Airline credit cards offer a variety of flashy perks, including welcome bonuses of tens of thousands of miles, companion tickets worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, access to airport lounges and free checked bags. One of their most fundamental perks, though, is about saving time rather than money: priority boarding.
This benefit, included with many airline credit cards, can get you out of those long gate lines in time to find overhead space for your carry-on bag before the rest of the passengers trundle aboard.
Given the complex boarding process by which most airlines board their passengers these days, it isn’t easy to do a side-by-side comparison of cards from one carrier to the next. Still, this list should give you a general idea of which airline credit cards you might want to carry for this specific perk.
Here’s a look at what boarding privileges come with cobranded airline credit cards, followed by details on each airline to help you understand the nuances. Keep in mind that you may need to pay for your airfare (or the taxes and fees on award flights) with your card to receive priority boarding.
Airline boarding groups overview
Unfortunately, several airlines do not make priority boarding part of their credit card benefits. The notable absentees include the Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard®*, JetBlue Card*, JetBlue Plus Card*, American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®*, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and United Gateway℠ Card (see rates and fees).
*The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Let’s look at the details for each airline now.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines uses seven boarding groups plus preboarding for a total of eight different announcements for people to board the plane.
- Preboarding: Passengers needing special assistance, families with small children and active-duty military members
- Priority boarding: Passengers traveling in 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 guests in premium class seats
- Group C: Those with Atmos Rewards credit cards
- Group D: Guests in economy seats in the back half of the plane
- Group E: Guests in economy seats in the front half of the plane
- Group F: Guests in basic economy (saver) seats
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Those with the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Credit Card, Atmos Rewards Visa Signature Business Card and Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card enjoy priority boarding benefits. You’ll board in group C, which effectively is the fourth group out of seven.
It’s also important to note that Atmos cardholders will receive priority boarding on Hawaiian Airlines flights beginning in the fall.
Related: Earn up to 100,000 bonus points toward Alaska or Hawaiian flights with new Atmos Rewards card offers
American Airlines
American Airlines’ mind-boggling procedures include nine boarding groups plus special preboarding options. The good news: If you have one of the major American AAdvantage credit cards, it should get you onto the plane early.
- Preboarding: Passengers needing special assistance, such as families traveling with small children
- ConciergeKey members
- Group 1: First class, active-duty U.S. military with ID, AAdvantage Executive Platinum® elite members and business class on two-class international planes
- Group 2: AAdvantage Platinum Pro, Oneworld Emerald elite members and business class on three-class international planes
- Group 3: AAdvantage Platinum and Oneworld Sapphire elite members
- Group 4: AAdvantage Gold and Oneworld Ruby elite members, AirPass members, premium economy passengers, travelers who bought priority boarding, eligible corporate travelers and Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard members
- Group 5 (Preferred boarding): Main Cabin Extra and other AAdvantage credit card holders
- Group 6: All other AAdvantage members
- Group 7 – 8: Economy members
- Group 9: Basic economy within the U.S., Canada, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean
The best you can hope for as just an AAdvantage cardholder is to be in the sixth boarding group out of all 11 groups. As for those who get onto the plane with Group 5, they include members with the following credit cards:
While most AAdvantage credit cards are created equal when it comes to boarding, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard will give you a one-group advantage over the others. That makes sense, considering it has a much higher annual fee than any of the others (at $595) and also includes other high-end perks like Admirals Club access.
Note that you only have to hold one of these travel cards for the benefit to apply — you don’t have to purchase your ticket with it.
This list does not include the Citi AAdvantage MileUp or some of the other AAdvantage credit cards offered by Citi and Barclays, which are no longer available to new cardholders and will likely be phased out over time.
Related: American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
Delta Air Lines
Delta has nine boarding groups, including preboarding, which can seem confusing. However, a Delta cobranded credit card can help you move into the fifth group.
- Preboarding: Customers needing assistance or additional time to board, active-duty U.S. military personnel with ID and Delta 360 members
- Zone 1: Delta One or first class
- Zone 2: Diamond Medallion members and Delta Premium Select customers.
- Early boarding for customers with car seats and strollers.
