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The best seat on Southwest is subjective and depends on who you ask - some prefer the last row, especially with small children in tow. SEATGURU.COM What's the best seat on Southwest? Each Southwest 737-700 has 143 seats in the configuration below: Southwest has 506 Boeing 737-700 aircraft, accounting for more than two-thirds of its currently operating fleet. As you'll see in the diagrams below, Southwest currently has three different versions of the Boeing 737. It helps to know about Southwest's plane configurations when deciding your preferred seat.

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As a general rule, nobody particularly enjoys sitting in the middle seat, so those tend to be left to the end of the boarding process for Group C.Īs soon as you walk onto the plane, you're free to select any seat you want, but some feel it's a lot of pressure to decide on the fly where you'll spend your entire flight. Since there are no assigned seats on Southwest flights, whoever walks onto the plane first gets his or her pick of seats. However, as a nod to their elite status, they are allowed to 'cut the line' anytime after Group A boarding is complete. Older children with the family are also able to board at this time, but other family members, such as grandparents or aunts and uncles, are asked to board according to the assignment on their boarding passes.Īctive military personnel are also permitted to board at this time.Ī-List and A-List Preferred members are said to receive the 'best available boarding pass number' but occasionally end up with a Group B or C boarding designation. Family boarding takes place immediately after Group A boarding is complete qualifying family groups include up to two adults per child age 6 and under. Passengers who are given preboarding priority are allowed to board with one travel companion for assistance and cannot sit in an exit row.įamilies with young children are also given special boarding privileges, but not until a little later in the process. Preboarding is based on need and is determined by the gate agent before boarding begins. These are travelers who have a specific seating need to accommodate a disability or who need assistance getting to their seats or stowing an assistive device. Passengers authorized to preboard go before everyone else, including Group A.

A-List/A-List Preferred members, active-duty military members and family boarding (those with children age 6 and under).

Preboarding (those who need specific seats to accommodate a disability, those who need assistance with boarding and stowing an assistive device and unaccompanied minors).

On Southwest flights, the boarding order is as follows: It's first-come, first-seated, with just a few exceptions standard for all airlines, including passengers who choose to sit in an exit row and must meet the Federal Aviation Administration's age and physical requirements. The similarities largely end there, though, because Southwest's boarding process is unlike any other airline thanks to its open seating policy, which means you can sit just about anywhere you want without assigned seats. Like many other airlines, Southwest begins boarding about 30 minutes before scheduled departure.

#MAP SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHTS HOW TO#

With those changes in mind, this comprehensive guide will answer all your questions on how to get the best seat on your next Southwest Airlines flight.Ī post shared by The Points Guy How Southwest boarding works 15, the Dallas-based carrier announced changes to its boarding process, including reducing the availability of its EarlyBird Check-In to select flights, routes and days, meaning EarlyBird Check-In will be unavailable for some customers.Īdditionally, Southwest will permit same-day standby for all passengers, including those who book the cheapest Wanna Get Away fares, allowing passengers in Southwest's lowest fare classes to waitlist for a different flight on the same day without paying a fare difference, helpful for passengers flying on routes with multiple daily frequencies. However, Southwest's unique boarding process does not assign specific seats to travelers - a process that can be baffling for first-time travelers, infrequent flyers or those new to the airline.Īs of Aug. The airline does things right in many ways that other airlines do not: offering two free checked bags per person, making it easy for families to sit together without charging onerous fees, having a simple way to earn elite status, offering a family of credit cards, and giving passengers four booking fares. Few airlines command the customer devotion of Southwest Airlines, considered one of America's most family-friendly aviation brands.

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