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Boarding Policies and Information from Major Airlines
Procedure and process for boarding the airplane as established by the airline.
| Airline |
Feature Description |
Feature Cost |
Class |
| Airtran Airways |
AirTran Airways will board unaccompanied minors, passengers traveling with infant in arms and passengers requiring special assistance before general boarding begins“ provided they have identified themselves to an AirTran Airways gate agent prior the start of general boarding. When general boarding commences,the aircraft will be boarded by zones. AirTran Airways recommends that passengers arrive at the gate at least one hour in advance of the flight. |
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Economy Class
|
| American Airlines |
By printing your boarding pass ahead of time from your home or office, you can bypass the ticket counter and head straight to the gate. |
n/a |
Economy Class
|
| Continental Airlines |
Continental Airlines is committed to meet strict federal requirements for checked baggage and passenger check-in procedures at all U.S. airports.
Customers checking in for flights must present themselves at the gate, ready to board their flight, no later than 15 minutes prior to departure, even if they have checked in previously. Customers not in the boarding area 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure are subject to seat cancellation and non-transport of their checked baggage.
To speed check-in at all three of its U.S. hubs, Continental has taken steps to reduce waiting times by significantly increasing the number of security checkpoints. In addition, the airline has bolstered its extensive network of automated check-in kiosks throughout the U.S., allowing customers to check-in, obtain boarding passes and avoid lines at ticket counters. |
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Economy Class
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| Delta Airlines |
Seats are assigned ahead of time first-come first-served basis. |
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Economy Class
|
| JetBlue Airways |
If you like to be one of the first people on the plane, book a seat in rows 20-25. During JetBlue's boarding process, customers sitting in those rows are invited to board first, and then customers in all remaining rows may board. So, if you like to be
first, choose from the last! |
n/a |
Economy Class
|
| Northwest Airlines |
Domestic Flights: Passengers must be checked in at least 30 minutes and on-board at least 15 minutes before scheduled departure time for flights within the US. Exception: Check-in 45 minutes before departure in Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, Tampa and Washington D.C-Dulles and 60 minutes before departure in Las Vegas.
International Flights: Passengers must be checked in at least 60 minutes and on-board at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure time for flights to/from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and all other International flights |
n/a |
Economy Class
|
| Southwest Airlines |
- Each Customer will be issued a boarding pass grouped by A, B, or C based on when the Customer checked in or based on the fare they purchased. Customers may check in online at southwest.com, at the Skycap Podium, Ticket Counter, Departure Gate, or E-Ticket Check-In kiosk (where available).
- Prior to general boarding, unaccompanied children between the ages of five and 11 and Customers with disabilities who have a specific seating need to accommodate their disability and/or need assistance in boarding the aircraft may preboard. Customers who choose to preboard cannot sit in an emergency exit seat.
- Effective October 2 in all Southwest cities, an adult traveling with a child four years old or younger will board between the “A” and “B” boarding groups. If you have an “A” boarding pass, please feel free to board with that boarding group. With an all-jet fleet outfitted with comfortable, leather seats, our families with small children are easily accommodated together.
- Because Southwest Airlines maintains an open-seating policy, general-boarding Customers may sit in any open or unclaimed seat. Customers holding boarding pass "A" will begin general boarding, followed by Customers with boarding pass "B," and then "C." General-boarding Customers who choose an emergency exit seat must meet all requirements set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration and Southwest Airlines.
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Economy Class
|
| Spirit Airlines |
Customers checking in for flights must present themselves at the gate and be ready to board their flight no later than 15 minutes prior to departure on domestic flights and 30 minutes prior to departure for international flights, even if they have previously checked in. Customers not in the boarding area by this specified time prior to scheduled departure are subject to seat cancellation and non-transport of their checked baggage (if applicable). |
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Economy Class
|
| United Airlines |
Seats are assigned at the time of check in. Please check United's Airport Check-In Guide to know when to arrive at the airport. |
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Economy Class
|
| US Airways |
You already know that you get an assigned seat when you fly with US. But did you know that US is leading the industry in getting you to your seat as fast as possible?
US boards planes using the reverse pyramid system. Designed by industrial engineers at Arizona State University, reverse pyramid boarding reduces seat and aisle interference. By staggering our boarding zones, there’s less crowding in the aisle so you’re at your seat and ready to go quickly.
One of the biggest changes you'll notice at the airport is that you won't hear us inviting our
Preferred Dividend Miles members to board anymore. Instead, the system automatically prints the appropriate zone on your boarding pass. |
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Economy Class
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