Southwest used to be known as the airline that bucked the trend. No change fees. Two free checked bags. Friendly crews. Open seating. A quirky sense of humor. While other airlines seemed to nickel-and-dime their passengers, Southwest proudly marketed itself as a “different” kind of airline.
But times have changed.
We’ve been using Southwest’s Upgraded Boarding option for years as a way to grab the best seats on the plane. Ever since we got the Southwest Priority Credit Card in 2019, it’s been our go-to strategy. With that card, you receive reimbursement for up to four Upgraded Boardings per anniversary year.
Back in those days, the cost of Upgraded Boarding was $30, $40, or $50 per segment—and on most of our flights, we’d see either the $30 or $40 option. You couldn’t buy the upgrade in advance. You had to ask at the gate, so it was a bit of an “if you know, you know” perk. And because not many passengers took advantage of it, you had a great chance of being one of the first on the plane—sometimes even snagging the extended legroom seat.
One of the perks of early boarding: extended legroom on bulkhead or exit row seats
Then Southwest Made It Easier—And More Expensive
In 2022, Southwest launched a major update to its app, allowing passengers to buy Upgraded Boarding during check-in—24 hours before departure.
Not surprisingly, that also marked the start of higher prices. The range was updated to $30–$60, a notable increase on the high end.
But that was just the beginning. In 2023, Southwest quietly raised the maximum price again—this time to $80 per segment. We wrote about that change when it happened, and at the time, we figured that was the new ceiling.
We were wrong.
At some point (with no fanfare or announcement), Southwest jacked the top-tier price all the way up to a jaw-dropping $149 per segment. Just for perspective, that’s nearly 5x what we used to pay before 2022.
And honestly? We didn’t even notice at first—because our flights were still falling into the $40–$50 range. For example, our recent flight home from Aruba had an Upgraded Boarding fee of $55. So imagine my surprise when…
We Were Charged $112 for One Segment
Southwest has announced that Upgraded Boarding will be going away entirely after January 27, 2026. That’s when the airline will finally make the switch to assigned seating. Going forward, they’ll offer a new “Priority Boarding” product for travelers without elite status or a co-brand card. So that means it’s time to use up those Upgraded Boarding credits while we still can.
With that in mind, when my wife Sharon was flying from Austin to Orlando, I told her to buy Upgraded Boarding and use our Priority card.
$112 for a single segment from AUS to MCO — ouch.
The cost? $112. For one segment.
At least it delivered: Sharon got A07 boarding
At that point, why not just go all the way and charge the full $149?
Final Thought
With all the recent changes at Southwest—many of which customers have labeled as cash grabs—it feels like the airline is just seeing how far it can push things. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re leaning into the high prices because they know so many people use Southwest credit cards to cover the cost.
After all, if Chase is reimbursing cardholders for four purchases which they have to use by the end of the year, why not max out the charges while you still can?
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