All That You Must Know About The Alaska Airlines Boarding Groups

Many leading airlines offer group boarding services to their passengers, including Alaska. If you are travelling with this airline with your family members or friends per se, you can avail of the Alaska Airlines Boarding Groups facility. It allows you and your co-passengers to board at the same time without having to get done individually.

Alaska primarily uses this system to determine the order of passengers boarding the plane. If you want to know more about this facility and how you can use it for your next or upcoming air travels with them, the further sections of this perfectly curated blog will be useful to you. Read to grasp all the details.

Alaska Boarding Groups

Alaska Airlines’ boarding process is straightforward. It includes six Alaska Air boarding groups, making it easy to understand when it’s your turn to board the airplane. 

• First, a small group of eligible passengers undergoes pre-boarding. This might include people with disabilities or families with young children. Then, everyone with a first-class seat board.
• After that, the airline uses a boarding group system with five letters: A, B, C, D, and E. 
• Your boarding group letter is on your boarding pass. 
• They’ve also made the boarding process much easier at the gate. Video screens show exactly which boarding group is boarding currently. 
• This is helpful if you arrive at the gate after boarding starts. Then, finally, who belongs in each boarding group will be identified so you know exactly when to board the plane.

Number of Boarding Groups

Alaska Airlines uses six boarding groups. After any pre-boarding announcements, the airline staff will call boarding groups alphabetically.

• First Class
• Group A
• Group B
• Group C
• Group D
• Group E

Finding Your Boarding Group

There are two main ways to find your assigned boarding group:

• Check Your Boarding Pass– Look for a section on your boarding pass that shows your boarding group. It will most likely be a letter.
• Gate Information Screens– You must watch the information screens near your departure gate at the airport. These screens show the current boarding group and any upcoming groups about to be called.

Passengers Eligible For Pre-Boarding & Boarding Groups

A pre-boarding or Alaska priority boarding option is offered to passengers needing extra assistance or time. The boarding process is tiered, with passengers separated into different groups. Below, you will get to know when your boarding turn will come:

Pre-Boarding

Before general boarding begins, the airline offers pre-boarding for passengers in these categories:

• Guests with Disabilities
• Families with Children Under 2
• Active Military Members

Boarding Groups

Once pre-boarding is complete, Alaska uses its announcement system of boarding groups to call passengers in a specific order. You get to know all the groups mentioned below:

First Class

• The airline boards First Class passengers first.

Group A

• Members of Mileage Plan Million Miler.
• Passengers with Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K.
• Mileage Plan- MVP Gold 75K & Gold members.
• Oneworld Emerald & Sapphire members.

Group B

• Mileage Plan members.
• Oneworld Ruby members.
• Passengers in premium class seats.

Group C

• Everyone else is in the back half of the plane.

Group D

• Everyone else is in the front half of the plane.

Group E

• Passengers with Saver seats.

Checklist for a Smooth Boarding Process

Boarding a flight can sometimes be stressful, but with Alaska, you can be prepared and have hassle-free boarding. Keep some key points in mind:

Before Arriving At The Airport

Follow these critical things before reaching the airport to avoid stress:

• Check Your Boarding Pass– Shows your flight information, boarding group & seat number.
• Review Pre-Boarding Eligibility– If you require extra assistance due to a disability, have children under 2, or are a military member, you may qualify for pre-boarding. 

After Reaching The Airport

Once you have reached the airport, locate your gate. Check the departure screens or ask the airline staff for your gate number.

Boarding Process

Make sure to follow the procedure and protocols for no trouble at the airport, & keep the pointers below in mind:

• Pre-boarding for those who are eligible will happen first.
• Then, the group will call general boarding. Listen for announcements or check the gate screens.
• Boarding groups typically start with First Class, then Mileage Plan members/Oneworld members with premium status. Then, it’s followed by remaining passengers in sections based on their seat location, with Saver fares boarding last.

Additional Tips

Keep these additional tips as well in mind to keep you away from that 1% of trouble:

• Have your ID and boarding pass available.
• If you have checked baggage, confirm you have a baggage claim tag.
• Dress comfortably for the flight & consider layers for temperature changes.
• Download any entertainment or reading materials for the flight if limited in-flight options exist.

Easy Ways to Earn Alaska Airlines Miles

Everyone loves traveling for free, and so do you. Earning Alaska Airlines miles can help you achieve that free travel dream. These miles are precious because you can use them to book flights on Alaska Airlines and partner airlines. There are many ways to get miles, as mentioned below:

• You can shop online using Alaska’s shopping portal to earn miles on your everyday purchases.
• Sometimes, this airline offers deals where you can buy miles for less than usual.
• Getting a credit card can help you earn a lot of miles quickly. The airline offers credit cards with big sign-up bonuses, perfect for an excellent start to increasing your miles balance. 
• If you have Marriott Bonvoy points, you can transfer them to Alaska Mileage Plan miles at a 3:1 rate. To transfer large amounts, you also get bonus miles.

Wrapping Up

With all that information in hand, you’re ready to board quickly. Keep in mind that higher Boarding Group numbers board first. Check your boarding pass, take deep breaths, & the airline will call your group in no time. You will for sure have a great trip.

Commonly Asked Questions