- Zone 3: Delta Comfort+: Passengers in Delta Comfort+ seats
- Zone 4: Sky Priority: Platinum and Gold Medallion members, Flying Blue Platinum and Gold members, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members, SkyTeam Elite Plus members, LATAM Pass Black Signature, Black and Platinum Elite members and WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold Elite members
- Zone 5: Silver Medallion members, Delta Corporate Travelers, Flying Blue Silver members, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Silver members, SkyTeam Elite members, SkyMiles Select members, LATAM Pass Gold+ Elite, WestJet Rewards Silver Elite and Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum and Reserve cardmembers
- Zone 6: SkyMiles members in the main cabin
- Zone 7: Non-SkyMiles members in the main cabin
- Zone 8: Basic Economy
That’s a lot of groups.
Assuming you don’t have SkyPriority or other elite status and you’re just flying economy, the best you can hope for — no matter which Delta credit card you carry — is to board with the first group in the main cabin. That means you’re in the fifth out of nine boarding groups.
While overhead space will likely be available at that point, it’s not a sure bet, considering all the passengers who can board before you.
People with the $650-per-year (see rates and fees) Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex don’t board any earlier than those with the far-cheaper Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex ($350 per year; see rates and fees) and Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150; see rates and fees).
Related: The best credit cards for Delta flyers
Frontier Airlines
This budget carrier has a cobranded credit card with Barclays that will get you onto the aircraft relatively early.
Here’s how Frontier’s boarding process goes.
- Preboarding: Passengers requiring special services, such as those in a wheelchair or unaccompanied minors
- Board First: Available to customers who purchase a carry-on bag plus Elite Diamond and Elite 100K members
- Zone 1: Passengers who purchase a carry-on bag or have Frontier Miles Elite Gold, Elite Platinum, Elite 20K or Elite 50K elite status
- Courtesy Boarding: Available to families traveling with small children or those needing extra time
- Zone 2: Frontier Airlines World Mastercard members and those in the back of the plane
- Zones 3-4: The rest of the cabin
Carrying the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard from Barclays will squeeze you in at the start of general boarding — or the fifth group out of seven. This lines up with most of the other airlines’ cards but might end up being slightly better or worse, depending on how many other passengers purchase carry-ons or one of the fare-bundling options.
Related: Why now is the perfect time to get the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard
JetBlue
With the JetBlue Business and JetBlue Premier Card, you’ll enjoy Group A boarding on all JetBlue-operated flights.
Here are JetBlue’s boarding groups:
- Preboarding: For customers with mobility restrictions
- Mosaic and Mint passengers
- Group A: Even More Space customers and JetBlue Business cardholders
- Courtesy Boarding: For active military members and customers traveling with small children
- General Boarding: Groups B, C, D, E and F
- Final Call: All remaining customers
If you hit Mosaic status through flying or credit card spending, you move up to the second overall boarding group and have overhead space basically guaranteed.
Related: 25 cities in 11 days: How this JetBlue flyer earned 350,000 points and 25 years of elite status
Southwest Airlines
Southwest has implemented sweeping changes, including updating its boarding process on flights operating next year. Holding a Southwest credit card will help you get on the plane earlier, currently and on flights next year.
The airline’s current boarding process is a bit different from other airlines. Passengers board in an ordered number in three main groups, plus family boarding. For most flyers, the boarding order is determined by when they check in for the flight, so it’s important to do so as close to 24 hours in advance as possible. This process will end on January 26, 2026.
Here’s how the current boarding process works:
- A1-A15: Business Select passengers, those who purchase upgraded boarding
- A16-A30: Other passengers who purchase early check-in, check in quickly at the 24-hour mark and possibly A-List and A-List Preferred elite members
- Family Boarding/Active Military: For families with children ages 6 and under and active military members
- B1-B60: The next wave
- C1-C60: Take whatever seats are left when you get on the plane
Two of Southwest’s four credit cards currently offer a shot at priority boarding. They are the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business. Among their benefits are four upgraded boardings per year, based on availability through Dec. 31, 2025.
