By Shawn Gallagher
The American Airlines boarding process can be quite complicated. They have 9 boarding groups, one of the most in the airline industry.
Although it may seem confusing, going over the process before your flight can help you understand what to expect.
Let’s go over the American Airlines boarding process.
Overview
| Group | Boarding Pass Type |
| Pre-boarding | Concierge Key Passengers requiring assistance |
| 1 | First class Active U.S. military AAdvantage Executive Platinum |
| 2 | AAdvantage Platinum Pro/Oneworld Emerald Business class on 2 class international aircraft |
| 3 | AAdvantage Platinum/Oneworld Sapphire Business class on 3 class aircraft |
| 4 | AAdvantage Gold/Oneworld Ruby Premium Economy Citi/AAdvantage Executive credit card holders Purchased priority boarding |
| 5 | Main Cabin Extra AAdvantage members with >15000 loyalty points Eligible AAdvantage credit card holders |
| 6 | AAdvantage members |
| 7 and 8 | Main cabin |
| 9 | Basic Economy |
This is a quick overview of how American divides up the boarding groups. A similar chart can also be found on the American Airlines website.
Priority: Groups 1 to 4
Passengers with priority boarding will board somewhere from group 1 to group 4. There are several ways to get yourself in this section.
Hold AAdvantage Status
Having status with the AAdvantage loyalty program will get you priority boarding. Executive Platinum boards in group 1, followed by Platinum Pro and Oneworld Emerald, followed by Platinum and Oneworld Sapphire, and then Gold and Oneworld Ruby.
Related: A Full Guide To The American Airlines AAdvantage Loyalty Program
Fly Premium Cabins
Flying premium cabins will also get your priority boarding, from First all the way to Premium Economy.
The boarding order for premium cabins is usually based on the position of the cabin. Although there are many configurations based on different aircraft, whatever class is seated towards the front boards first, then goes down in order.
Related: Is Domestic First Class On American Airlines Worth It? Boston To New York Review
Buy Priority Boarding
Here’s an obvious one: you can buy it!
This will get you in group 4. The purchase is done during check-in, whether online or at the airport.
Credit Card Holders
The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard will get you group 4 boarding, in addition to the many other perks this card provides. This card has an annual fee of $595.
Group 5
American Airlines calls their group 5 “preferred boarding.” There are several ways to make your way up to group 5.
Fly Main Cabin Extra
Main Cabin Extra is an economy class seat with some extra perks. One of those extra perks is preferred boarding in group 5.
This can be purchased for as little as $20, but the price varies a lot depending on the flight and route.
READ: What Makes Main Cabin Extra On American Airlines Worth It?
Credit Card Holders
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card will get you preferred boarding. This card has a $95 annual fee (annual fee waived for the first year).
Why Board Early?
Everyone values priority boarding differently. However, I value it for these two reasons:
If you arrive at the gate after boarding has already started, you can still go down the priority lane and bypass the standard line.
Another reason is how you get early access to the overhead bins. It’s not uncommon these days to have to check in your carry-on bag at the gate because there isn’t enough overhead space left to accommodate all the luggage. Boarding early eliminates this worry, as you’ll be one of the first passengers to put your bags in the bins.
As complicated as this process may seem for some people, understanding how it works and the benefits will help you know what to expect and make a more pleasant time during your travels.
All photos taken by the author.