Which airline playing cards supply one of the best precedence boarding perks?

Airline bank cards supply quite a lot of flashy perks, together with welcome bonuses of tens of hundreds of miles, companion tickets value a whole bunch and even hundreds of {dollars}, entry to airport lounges and free checked baggage. One in all their most elementary perks, although, is about saving time relatively than cash: precedence boarding.

This profit, included with many airline bank cards, can get you out of these lengthy gate strains in time to seek out overhead house in your carry-on bag earlier than the remainder of the passengers trundle aboard.

Given the complicated boarding course of by which most airways board their passengers as of late, it is not straightforward to do a side-by-side comparability of playing cards from one service to the following. Nonetheless, this record ought to provide you with a common concept of which airline bank cards you would possibly need to carry for this particular perk.

Here is a have a look at what boarding privileges include cobranded airline bank cards, adopted by particulars on every airline that will help you perceive the nuances. Remember the fact that it’s possible you’ll must pay in your airfare (or the taxes and charges on award flights) along with your card to obtain precedence boarding.

Airline boarding teams overview

Sadly, a number of airways don’t make precedence boarding a part of their bank card advantages. The notable absentees embrace the Hawaiian Airways® World Elite Mastercard®*, JetBlue Card*, JetBlue Plus Card*, American Airways AAdvantage® MileUp®*, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Categorical Card and United Gateway℠ Card (see charges and charges).

*The knowledge for these playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Let us take a look at the main points for every airline now.

Alaska Airways

Alaska Airways makes use of seven boarding teams plus preboarding for a complete of eight completely different bulletins for folks to board the airplane.

• Preboarding: Passengers needing particular help, households with young children and active-duty navy members
• Precedence boarding: Passengers touring within the first-class cabin and Atmos Titanium members
• Group A: Atmos Million Miler, Atmos Platinum and Atmos Gold elite members
• Group B: Atmos members and company in premium class seats
• Group C: These with Atmos Rewards bank cards
• Group D: Visitors in financial system seats within the again half of the airplane
• Group E: Visitors in financial system seats within the entrance half of the airplane
• Group F: Visitors in fundamental financial system (saver) seats

These with the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Credit score Card, Atmos Rewards Visa Signature Enterprise Card and Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit score Card get pleasure from precedence boarding advantages. You will board in group C, which successfully is the fourth group out of seven.

It is also essential to notice that Atmos cardholders will obtain precedence boarding on Hawaiian Airways flights starting within the fall.

Associated: Earn as much as 100,000 bonus factors towards Alaska or Hawaiian flights with new Atmos Rewards card gives

American Airways

American Airways’ mind-boggling procedures embrace 9 boarding teams plus particular preboarding choices. The excellent news: You probably have one of many main American AAdvantage bank cards, it ought to get you onto the airplane early.

• Preboarding: Passengers needing particular help, corresponding to households touring with young children
• ConciergeKey members
• Group 1: Top notch, active-duty U.S. navy with ID, AAdvantage Govt Platinum® elite members and enterprise class on two-class worldwide planes
• Group 2: AAdvantage Platinum Professional, Oneworld Emerald elite members and enterprise class on three-class worldwide planes
• Group 3: AAdvantage Platinum and Oneworld Sapphire elite members
• Group 4: AAdvantage Gold and Oneworld Ruby elite members, AirPass members, premium financial system passengers, vacationers who purchased precedence boarding, eligible company vacationers and Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard members
• Group 5 (Most popular boarding): Important Cabin Additional and different AAdvantage bank card holders
• Group 6: All different AAdvantage members
• Group 7 – 8: Economic system members
• Group 9: Fundamental financial system throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean

The most effective you’ll be able to hope for as simply an AAdvantage cardholder is to be within the sixth boarding group out of all 11 teams. As for many who get onto the airplane with Group 5, they embrace members with the next bank cards:

Whereas most AAdvantage bank cards are created equal on the subject of boarding, the Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard will provide you with a one-group benefit over the others. That is sensible, contemplating it has a a lot larger annual price than any of the others (at $595) and in addition consists of different high-end perks like Admirals Membership entry.

Observe that you just solely have to carry one among these journey playing cards for the profit to use — you do not have to buy your ticket with it.

This record doesn’t embrace the Citi AAdvantage MileUp or a number of the different AAdvantage bank cards supplied by Citi and Barclays, that are now not accessible to new cardholders and can probably be phased out over time.

Associated: American Airways elite standing: What it’s and the best way to earn it

Delta Air Traces

Delta has 9 boarding teams, together with preboarding, which may appear complicated. Nonetheless, a Delta cobranded bank card might help you progress into the fifth group.

