Get All Access for $5/mo

Southwest Is Making a Major Change to Its Boarding Process The airline is quietly offering higher fees in exchange for the ability to pre-select seats.

By Emily Rella Edited by Melissa Malamut

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Southwest Airlines is infamously known for its rather chaotic boarding process in which no passenger is assigned a seat ahead of time.

But after teasing potential changes during a Q1 2024 earnings call in April, it appears the airline has quietly begun offering higher fees in exchange for passengers being able to pre-select their seats.

Multiple outlets are reporting that the airline has upped fees for an "upgraded boarding" option, which allows earlier boarding for passengers who pay, meaning they have a higher likelihood of snagging a better seat by getting on the plane earlier.

Related: Southwest Airlines CEO Says the Company May Start Assigning Seats

The fees have increased from $30 to $149 extra per ticket, up from an $80 maximum before the change-up.

"Upgraded Boarding" passengers are given seating assignments in A1 to A15, and can only choose to upgrade 24 hours or less before the flight takes off.

Another fee that's been increased is the "early bird check-in" which now ranges from $15 to $99 (it was previously capped at $25), which puts passengers in an earlier boarding group, thus giving them a better chance at a better seat.

During an interview with CNBC in April, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan told the outlet that potential changes were on the horizon after a rough quarterly loss of nearly $231 million.

"We're looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft," Jordan told the outlet at the time. "Customer preferences do change over time."

Related: Southwest Airlines makes big operational changes after 2024 financial report

Despite the mounting losses, Southwest was still able to bring in $6.3 billion in operating revenue during Q1, which was the highest Q1 operating revenue in the company's history, and a 10.9% increase year over year.

Southwest was down just over 7% year over year as of Thursday morning.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Franchise 500 Annual Ranking

50 Franchise CMOs Who Are Changing the Game

Get to know the industry's most influential marketing power players.

Thought Leaders

6 Tips From a Clean Beauty Entrepreneur

Sarah Biggers went from a newbie in the natural beauty space to a pro in just a few years. Here are six things she wishes she'd known at the beginning.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.