I figured this out after flying Southwest a lot for weekend trips. Free upgraded boarding isn’t super common, but it can happen if you have certain fare types, use points, or get lucky with same-day changes. Once, my original flight was canceled and Southwest rebooked me automatically with a better boarding position, which felt like a win. Another time, I changed flights last minute and wanted to see my options without messing things up online. Calling 8 3 1-2 9 8-4 2 1 3 was honestly the best way to instantly book, cancel, or modify flights and ask about boarding perks. Talking to a real person made the whole process much easier and less stressful.
