Is the Southwest EarlyBird Check-In a Good Value?

Southwest Airlines may not offer extravagant onboard amenities, but it features a distinctive boarding system where you receive a specific boarding number that dictates when you can enter the aircraft. The order in which you board is crucial because Southwest employs a first-come, first-served seating arrangement. The sooner you board, the more favorable your seat choices will be. All its aircraft are configured with a 3-3 seating layout.

Your boarding assignment with Southwest will categorize you into groups A, B, or C, with a number between one and 60 assigned within that group. It can feel a bit like a cattle call during boarding, but once you get used to it, it’s not too bad—especially if you find yourself in a favorable boarding group.

Simply checking in on time won't guarantee you the top boarding group.

Make sure to check in for your flight exactly 24 hours prior to departure, as Southwest assigns boarding groups based on your check-in time. Setting an alarm to remind yourself is a good idea, but, like much in the airline industry, it's not always straightforward.

The highly sought-after A1-15 positions are reserved for those who purchase higher-priced Business Select fares. You may also have the option to upgrade (for an additional fee) to an A1-15 boarding position between 30 minutes and 24 hours before the flight departs. This upgrade is only available if Business Select passengers do not fill those slots and costs between $30 and $80 (per segment, per passenger).

Although this upgrade can be quite expensive, holders of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card enjoy four complimentary upgraded boardings each year. This benefit is a major reason these two cards are among our top picks for families using Southwest.

Next in line during the boarding process are those holding Southwest A-List or A-List Preferred elite status; these passengers receive an automatic boarding number before the 24-hour check-in period begins. Checking in right at the 24-hour mark won’t give you an advantage over these travelers.

Additionally, there are passengers who have booked a direct flight that isn’t nonstop. If you’re not on the first flight of the day, it’s likely that some seats will be allocated to these passengers before the first individual in Group A is able to board. Southwest often sells tickets that require stopovers without changing planes.

Understanding Southwest EarlyBird Check-In

Let’s delve into Southwest EarlyBird Check-In. This service from the airline allows you to automatically secure your boarding position starting 36 hours prior to your flight.

EarlyBird Check-In has two primary benefits. Firstly, it removes the risk of forgetting to check in right at the 24-hour mark before your flight.

Secondly, it secures you a boarding position that is likely to be superior to those available at the 24-hour mark. The closer your boarding pass is to A1, the sooner you’ll be able to board. Boarding earlier means a wider choice of seats and space in the overhead bins.

EarlyBird Check-In fees range from $15 to $25 per traveler per direction. The cost fluctuates depending on the flight and can become a significant expense if you’re traveling with several people. For our family of four, using EarlyBird Check-In for a round-trip on Southwest could cost us up to $200.

It's important to remember that various Southwest credit cards provide a few complimentary EarlyBird Check-Ins each card anniversary. Holders of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Card, and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Card will get two EarlyBird Check-Ins annually.

The details for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

Moreover, the fee for EarlyBird Check-In could qualify for up to $200 in The Platinum Card® from American Express annual airline fee credit if you’ve designated Southwest as your chosen airline for the year (enrollment is necessary).

Although Southwest offers flexible options for modifying your flight, the payment made for EarlyBird Check-In is non-refundable. If you decide to cancel your flight, Southwest will not reimburse your EarlyBird Check-In fee.

If you alter your flight at least 25 hours before your original scheduled departure to a new flight that departs at least 25 hours later, the EarlyBird Check-In will carry over — provided the confirmation number stays the same.

Is opting for Southwest EarlyBird Check-In worthwhile?

Considering all this, is choosing Southwest EarlyBird Check-In a smart decision?

For some travelers, the answer will always be no. The specific boarding position may not matter much to certain passengers, and others might find the additional expense prohibitive. Additionally, some families may prefer the family boarding option. After all, Southwest provides family boarding for "two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger," allowing them to board together.

Family boarding occurs between the A and B groups. Therefore, if your family qualifies for family boarding, having a Group A boarding pass will be advantageous, while a Group B boarding pass could be a disadvantage.

In my experience, if you're eligible for family boarding, there’s really no need to buy EarlyBird Check-In since your family should easily be able to sit together.

If your budget allows for EarlyBird Check-In, it may be worth considering in specific situations. For instance, it might be beneficial if you're on a particularly long flight, like a Southwest journey to Hawaii, as the value of seat selection increases with the length of the flight.

Additionally, if your family or group needs to sit together and you don't qualify for family boarding — or if you're concerned that there won't be enough adjacent seats available — purchasing EarlyBird Check-In might be a good idea.

Opting for early check-in can be beneficial if you anticipate being too busy to check in exactly 24 hours before your flight. Moreover, if having EarlyBird Check-In alleviates your stress or anxiety regarding the flight, that alone may justify the expense.

Now that my family no longer qualifies for family boarding, we might consider buying it for certain flights, particularly during peak school holiday seasons.

Generally, I'm quite punctual with checking in right at the 24-hour mark. I don’t mind sitting in the back of the plane with my family or dividing into pairs. However, that arrangement might not suit every family, which can make the fee more essential for them.

Lastly, keep in mind that you have the option to purchase EarlyBird Check-In for just one leg of your journey or for only certain travelers. Essentially, it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing choice. If you want to add EarlyBird Check-In for specific travelers, book the flights for your whole group first, then log in to include EarlyBird Check-In in the existing itinerary for those selected travelers.

Southwest credit cards to help mitigate the expense

As previously discussed, there are five different credit cards available that can help cover the costs of EarlyBird Check-In and Upgraded Boarding. Here’s a summary of the card perks along with the current welcome offers:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening. This card includes two EarlyBird Check-Ins per cardmember anniversary year.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening. This card also offers two EarlyBird Check-Ins per cardmember anniversary year.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening. This card provides four Upgraded Boardings per cardmember anniversary year.
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening. This card includes two EarlyBird Check-Ins per cardmember anniversary year.
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening. This card offers four Upgraded Boardings per cardmember anniversary year.

In conclusion

Ranging from $15 to $25 per person for each leg of your trip, Southwest EarlyBird Check-In can be a worthwhile investment. However, it may not always be a guaranteed win—especially if family boarding is an option for your group. Plus, it doesn’t ensure a Group A boarding pass.

Should you choose to buy Southwest EarlyBird Check-In, you can rack up bonus points by using the right credit card for the transaction. Alternatively, think about getting a Southwest credit card, as they each come with a specific number of Upgraded Boarding or EarlyBird Check-In benefits annually. If not, consider charging your EarlyBird Check-In fee to a card that reimburses miscellaneous airline expenses.