• Preboarding: Clients needing help or extra time to board, active-duty U.S. navy personnel with ID and Delta 360 members
• Zone 1: Delta One or top notch
• Zone 2: Diamond Medallion members and Delta Premium Choose clients.
• Early boarding for patrons with automobile seats and strollers.
• Zone 3: Delta Consolation+: Passengers in Delta Consolation+ seats
• Zone 4: Sky Precedence: Platinum and Gold Medallion members, Flying Blue Platinum and Gold members, Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership Gold members, SkyTeam Elite Plus members, LATAM Cross Black Signature, Black and Platinum Elite members and WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold Elite members
• Zone 5: Silver Medallion members, Delta Company Vacationers, Flying Blue Silver members, Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership Silver members, SkyTeam Elite members, SkyMiles Choose members, LATAM Cross Gold+ Elite, WestJet Rewards Silver Elite and Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum and Reserve cardmembers
• Zone 6: SkyMiles members in the principle cabin
• Zone 7: Non-SkyMiles members in the principle cabin
• Zone 8: Fundamental Economic system

That is numerous teams.

Assuming you do not have SkyPriority or different elite standing and also you’re simply flying financial system, one of the best you’ll be able to hope for — irrespective of which Delta bank card you carry — is to board with the primary group in the principle cabin. Meaning you are within the fifth out of 9 boarding teams.

Whereas overhead house will probably be accessible at that time, it isn’t a positive wager, contemplating all of the passengers who can board earlier than you.

Individuals with the $650-per-year (see charges and charges) Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex do not board any sooner than these with the far-cheaper Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex ($350 per 12 months; see charges and charges) and Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex ($0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months, then $150; see charges and charges).

Associated: The most effective bank cards for Delta flyers

Frontier Airways

This finances service has a cobranded bank card with Barclays that can get you onto the plane comparatively early.

Here is how Frontier’s boarding course of goes.

• Preboarding: Passengers requiring particular providers, corresponding to these in a wheelchair or unaccompanied minors
• Board First: Out there to clients who buy a carry-on bag plus Elite Diamond and Elite 100K members
• Zone 1: Passengers who buy a carry-on bag or have Frontier Miles Elite Gold, Elite Platinum, Elite 20K or Elite 50K elite standing
• Courtesy Boarding: Out there to households touring with young children or these needing additional time
• Zone 2: Frontier Airways World Mastercard members and people behind the airplane
• Zones 3-4: The remainder of the cabin

Carrying the Frontier Airways World Mastercard from Barclays will squeeze you in at the beginning of common boarding — or the fifth group out of seven. This strains up with a lot of the different airways’ playing cards however would possibly find yourself being barely higher or worse, relying on what number of different passengers buy carry-ons or one of many fare-bundling choices.

Associated: Why now could be the right time to get the Frontier Airways World Mastercard

JetBlue

With the JetBlue Enterprise and JetBlue Premier Card, you will get pleasure from Group A boarding on all JetBlue-operated flights.

Listed below are JetBlue’s boarding teams:

• Preboarding: For patrons with mobility restrictions
• Mosaic and Mint passengers
• Group A: Even Extra Area clients and JetBlue Enterprise cardholders
• Courtesy Boarding: For lively navy members and clients touring with young children
• Normal Boarding: Teams B, C, D, E and F
• Ultimate Name: All remaining clients

When you hit Mosaic standing by way of flying or bank card spending, you progress as much as the second total boarding group and have overhead house principally assured.

Associated: 25 cities in 11 days: How this JetBlue flyer earned 350,000 factors and 25 years of elite standing

Southwest Airways

Southwest has carried out sweeping modifications, together with updating its boarding course of on flights working subsequent 12 months. Holding a Southwest bank card will show you how to get on the airplane earlier, at the moment and on flights subsequent 12 months.

The airline’s present boarding course of is a bit completely different from different airways. Passengers board in an ordered quantity in three foremost teams, plus household boarding. For many flyers, the boarding order is decided by once they examine in for the flight, so it is essential to take action as near 24 hours upfront as doable. This course of will finish on January 26, 2026.

Here is how the present boarding course of works:

• A1-A15: Enterprise Choose passengers, those that buy upgraded boarding
• A16-A30: Different passengers who buy early check-in, examine in shortly on the 24-hour mark and presumably A-Listing and A-Listing Most popular elite members
• Household Boarding/Lively Army: For households with youngsters ages 6 and below and lively navy members
• B1-B60: The following wave
• C1-C60: Take no matter seats are left if you get on the airplane

Two of Southwest’s 4 bank cards at the moment supply a shot at precedence boarding. They’re the Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence and the Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise. Amongst their advantages are 4 upgraded boardings per 12 months, primarily based on availability by way of Dec. 31, 2025.

