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How do I use my Southwest credit card upgraded boarding credits?
I was embarrassingly confused about how to use my Southwest credit card upgraded boarding credits at first, so if you’re asking this, you’re definitely not alone. I remember thinking the credit would just automatically apply when I checked in… spoiler alert: it doesn’t. I learned how it actually works during a very full flight from Orlando to Chicago.
I have the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card, and on that trip I had completely forgotten to check in on time. When I finally opened the app, I was staring at C41, which immediately made me nervous. I didn’t want to spend the whole flight wedged in a middle seat, so I started poking around in my reservation and saw the option for Upgraded Boarding (A1–A15). I hesitated because I wasn’t sure how the credit worked, but I decided to just try it.
Here’s the key thing I learned: you have to purchase upgraded boarding first, either in the app within 24 hours of departure or at the airport gate if spots are available. You pay for it like normal using your Southwest credit card. There’s no promo code, no checkbox to apply the credit. At the gate, the agent simply processed it as an upgraded boarding purchase and handed me a new boarding pass with A6 on it. Huge relief.
A few days after the flight, I noticed a statement credit posted to my account reimbursing the full upgraded boarding charge. That’s how the benefit works — you pay upfront, and the card automatically credits you back (up to the number of upgrades your card allows each year). Once I saw that refund hit, everything finally clicked.
I’ve since used the credits both in the app and at the airport. On a later trip to Denver, I bought the upgrade directly in the Southwest app about 18 hours before departure. Same process: paid for it, boarded early, and the credit showed up on my statement shortly after. No extra steps required.
A couple of tips I’ve picked up along the way:
- Make sure you use the correct Southwest credit card for the purchase, or the credit won’t trigger.
- Credits usually post within a few days, but sometimes it can take a full billing cycle.
- These credits are best saved for busy routes or holiday travel, when boarding position really matters.
Now that I understand how it works, upgraded boarding credits are one of my favorite perks. They’ve saved me from middle-seat misery more times than I can count.