Southwest Airlines·None
Southwest Special Assistance, Minors & Group Travel
Southwest Special Assistance, Minors & Group Travel — Summary
Requesting wheelchair and accessibility assistance on Southwest, unaccompanied minor rules and age limits, group booking, lounges and onboard amenities.
Key Travel Facts & Insights
- Accessibility and mobility assistance: Southwest provides wheelchair assistance, pre-boarding for passengers needing extra time or a specific seat for a disability, and free carriage of mobility devices.
- Children travelling alone: Children 5–11 travelling alone must fly as Unaccompanied Minors, on nonstop flights only, with a per-direction fee.
- Group bookings: Southwest Group Travel handles 10 or more passengers with a deposit and flexible name entry..
- Lounge access: Southwest operates no airport lounges.
Accessibility and mobility assistance
Southwest provides wheelchair assistance, pre-boarding for passengers needing extra time or a specific seat for a disability, and free carriage of mobility devices. Pre-boarding is requested at the gate rather than in advance.
Children travelling alone
Children 5–11 travelling alone must fly as Unaccompanied Minors, on nonstop flights only, with a per-direction fee. Southwest does not accept unaccompanied minors on connecting or international itineraries.
Group bookings
Southwest Group Travel handles 10 or more passengers with a deposit and flexible name entry.
Lounge access
Southwest operates no airport lounges. Access at Southwest gates depends on independent lounge networks such as Priority Pass where they exist in the terminal.
Wi-Fi and onboard amenities
Wi-Fi is available fleet-wide for a flat daily rate, free for A-List Preferred members. Free live TV, on-demand video and messaging are included for everyone. There are no seatback screens — everything streams to your device.
Requesting assistance in advance
The Southwest app handles changes, cancellations and credits cleanly. Because there is no change fee, self-service rebooking is genuinely usable rather than a route to a penalty.
Southwest accessibility, minors & groups — common questions
How do I request wheelchair assistance on Southwest?
Southwest provides wheelchair assistance, pre-boarding for passengers needing extra time or a specific seat for a disability, and free carriage of mobility devices. Pre-boarding is requested at the gate rather than in advance.
Can a child fly alone on Southwest?
Children 5–11 travelling alone must fly as Unaccompanied Minors, on nonstop flights only, with a per-direction fee. Southwest does not accept unaccompanied minors on connecting or international itineraries.
Does Southwest have Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is available fleet-wide for a flat daily rate, free for A-List Preferred members. Free live TV, on-demand video and messaging are included for everyone. There are no seatback screens — everything streams to your device.
More Southwest help
Booking Southwest? Talk to a US travel consultant.
Fare rules, baggage allowances and change policies differ by route and fare brand. Our consultants confirm the exact terms attached to your itinerary before you pay — and handle the change or refund if plans move.