Upgraded boardings may be purchased via the Southwest app or website beginning 24 hours before departure or at the departure gate or ticket counter on the day of travel only. This can be worth $30-$50 per ticket, so it’s a pretty valuable benefit for cards that cost $229 and $299 per year, respectively.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority earns 2,500 tier-qualifying points for every $5,000 spent annually. It takes 35,000 TQPs to earn A-List elite status with Southwest. Depending on your flying and spending habits, carrying one of these cards could put you over the top and get you regular priority boarding benefits.
From Jan. 27, 2026, and beyond, Southwest will have seat assignments and new boarding groups.
Here’s how the new boarding process will work:
- Groups 1 and 2: Choice Extra passengers, A-List Preferred members and A-List members and eligible credit card holders who upgrade to an extra-legroom seat (if available within 48 hours of departure).
- Groups 3 through 5: Choice Preferred passengers and A-List members who didn’t get an extra-legroom seat, and all Southwest cardholders.
- Groups 6 through 8: Passengers who purchase a Choice fare and passengers flying on a Basic fare board last.
Related: Southwest unveils big credit card refresh: 50% fee hikes, but new seating and boarding perks
Spirit Airlines
For an airline known for a no-frills approach to seat selection, carry-on bags and printing boarding passes, possessing the Free Spirit World Elite Mastercard can take at least some of the pain out of boarding.
- Preboarding: Passengers who need special assistance
- Zone 1: Passengers who purchased a carry-on bag
- Zone 2: Passengers who purchase Shortcut Boarding, who have Free Spirit Gold or Silver status or who have the Free Spirit Mastercard
- Family Boarding: For those traveling with small children ages 3 and under
- Zone 3: General boarding of seats at the back of the plane
- Zone 4: General boarding of seats at the front of the plane
Zone 2 is a bit of a misnomer, given that preboarding and Zone 1 are before it, so it’s really the third group out of six.
Purchasing carry-on bags is common, so you might have to watch half the plane board before you do. Remember that checked bags are cheaper than carry-on bags with Spirit, so predicting how many passengers may be in Zone 1 on any given flight is difficult.
If you really do take advantage of the lowest fares on the airline, carrying its credit card will give you a leg up on the rest of the bargain hunters. But if you tend to purchase bundles or carry-on bags, you might not need this card.
Related: Spirit Travel More Mastercard review: Decent perks for Spirit frequent flyers
United Airlines
United’s boarding procedures involve seven groups. Each group includes many possible passengers and takes a unique approach to boarding.
- Preboarding: Unaccompanied minors, customers with disabilities, families with children ages 2 or under, active military members and United Global Services and Premier 1K elite members
- Group 1: Premier Platinum and Gold elite members, Star Alliance Gold members and passengers in United Polaris, first class and business class
- Group 2: Premier Silver elite members, Star Alliance Silver members, customers who purchase Premier Access or priority boarding, United Explorer Card, United Quest Card, United Club Card, United Business Card, United Club Business Card, the United Presidential Plus or the Awards Card cardholders (these last two cards are no longer open to new customers)
- Groups 3: Economy and economy plus passengers at window row seats and exit row seats
- Group 4: Economy and economy plus passengers in middle seats
- Group 5: Economy and economy plus passengers in aisle seats
- Group 6: Basic economy passengers (in eligible markets only)
The information for the United Presidential Plus and Awards cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If there are multiple passengers on the same reservation seated in economy, each traveler will get the highest applicable boarding group given to any of the travelers within the reservation, except basic economy, which will always be Group 6 unless you’re a Premier elite member, Star Alliance Gold member or select United cardholder.
Those with the basic United Gateway Card card don’t receive any boarding or baggage privileges. United’s credit cards run the gamut of annual fees, such as the United Club and the United Club Business Card’s annual fee of $695 at the top. However, all cardholders get to board at the same time.
Related: The best credit cards for United Airlines flyers
Bottom line
Carrying an airline’s midrange or premium credit card will get you on the plane early. However, in these days of elite status bloating, “early” is a relative term.
In many cases, you’ll still beat most of the economy cabin passengers onto the plane, helping you secure overhead space for your bag. This perk alone is probably not worth carrying a credit card.
Still, by combining it with other benefits like free checked bags and discounts on inflight purchases, you can maximize your airline credit card to make the flying experience that much better.
Related: 5 ways to ensure you have lounge access before your next flight
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click here.
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