter | Get staff help with check-in, documents, special reservations, or baggage |
| Priority Boarding | Optional purchase that boards you before Group 1 when available |
How Do You Get Your Boarding Pass?
You can get your Southwest boarding pass after checking in through Southwest.com or the Southwest app. On a phone, open the boarding pass after check-in and save it to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet when that option is available.
You can also print a boarding pass at a Southwest self-service kiosk or ask for one at the ticket counter.
Your current Southwest boarding pass shows both your assigned seat and the boarding group that determines when you enter the aircraft.
Mobile boarding passes are not available for every traveler. Southwest lists exceptions including Lap Children, Unaccompanied Minors, certain international itineraries, partner reservations, and military or government fares. See Southwest’s mobile boarding pass rules for current eligibility.
If you purchase Priority Boarding, the boarding benefit is associated with the eligible flight. It changes your boarding order; it does not replace your assigned seat.
How Does Southwest Boarding Work?
Southwest now uses assigned seats, so there is no reason to race onto the aircraft to claim an open seat. Your boarding group determines when you board and therefore can still affect how early you reach the overhead bins.
Southwest says boarding assignments can depend on your fare, seat type and location, Rapid Rewards tier status, and eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Card benefits. Everyone on the same ordinary reservation is normally assigned the same boarding group, although Group travel reservations are an exception.
Boarding Groups Explained
The current Southwest boarding process is:
| Boarding Call | Typical Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Preboarding | Passengers with disabilities who need additional time or assistance, plus Unaccompanied Minors |
| Priority Boarding | Customers who purchased Priority Boarding and active-duty U.S. military with valid Uniformed Services ID |
| A-List Preferred | Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members |
| Group 1 | Rapid Rewards A-List Members and Choice Extra fares |
| Group 2 | Extra Legroom seats with Choice or Choice Preferred fares |
| Groups 3–4 | Choice Preferred fares in Standard or Preferred seats |
| Group 5 | Eligible primary Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers who do not already qualify for an earlier group |
| Groups 3–7 | Choice fares in Standard or Preferred seats |
| Group 8 | Basic fares unless another eligible boarding benefit supersedes the normal fare assignment |
Your boarding pass shows the group that applies to you. Eligible tier or Cardmember benefits can improve the group that would otherwise come from your fare.
Does Checking In Earlier Improve Your Boarding Group?
For most Southwest passengers, checking in earlier no longer earns a better boarding position. Your group is based primarily on fare, seat, tier status, and Cardmember benefits rather than who clicked the check-in button first.
Basic passengers should still check in when the 24-hour window opens so they can receive and review their seat assignment, obtain their travel document, and address any problem early.
| Situation | What Check-In Timing Does |
|---|---|
| Basic fare | Triggers or reveals the Standard seat assignment; it does not provide free first pick of remaining seats |
| Choice or higher | Usually confirms the trip and releases the boarding pass; the traveler may already have selected a seat |
| Priority Boarding | Becomes available for purchase beginning 24 hours before the flight, when offered |
| Same reservation | Travelers normally receive the same boarding group, except for Group travel reservations |
How to Choose Your Seat
With assigned seating, the best seat strategy starts when you buy the ticket rather than when you reach the gate.
- Choice: choose an available Standard seat at booking.
- Choice Preferred: choose an available Preferred or Standard seat at booking.
- Choice Extra: choose an available Extra Legroom, Preferred, or Standard seat at booking.
- Basic: Southwest assigns a Standard seat at check-in or at the gate. Paid seat options may be available separately.
- A-List Preferred: choose an available Extra Legroom, Preferred, or Standard seat at booking.
- A-List: choose an available Preferred or Standard seat at booking and, if available, move to an Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours before departure.
Southwest says it will endeavor to seat a child age 12 or younger next to at least one accompanying passenger age 13 or older on the same reservation, to the extent practicable and at no additional cost. Families can review the airline’s current family seating policy before travel.
