Southwest Boards Earlier as Carry-On Luggage Floods Overhead Lockers

Southwest Airlines is introducing an earlier boarding schedule for most of its flights to allow passengers more time to stow carry-on luggage. Starting August 1, domestic flights operated by Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft will begin boarding 35 minutes before departure, up from the previous 30-minute window.

The revised boarding schedule affects approximately 63% of Southwest's fleet, which is dominated by these larger variants. The change does not apply to international flights or those to and from Hawaii, which will continue with their existing 45-minute boarding window.

This adjustment follows the introduction of checked baggage fees for most passengers in May, which replaced the airline's long-standing policy of allowing two free checked bags. Charging for checked baggage can encourage more passengers to travel with cabin baggage instead, increasing demand for overhead locker space and slowing down the boarding process.