Getting a Prime Seat Assignment on Southwest Just Got More Expensive

31.05.2024 - 21:55 / travelandleisure.com / Bob Jordan

Southwest Airlines has increased the cost of its early check-in and upgraded boarding services, making it a bit pricier for travelers to guarantee the seat they want.

The airline will now charge customers $15 to $99 each way per passenger for EarlyBird Check-in, according to the airline’s optional charges chart, and $30 to $149 per segment, per passenger for Upgraded Boarding. The cost will still vary based on the flight length and demand, a representative for Southwest confirmed to Travel + Leisure.

The new price is significantly higher than the previous cost of $15 to $25 for early check-in and $30 to $80 for upgraded boarding, airline site One Mile at a Time reported.

A representative for Southwest told T+L the decision to increase prices was part of the airline’s regular evaluation of pricing for ancillary products based on market trends and customer demand.

Southwest first started limiting the popular EarlyBird Check-In feature last year as part of a number of changes it implemented in an effort to “modernize” the customer experience. As part of that policy, the airline limited the number of EarlyBird Check-In spots available to purchase on certain flights, routes, or days.

Travelers who do purchase the service are automatically checked in for their flight before the airline’s typical 24-hour check-in period. This ensures a more desirable boarding slot since Southwest doesn’t assign seats and instead offers «open seating,» assigning travelers a boarding group (A, B, or C) and a position (1 through 60 or more) when they check in.

Travelers who pay for Upgraded Boarding — a service Southwest first introduced in 2022 — have the option to improve their boarding number when checking in. Passengers who take advantage of this feature receive a boarding assignment position from A1 to A15, becoming the first customers to board and receive first dibs on the seat they want along with the chance at coveted overhead bin space.

The decision to increase the cost of these extra perks came as Southwest made its flights available to view on Google Flights. Travelers must still book on the airline’s website.

The airline has also been kicking around the idea of changing its open seat policy in general with CEO Bob Jordan previously saying the carrier was “looking at new initiatives, the way we seat and the way we board our aircraft.”