How Late Can You Check In for Southwest?
The 24-hour opening time gets most of the attention, but the check-in cutoff is just as important. Southwest currently publishes the following deadlines based on the flight’s original scheduled departure time:
| Deadline | Current Southwest Rule |
|---|---|
| Domestic flight check-in | At least 30 minutes before departure |
| International flight check-in | At least 60 minutes before departure |
| Flight departing Aruba | At least 75 minutes before departure |
| Domestic checked-bag deadline | Generally at least 45 minutes before departure |
| International checked-bag deadline | Generally at least 60 minutes before departure; 75 minutes from Aruba |
| Gate requirement | Have your boarding pass and be in the gate area at least 10 minutes before departure |
Warning: Missing Southwest’s check-in cutoff can require rebooking on the next available flight. Airport-specific baggage and processing requirements can also vary, so do not treat the cutoff as your recommended airport arrival time.
Is Priority Boarding Worth It?
Warning: EarlyBird Check-In and the old A1–A15 Upgraded Boarding product belong to Southwest’s former open-seating system. Under assigned seating, the current day-of-travel paid boarding product is Priority Boarding.
Priority Boarding lets an eligible traveler board before Group 1. Southwest says it is available for purchase beginning 24 hours before the flight’s original scheduled departure and up to 30 minutes before that original departure time, if inventory remains.
Southwest’s current optional travel charges list Priority Boarding at $10–$75 per segment, per Customer. Prices can vary by flight.
Priority Boarding can make sense when early access to overhead-bin space matters to you. It does not give you a different assigned seat. If seat location is the main goal, selecting or purchasing the seat you actually want may provide more direct value.
Priority Boarding is generally nonrefundable if you voluntarily change or cancel the flight. Southwest provides specified refund treatment when the airline cancels the applicable flight or when certain significant Southwest-caused changes lead you to cancel. Review the current Priority Boarding terms before purchasing.
Pro Tip: Decide whether you care more about your actual seat or about boarding early. Paid seat selection changes where you sit; Priority Boarding changes when you enter the plane.
How Do Bags and the Southwest App Help?
After check-in, eligible travelers can use Southwest.com or the Southwest app to add checked bags, pay applicable standard bag fees, manage travel details, and follow available digital bag-tracking information.
For U.S. mainland travel booked, ticketed, or changed on or after April 9, 2026, Southwest currently lists these standard first- and second-bag charges:
| Traveler or Fare | 1st Checked Bag | 2nd Checked Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $45 | $55 |
| Choice | $45 | $55 |
| Choice Preferred | $45 | $55 |
| Choice Extra | Free | Free |
| A-List Preferred | Free | Free |
| A-List | Free | Fee applies |
| Eligible primary Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmember | Free | Fee applies unless another benefit covers it |
Different rules apply to some itineraries, including interisland Hawaii travel, partner flights, military travelers, and other exceptions. Weight, size, and excess-baggage fees can also apply.
Southwest continues to allow a standard carry-on bag and one qualifying personal item without a standard carry-on charge.
- Check in and retrieve eligible mobile boarding passes.
- Add and pay for eligible standard checked bags.
- Review your seat and boarding information.
- Receive flight-status notifications.
- Use available digital checked-bag tracking.
What If Southwest Check-In Does Not Work?
An online check-in problem does not always mean your reservation is invalid. Several Southwest situations require a different process.
Basic Fare Says Seat Will Be Assigned at the Gate
If Southwest cannot immediately assign a Basic-fare seat during check-in, it can issue a security document that lets you proceed through the security checkpoint. After clearing security, see a Southwest Customer Service Agent at the departure gate for the seat assignment.
Partner Airline Itinerary
If your itinerary includes a Southwest partner, check in with the airline operating the first flight. If Southwest operates the first flight and you are eligible for Southwest online check-in, use Southwest. If a partner operates the first flight, use that airline’s check-in system.
