Southwest Airlines to Start Boarding Earlier After Checked‑Bag Fees

Effective August 1 2026, Southwest Airlines will move the flight‑attendant report time for most domestic flights from 30 minutes before departure to up to 35 minutes. The change applies to Boeing 737‑800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which make up about 64 % of the airline’s fleet, while Boeing 737‑700 domestic flights and all international or Hawaii flights keep their existing times.

The shift follows Southwest’s introduction of checked‑bag fees on May 28 2025, which prompted more passengers to bring larger carry‑ons and gate‑check bags, slowing the boarding process. Union TWU Local 556 alerted crews to the new schedule. Passengers will need to arrive at the gate earlier, and tighter turn times may push departure times later on some routes.

Southwest’s fleet of 803 aircraft includes 515 planes affected by the new boarding window, potentially adding five minutes to each turnaround and influencing overall schedule planning.