Upgraded boardings could also be bought through the Southwest app or web site starting 24 hours earlier than departure or on the departure gate or ticket counter on the day of journey solely. This may be value $30-$50 per ticket, so it is a fairly beneficial profit for playing cards that price $229 and $299 per 12 months, respectively.

The Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence earns 2,500 tier-qualifying factors for each $5,000 spent yearly. It takes 35,000 TQPs to earn A-Listing elite standing with Southwest. Relying in your flying and spending habits, carrying one among these playing cards might put you excessive and get you common precedence boarding advantages.

From Jan. 27, 2026, and past, Southwest could have seat assignments and new boarding teams.

Here is how the brand new boarding course of will work:

• Teams 1 and a pair of: Alternative Additional passengers, A-Listing Most popular members and A-Listing members and eligible bank card holders who improve to an extra-legroom seat (if accessible inside 48 hours of departure).
• Teams 3 by way of 5: Alternative Most popular passengers and A-Listing members who did not get an extra-legroom seat, and all Southwest cardholders.
• Teams 6 by way of 8: Passengers who buy a Alternative fare and passengers flying on a Fundamental fare board final.

Associated: Southwest unveils massive bank card refresh: 50% price hikes, however new seating and boarding perks

Spirit Airways

For an airline identified for a no-frills strategy to seat choice, carry-on baggage and printing boarding passes, possessing the Free Spirit World Elite Mastercard can take at the very least a number of the ache out of boarding.

• Preboarding: Passengers who want particular help
• Zone 1: Passengers who bought a carry-on bag
• Zone 2: Passengers who buy Shortcut Boarding, who’ve Free Spirit Gold or Silver standing or who’ve the Free Spirit Mastercard
• Household Boarding: For these touring with young children ages 3 and below
• Zone 3: Normal boarding of seats in the back of the airplane
• Zone 4: Normal boarding of seats on the entrance of the airplane

Zone 2 is a little bit of a misnomer, on condition that preboarding and Zone 1 are earlier than it, so it is actually the third group out of six.

Buying carry-on baggage is frequent, so that you might need to observe half the airplane board earlier than you do. Do not forget that checked baggage are cheaper than carry-on baggage with Spirit, so predicting what number of passengers could also be in Zone 1 on any given flight is tough.

When you actually do reap the benefits of the bottom fares on the airline, carrying its bank card will provide you with a leg up on the remainder of the cut price hunters. However should you have a tendency to buy bundles or carry-on baggage, you won’t want this card.

Associated: Spirit Journey Extra Mastercard overview: Respectable perks for Spirit frequent flyers

United Airways

United’s boarding procedures contain seven teams. Every group consists of many doable passengers and takes a novel strategy to boarding.

• Preboarding: Unaccompanied minors, clients with disabilities, households with youngsters ages 2 or below, lively navy members and United International Companies and Premier 1K elite members
• Group 1: Premier Platinum and Gold elite members, Star Alliance Gold members and passengers in United Polaris, top notch and enterprise class
• Group 2: Premier Silver elite members, Star Alliance Silver members, clients who buy Premier Entry or precedence boarding, United Explorer Card, United Quest Card, United Membership Card, United Enterprise Card, United Membership Enterprise Card, the United Presidential Plus or the Awards Card cardholders (these final two playing cards are now not open to new clients)
• Teams 3: Economic system and financial system plus passengers at window row seats and exit row seats
• Group 4: Economic system and financial system plus passengers in center seats
• Group 5: Economic system and financial system plus passengers in aisle seats
• Group 6: Fundamental financial system passengers (in eligible markets solely)

The knowledge for the United Presidential Plus and Awards playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

If there are a number of passengers on the identical reservation seated in financial system, every traveler will get the very best relevant boarding group given to any of the vacationers throughout the reservation, besides fundamental financial system, which can at all times be Group 6 except you are a Premier elite member, Star Alliance Gold member or choose United cardholder.

These with the essential United Gateway Card card do not obtain any boarding or baggage privileges. United’s bank cards run the gamut of annual charges, such because the United Membership and the United Membership Enterprise Card’s annual price of $695 on the prime. Nonetheless, all cardholders get to board on the similar time.

Associated: The most effective bank cards for United Airways flyers

Backside line

Carrying an airline’s midrange or premium bank card will get you on the airplane early. Nonetheless, in as of late of elite standing bloating, “early” is a relative time period.

In lots of circumstances, you will nonetheless beat a lot of the financial system cabin passengers onto the airplane, serving to you safe overhead house in your bag. This perk alone might be not value carrying a bank card.

Nonetheless, by combining it with different advantages like free checked baggage and reductions on inflight purchases, you’ll be able to maximize your airline bank card to make the flying expertise that a lot better.

Associated: 5 methods to make sure you have lounge entry earlier than your subsequent flight

For charges and charges of the Delta Reserve card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click on right here.