International Itinerary
International travelers may need passport or immigration-document verification before a boarding pass becomes available. Southwest currently states that passengers traveling to or from Aruba, Havana, and Punta Cana cannot use online check-in, so airport processing may be required.
Group or Special Reservation
Some reservations require airport assistance. Southwest says Unaccompanied Minors and Customers traveling on Group reservations must check in at the ticket counter rather than relying on an ordinary self-service kiosk.
No Mobile Boarding Pass Appears
Use a kiosk or Southwest ticket counter if your reservation is not eligible for a mobile boarding pass. Certain special and international itineraries have mobile-pass restrictions.
Note: If check-in fails close to the airline’s cutoff, do not keep retrying online until the deadline passes. Go to a Southwest airport agent for assistance as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my Southwest boarding pass step by step?
Starting 24 hours before the flight’s original scheduled departure, open Southwest.com or the app, enter the confirmation number and the passenger’s first and last name, complete check-in, review the assigned seat, and open your boarding pass. Eligible travelers can use a mobile pass; printed passes are available at airport kiosks or the ticket counter.
Should I check in exactly 24 hours before a Southwest flight?
It is still a good idea, especially on a Basic fare, because you can receive or review your seat assignment and boarding pass early. However, check-in timing no longer works like the old open-seating system and does not normally earn you a better boarding position.
Can I choose my seat when checking in on a Basic fare?
Normally, no. Southwest assigns a Standard seat to a Basic-fare passenger at check-in or at the gate. Tier Members and some Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers may have separate seat-selection benefits, and paid seat options may be available.
What if Southwest does not assign my Basic seat during check-in?
Southwest may issue a security document and indicate that your seat will be assigned at the gate. Use the document to pass through security, then see a Southwest Customer Service Agent at your departure gate for the seat assignment.
How late can I check in for Southwest?
Southwest currently requires domestic check-in at least 30 minutes before the original scheduled departure. International check-in generally closes 60 minutes before departure, or 75 minutes for departures from Aruba. You must also have your boarding pass and be in the gate area at least 10 minutes before departure.
What happened to Southwest’s open seating?
Southwest transitioned from open seating to assigned seating for flights beginning January 27, 2026. Most fares now let you select a seat before travel, while Basic normally receives a Standard seat assignment at check-in or at the gate.
What is Priority Boarding, and how is it different from EarlyBird Check-In?
Priority Boarding is Southwest’s current paid option for boarding before Group 1. It is available beginning 24 hours before the flight when inventory remains and currently costs $10–$75 per segment, per Customer. EarlyBird Check-In belonged to the former open-seating system and is no longer the current product for assigned-seating flights.
Sources
- Southwest Airlines — Online Check-In — check-in opening time, required online information, partner-itinerary rules, and check-in deadlines.
- Southwest Airlines — Assigned Seating — January 27, 2026 transition, fare seat types, and assigned-seating framework.
- Southwest Airlines — Boarding Process — current Preboarding, Priority Boarding, A-List Preferred, and Groups 1 through 8 structure.
- Southwest Airlines — Priority Boarding — purchase window, availability, and refund conditions.
- Southwest Airlines — Optional Travel Charges — current checked-bag fees, paid seat-upgrade range, and Priority Boarding price range.
- Southwest Airlines — Mobile Boarding Pass — mobile-pass access and eligibility restrictions.
Conclusion
Southwest check-in still begins 24 hours before your flight’s original scheduled departure, but it is no longer a race for an A, B, or C boarding position. Assigned seating has shifted the focus to receiving your boarding pass, confirming or receiving your seat assignment, and checking your current boarding group.
Check in promptly, especially with a Basic fare, but remember that Basic passengers normally receive an automatically assigned Standard seat rather than first pick of the remaining seats. Review your boarding group, know the airport cutoff times, and use Priority Boarding only when boarding earlier is worth the added cost. With your assigned seat and boarding pass ready, the new Southwest process is more predictable than the old open-seating lineup.