How to snag the best seats on Southwest Airlines

How Southwest boarding works

Like many other airlines, Southwest begins boarding about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. However, the similarities largely end there. Southwest’s boarding process is unlike any other airline thanks to its open seating policy that allows travelers to sit just about anywhere they want.

Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with just a few exceptions that are standard for all airlines. For example, passengers who choose to sit in an exit row must meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s age and physical requirements.

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On Southwest flights, the boarding order is as follows:

• Preboarding (those who need specific seats to accommodate a disability, those who need assistance with boarding and stowing an assistive device, and unaccompanied minors)
• Group A 1 through 60
• A-List and A-List Preferred members, active-duty military members, travelers who need extra time getting to their seat and those taking advantage of family boarding (available to those with children age 6 and under)
• Group B 1 through 60
• Group C 1 through 60

When travelers check in for their flight, Southwest assigns each passenger a boarding group letter — A, B or C — and a position from 1 to 60. The unique boarding code, such as A45 or B52, is printed directly on the boarding pass and represents the person’s place in line at the gate.

At the gate, passengers line up single file at gray metal columns to match their boarding group letter and boarding position. Boarding is called in groups of 30 (A1 through A30, followed by A31 through A60 and so on). However, three categories of passengers supersede the standard Group A through C boarding process: preboarding travelers, families and A-List and A-List Preferred members.

Southwest also has designated preboarding areas at select airports as part of an effort to improve turn times. Color-coded carpeted areas make it clear where preboarding passengers should line up.

Passengers authorized to preboard go before everyone else, including Group A. These are travelers with specific seating needs to accommodate a disability or who need assistance getting to their seats or stowing an assistive device. Preboarding is based on need and is determined by the gate agent before boarding begins. Passengers given preboarding priority can board with one travel companion for assistance and cannot sit in an exit row.

Passengers who do not qualify for preboarding but need a little extra time to board can get on the plane between the A and B groups before family boarding begins. You’ll need to speak to a customer service agent before boarding begins to receive a boarding pass indicating that you can board before families.

Once you board, what comes next?

Since there are no assigned seats on Southwest flights, those who walk onto the plane first get their pick of seats. As a general rule, nobody particularly enjoys sitting in the middle seat, so those tend to be the seats left toward the end of the boarding process for Group C.

As soon as you walk onto the plane, you’re free to select any seat you want, but some feel it’s a lot of pressure to decide where you’ll spend your entire flight. It helps to know about Southwest’s plane configurations when choosing your preferred seat. As you’ll see in the diagrams below, Southwest currently has three different versions of the Boeing 737.

Boeing 737-700

Southwest has 506 Boeing 737-700 aircraft, accounting for more than two-thirds of its operating fleet. The 737-700 has 143 seats in the configuration below:

Boeing 737-800

Southwest has 207 Boeing 737-800 planes in its fleet. The 737-800 has 175 seats in the configuration below:

Boeing 737 MAX 8

Southwest has 34 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes with 175 seats.

What’s the best seat on Southwest?

The best seat on Southwest is subjective and depends on whom you ask. Some, especially those with small children in tow, prefer the last row. Many others think the back row is the worst possible seat, and others swear by sitting in the first five rows.

If your flight isn’t full, you’ll most likely find fewer people in the back of the plane — potentially leaving that seat next to you empty.

Below are some things to think about as you consider your seat.

If you are hoping for an empty middle seat

If you’re a party of three, you’ll want to take the entire row to ensure no one will sit next to you since all Southwest planes have a 3-3 configuration.

If you don’t fall into that category, pick a window seat. This will give you the most privacy and ensure no one is climbing over you to get in or out of their seat. You also won’t have cabin crew and other passengers walking up and down the aisle next to you.

Then it’s up in the air whether you should sit up front or in the back, which both have pros and cons. Sitting up front means that everyone boarding the plane after you will walk by you while picking their seat. Conversely, it means you’re among the first to leave the aircraft upon landing.

The back of the plane might have fewer passengers. On Southwest planes, people pick the first open seat(s) they see, which usually means there are more passengers in the first half of the plane than in the second half. There’s also a better chance that the seat next to you will be left open on a flight that is not full.

That said, on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, there are two bathrooms in the back and just one bathroom in the front. So, there is a higher probability that more passengers will head to the back of the plane if they need to use the restroom.

If you want legroom

Aim for seat 12A; it’s the window seat on the right side of Row 12, as you’re facing the back of the plane on Southwest’s Boeing 737-700s. Row 11 is an exit row with just two seats on the right side, meaning seat 11A is “missing.” Thus, the passenger in 12A has two seats’ worth of space to stretch out their legs — a godsend for tall travelers. However, if you’re on one of Southwest’s newer -800 and MAX 8 models, the best seats are in rows 14 and 15.

If you want to get off the plane quickly

Choose Row 1. You won’t have any storage under the seat in front of you, but you’ll be among the first to walk off the plane and get extra legroom as your reward for packing light. Make a beeline to your left or right as soon as you board.

If you’re thirsty

Choose rows 1, 9 or 17. Southwest flight attendants split cabin service into three sections, and these are typically the rows where the drink and snack service begins.

If you only want 1 seatmate

Aim for Row 11, seats B and C. This is a two-seat row on Southwest’s Boeing 737-700s, so you won’t have to worry about sharing space with a third person.

If you are OK sitting up straight

How to get the best seat on Southwest

Here are some tactics to secure the earliest boarding position:

• Check in exactly 24 hours before departure
• Hold A-List elite status
• Buy EarlyBird Check-In, Upgraded Boarding or a Business Select ticket
• Book the first flight of the day

Remember, the best way to get the seat you want is to board as early as possible, but holding a Group A boarding pass doesn’t always mean you’ll get the seat you prefer.

Check in 24 hours in advance

If you bought Southwest’s cheapest Wanna Get Away fare, the easiest way to get the earliest boarding assignment available is to check in for your flight exactly 24 hours ahead of time. Even waiting a minute or two after that check-in period could put you significantly lower on the boarding list.

Why you might see some passengers already on board

Sometimes, you’ll board a Southwest flight and see passengers already on the plane, even when you hold a coveted A1 boarding spot. That’s because several Southwest flights make multiple stops at cities between the origin and final destination. Travelers headed for the final destination stay on board when others deplane at the midway point. This becomes increasingly common later in the day, as delays and cancellations sometimes happen and travelers are rerouted onto other flights.

There isn’t much you can do if someone’s already sitting in the seat you want. However, Southwest will ask other travelers to offer up their seats and shift around so a parent can sit with a young child or a caregiver can sit with someone who requires their assistance.

Can you save seats on Southwest?

There isn’t a definitive Southwest policy for or against seat-saving. The saving process is known as the “Southwest shuffle” — one passenger boards early to save seats for the other traveler(s) in the group. However, if you decide to save seats for your travel companion(s), be thoughtful. Remember, you can’t keep those seats if someone insists on sitting there and your companions haven’t yet made it onto the plane.

Bottom line

Southwest’s boarding process might be intimidating or even frustrating for some who aren’t used to it, but there is a lot to appreciate once you get the hang of it. As a general rule, Southwest travelers have less carry-on luggage for the overhead bins because of its generous free checked bag policy, and open seating allows people to shuffle themselves into order as they board the plane.

The next time you fly Southwest, pull up this guide. You will know what seats to target and how to get there as efficiently as possible.

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