Thirty years ago, I always tried to be the last person to board a plane. I wanted to spend the least amount of time possible on the tarmac (I used to be afraid of flying). But after I conquered that fear—and when airlines started charging for checked baggage—I completely flipped my approach.
Like many frequent travelers, I now avoid checking a bag, not because of the fees (airlines often offer free checked luggage to loyal customers or credit card holders), but because I value my time and prefer fewer hassles. By not checking a bag, I don’t have to show up early, wait in a baggage line, or stand around for what feels like an eternity waiting for luggage at the carousel. Plus, it eliminates the worry of whether your bag made it or if someone might steal your belongings.
Not checking a bag also makes it easier to change your flight. If you arrive early or your flight gets delayed, you can often hop on an earlier one without the baggage hold-up. Not to mention, fewer bags make traveling by public transport much easier, and it cuts down on travel costs and time.
One of the perks of being a loyal customer or an airline’s credit card holder is priority boarding, which means you should have overhead bin space above or near your seat (I personally prefer across the aisle on long flights, so I can keep an eye on my things). The key for travelers with elite status and carry-ons is to board early to grab that space and avoid having to either stow your bag in the back of the plane or, worse, gate-check it like so many last-minute boarders.
However, in the last year, I’ve noticed that American Airlines—an airline where I have elite status and the credit card for Admirals Club access—has occasionally started boarding flights earlier than scheduled. This seems to be because gate agents are under pressure to get planes out on time, which is generally a good thing. The only downside is if you’re planning to board at the scheduled time, you may arrive at the gate and find that half the plane is already on board, with no more space in the overhead bins.
To address this, American Airlines recently announced a change to their boarding process, effective May 1. The airline will update boarding groups and add an extra five minutes of boarding time to streamline the process.
Here’s what to expect starting May 1:
-
Preboard: ConciergeKey®
-
Preboard: First/Business
-
Preboard: Families with children ages 2 and under
-
Group 1: AAdvantage® Executive Platinum®
-
Group 1: Active duty U.S. military with military I.D.
-
Group 2: AAdvantage® Platinum Pro®
-
Group 2: oneworld® Emerald℠
-
Group 3: AAdvantage® Platinum®
-
Group 3: oneworld® Sapphire℠
-
Group 4: AAdvantage® Gold®
-
Group 4: oneworld® Ruby℠
-
Group 4: AirPass℠
-
Group 4: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive cardmembers
-
Group 5: Main Cabin Extra (excluding Basic Economy)
-
Group 5: AAdvantage® members who earn 15,000 Loyalty Points
-
Group 5: Eligible AAdvantage® credit cardmembers*
-
Group 6: AAdvantage® members
-
Groups 7-8: Main Cabin
-
Group 9: Basic Economy
I’ve flown American twice in the last two weeks, and both times they boarded the plane earlier than I remember. They also pushed back from the gate five minutes early—an improvement I definitely welcome. Both flights landed ahead of schedule, although my LAX-Honolulu flight landed 50 minutes early, only to sit on the runway for 40 minutes because the gate wasn’t ready. And then the jetbridge broke, so we ended up at the gate a few minutes late.
For more details on that return trip, check out my full trip report: Flying From Honolulu to L.A. on American Airlines.
