Southwest Airlines The airline is famous for not assigning seats. Instead of choosing a seat (or being assigned a seat at random), Southwest works with open seat policy which passengers either love or hate.
The sooner you check in, the better you can get on board. Sounds simple right?
Well, even if you check in exactly 24 hours before your flight, you probably won’t get your dream A1 boarding spot. That’s because travelers flying on more expensive Business Select fares will automatically receive the A1 to A15 designation. Then the visitor with Southwest A List or Preferred A List elite status gets priority points, followed by buyers Early check-in.
Have upgraded boarding location are also available for purchase, though for this option you have to hope that some of the coveted A1 to A15 slots are still available within 24 hours of your flight’s departure.
The backup plan that completely fails later on is to get on the plane earlier so you have a wider selection of available seats just more expensive.
Previously, upgraded boarding costs started at $30 per leg, per person, and went as high as $60 per leg, per person.
However, as was initially reported about Viewed From the Wings, Southwest has increased the maximum price of upgraded boarding to $80 per leg, per person since May 15. You read that correctly. Currently, it can cost up to $80 for a shot in a better sitting position in the Southwest.
Related: Can you upgrade to Southwest Airlines?
The variable price of upgraded boarding is based on the length and demand for a particular flight; service may not be available on all flights if all points A1 to A15 have been specified.
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Southwest shared a statement on the valuation with TPG:
“Upgraded Boarding is one of Southwest’s most popular ancillary products, giving customers the option to purchase upgraded boarding in Groups A1-A15 (where available). We’ve shared it with employees. Upgraded Boarding will now be offered in a range ranging from $30 to $80. Upgraded boarding price points will work the same as they do now, where prices are subject to change based on degree of availability. the length and popularity of each flight. The price points in the new range can change at any time, as they are today. We hope customers will continue to love this product.”
When faced with Airfares are higher this summerthis extra boost can make it harder to decide whether to buy an upgraded boarding while traveling in the Southwest.
Fortunately, there’s some good news for those with Southwest Express Rewards Priority Credit Card or Southwest Express Rewards Performance Business Credit Card. Both cards have up to four upgraded boarding slots per year.
Use of those upgrades is not tied to a specific upgrade cost, so you can continue to use them as you normally would if there is room on board A1 to A15. You will receive a statement credit for the fee, regardless of the sale price.
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