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Guest
How can I get free upgraded boarding on Southwest Airlines?
I actually learned about getting free upgraded boarding on Southwest by accident during a trip last spring, so yes — it’s possible, but it depends on a few quirks of your booking, status, or credit card perks.
I was flying from Denver to Nashville for a family event, and I booked one of those cheaper Wanna Get Away fares because I wasn’t thinking about boarding order at all. The night before the flight, I realized I had completely forgotten to check in early, and by the time I did, I was deep in the C boarding group. If you’ve flown Southwest, you already know that means middle seats and no chance of overhead bin space.
I went into mild panic mode and asked the gate agent if there was anything I could do. That’s when she mentioned something I’d never really paid attention to: some passengers automatically get free Upgraded Boarding through certain Southwest credit cards or promotions. I didn’t have the card at the time, but my friend I was traveling with did — the Priority credit card — which gives you up to four upgraded boardings per year. She had an unused credit and used it on my reservation. I didn’t even know that was allowed! Suddenly I went from C52 to A11, completely free.
That experience opened my eyes to all the ways people quietly get free upgraded boarding:
- Credit card perks – The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority and some other co-branded cards reimburse several “Upgraded Boarding” purchases per year. You just pay for the upgrade at the airport and the statement credit shows up automatically.
- A-List or A-List Preferred status – You don’t get A1–A15, but you do get priority boarding (A-List usually puts you early in the A or B groups), which feels like a free upgrade if you normally fly cheap fares.
- Day-of-flight quirks – On a couple of flights, the gate agents offered complimentary A1–A15 upgrades when the flight wasn’t full and they wanted to speed up the boarding process. It’s rare, but it happens — being friendly at the counter genuinely helps.
Ever since that Denver–Nashville trip, I’ve been more strategic. I ended up getting the Priority card myself, and now I save those four free upgrades for packed flights or tight connections.
So yes, “free” upgraded boarding is real — you just have to know where to look for it!