Traveling can be a bit unpredictable these days.

And if you’re catching a flight, well, part of that travel is essentially entirely out of your hands. Folks who traveled with Southwest Airlines over the 2022 holiday season knew this all too well, as the airline suffered a nationwide meltdown in the form of canceled flights. Southwest has made its own boarding process a bit less chaotic in recent years, but that service may be on its way out soon.

According to the Associated Press, Southwest Airlines is changing its boarding system. The airline does not assign passengers to specific seats ahead of time and instead operates on a first-come, first-served basis. But, passengers can upgrade with EarlyBird boarding — essentially, an extra fee that allows travelers to get first dibs on seats.

Southwest Airlines began “limiting the number of [EarlyBird] spots available for purchase on certain flights, routes, or days” as they “work on product enhancements.” They shared that it has not dropped the service entirely from any flights, but is “unavailable for some customers looking to purchase it.”

EarlyBird upgrades usually start at $15 but can be higher depending on the flight and demand for seats. This could force guests who want to choose their seats into buying the highest-priced fare known as Business Select.

These changes took effect on August 15th, and a spokeswoman for Southwest didn’t say how many of these spots will be cut. EarlyBird allows travelers to jump to the head of the boarding line by checking in earlier than standard guests. According to the Associated Press, EarlyBird has been popular among folks looking for window and aisle seats, along with more space in the overhead bin.

We’ll be on the lookout for more changes to the program.

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If you want to do some planning before your flight (or even on the plane!), check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. We’ve compiled all of our BEST tips and tricks from years of Disney World travel into one eBook that you can download to your tablet or smartphone and take with you! We’re offering our readers 25% off with code WDW2023.

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The post NEWS: Southwest Airlines Is CHANGING Its Boarding Process first appeared on the disney food blog.