Southwest Airlines to Trial Family Boarding First

When it comes to boarding flights, families generally have two different preferences. Some opt to board early, settling in and getting their children organized before the cabin fills up and moving around becomes more challenging. Others prefer to delay boarding, allowing their kids to expend energy in the airport before being confined to their seats for an extended flight.

However, the situation is more complex with Southwest Airlines due to its unique policy of no assigned seating. Instead, passengers are assigned a boarding position. There are three groups: A, B, and C, with up to 60 positions in each. Passengers receive a boarding position, such as A37 or B12. After all group A passengers have boarded, group B follows, and so on. Once on board, travelers can select any available seats.

Currently, Southwest’s family boarding policy permits adults traveling with children aged six and younger to board after group A but before group B, regardless of their assigned position. However, if they are in group A, they should board at that time for the best seat selection. This arrangement can still pose challenges for families trying to sit together, depending on how many are in group A and how many families are boarding ahead of them. Without assigned seating, families wishing to sit together need to board as early as possible to secure adjacent seats, something the airline is exploring ways to facilitate.

In a recent media presentation in Dallas, Southwest announced plans for a week-long trial in mid-December, allowing families traveling together to board before group A at four departure gates in Atlanta, according to industry publication Travel Weekly. These families will be seated behind row 15 on the aircraft.

In response to inquiries about the trial, a spokesperson from Southwest told Dinogo that “modifying the boarding process for families, which will be piloted soon at one of our innovation stations, was proposed among various ideas in a broader discussion regarding the assessment of our boarding efficiency.” The term “innovation station” refers to an airport where Southwest tests new programs and concepts.

The spokesperson clarified that testing the family-first boarding approach “does not signify a forthcoming policy change,” but it may provide a hopeful sign for families worried about securing seats together while flying with Southwest.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has recently prioritized ensuring that children under 13 can sit next to a family member at no extra charge. Earlier this year, the DOT issued a notice to airlines, urging them to take all possible measures to allow children to sit alongside an adult family member without additional fees.

On July 8, the DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection released the notice, stating that it would begin monitoring airlines within four months (by early November) to determine if they have made progress in ensuring families can sit together at no extra cost. The agency indicated that it may consider regulatory action if necessary to guarantee that airlines’ seating policies do not hinder young children from being seated next to their adult family members or other accompanying adults.

The DOT provides several recommendations for ensuring families can sit together, such as understanding the airline’s family seating policy, booking flights as early as possible for the best seat selection, avoiding basic economy and ultra-low-cost fares that usually do not permit specific seat selection, and reaching out to the airline directly to arrange for family seating. (Families with a lap child should also contact the airline to confirm that the lap child is included in the reservation.)

Given the limited nature of the Southwest trial, there are several strategies families can employ to enhance their chances of boarding together. One option is to purchase EarlyBird Check-In. For $15 per person, per flight, travelers can check in before the standard 24-hour window, increasing their likelihood of securing a spot in the sought-after group A. For even better odds, families can opt for Upgraded Boarding at $30 per person, per flight, allowing them to upgrade to a boarding position between A1 and A15 (subject to availability) 24 hours before the flight.

Customers who opt for Business Select or Anytime fares, as well as those with A-List Preferred or A-List status in Southwest’s Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program, will automatically receive a reserved boarding position 36 hours before departure, though they still need to check in within 24 hours to obtain their boarding pass.

For everyone else, downloading the Southwest app and checking in precisely 24 hours before boarding is key. (Many travelers set timers on their phones to ensure they can ‘beat’ others for a better boarding position—it often works, but it's not a foolproof method.)