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How Often are Upgrades Available for the Priority Credit Card on SouthWest?

shukla
Explorer C

I was considering purchasing the Priority SouthWest Credit Card which gives 4 upgrade boardings per year "when available".

Would anyone here be able to shed some light on their personal experiences with regards to how often you've been able to get the upgrade ? For example do you get it 50% of the time you ask for it? 100%?

I always buy early bird. Would it be very risky to not purchase the early bird and assume an upgrade is available? Can you purchase early bird and then refund it if you successfully get the upgrade?

How do you ask for the upgrade? Do you just go up to the counter before the boarding process and flash the credit card? Or do you input your credit card while you are purchasing the flight?

3 REPLIES 3

Re: How Often are Upgrades Available for the Priority Credit Card on SouthWest?

dfwskier
Aviator A
Solution

@shukla wrote:

I was considering purchasing the Priority SouthWest Credit Card which gives 4 upgrade boardings per year "when available".

Would anyone here be able to shed some light on their personal experiences with regards to how often you've been able to get the upgrade ? For example do you get it 50% of the time you ask for it? 100%?

 

I'm afraid there is no easy answer to that question. It depends on routes, time of year etc. Most times I fly, I do not see all 15 A1-A15 slots filled. That would imply that upgrades were available. 

 

 

I always buy early bird. Would it be very risky to not purchase the early bird and assume an upgrade is available? Can you purchase early bird and then refund it if you successfully get the upgrade?

 

Not a good idea. Early Bird is non refundable.

 

How do you ask for the upgrade? Do you just go up to the counter before the boarding process and flash the credit card? Or do you input your credit card while you are purchasing the flight?

 

You buy the upgrade and then Chase reimburses the cost on the statement that includes the cost of the upgrade.

Re: How Often are Upgrades Available for the Priority Credit Card on SouthWest?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I've purchased upgraded boarding a number of times and never been unable to when I desired to do so. Now that it can be purchased 24 hours prior to departure in the app I suspect it's even easier to get. You would not want to purchase EarlyBird expecting a refund, that's not going to happen. If EarlyBird is not providing you with a good enough boarding position that you still want to purchase upgraded then just skip EarlyBird and buy upgraded boarding. My strategy is to go for the best possible position by checking in manually at 24 hours prior, then decide if that's acceptable or not. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

 

 

Re: How Often are Upgrades Available for the Priority Credit Card on SouthWest?

rich1954
Adventurer A

In my experiences over the last couple years, Upgrades have been available about 75% of the time. That was purchasing them at the check in desk or gate desk.