Jump!
 

Aloha! Just wondering if anyone knows the priority for jumpseat. I’m not a SWA pilot, and wondering if there is clarity at checking or any lock in leading up to the flight? Thanks in advance!

Basically:
Fed
Any SWA must ride (very rare, usually a line check)
Any SWA pilot
Any eligible SWA mechanic or dispatcher
OAL pilot/dispatcher/ATC
I am sure there's a few other weird ones.

There's two jumpseats on basically every aircraft. Still a handful of single jumpseats floating around.

Check in begins an hour prior at the gate. First to check in gets it unless someone in a higher category bumps you. This doesn't occur often. 99 percent of jumpseat riders are pilots and most company pilots will take a seat in the back or FA jumpseat to accommodate an offline pilot. YMMV as we have a few morons who don't commute or use common sense. Jumpseat cannot be reserved.

Must list online via myidtravel.

Very helpful, thanks!

In addition the FA union put out a statement confirming cabin jumpseat now crew only which will help.

TWU Local 556 is pleased to announce that after years of sustained advocacy, we have successfully secured that the cabin jumpseat will be dedicated for Crew Members only — both Pilots and Flight Attendants. With over 30% of our Membership commuting to and from work every day, this has been a critical issue that we have championed. Not only does this change enhance safety, it also ensures those occupying the jumpseat have an understanding of the operational demands and work taking place in the galley space.

As part of a letter, sent by TWU Local 556 to upper management on February 12, 2026, advocating for several key issues impacting our Members, we stated:

"Crew ONLY Jumpseat - Now that Flight Attendants are required in Initial training to perform a physical standards test in addition to operating the door and all emergency evacuation protocols, we request that only Crew occupy the cabin jumpseats). Having non-Crew individuals sit in the cabin jumpseat can disrupt in-flight duties. Only other Flight Attendants understand the needs of working crews, and only Flight Attendants are properly trained and qualified in evacuation procedures each year. During an evacuation, having an individual on the jumpseat who is not fully trained and qualified to evacuate an aircraft is not the industry standard and does not provide the highest level of safety."

It is important to note that non-reving will remain the same, and there will be no obligation to sign up for the jumpseat. Keep in mind when using the commuter policy in Article 33.1, if the jumpseat is all that is available, you may need to take it for the policy to apply.

Amid all of the recent changes affecting our daily work, we hope this one will make commuting and traveling a bit less stressful.

For further details, please review the lIOTG from today, Monday, March 9, 2026, which includes a video featuring TWU Local 556

First Vice President Sam Wilkins and Southwest Airlines Vice President of Inflight Steve Murtoff.

The way it should have always been. Why they let anyone , dressed anyway , to occupy the cabin JS was just ludicrous.

Thank you!

It's about time. I am over the whole egalitarian coheart thing. Time to go to our corners and color instead of trying to prevent the tribalism that everyone in Dallas embraced long ago. I would even advocate for FAs having right of first refusal for the cabin JS so they can bump pilots. Good for their union for finally getting some juevos and getting the industry standard.

OP wasn’t eligible anyway…but it’s a good change.

I was wondering about that! Thanks all
the same for the responses. So FA jumpseat available to pilots are industry standard?

At least to WN and DL. I have seen it somewhere else too but can’t remember exactly. United?

Typically yes, but the FAs get priority at other airlines. The FAs should get priority on cabin JS at SWA also,but that is my opinion.

I believe AA is flight attendant only. No pilots.

Makes sense. They have a pretty strong and militant union. Delta has no union. Southwest operated on this strange “we are all equal” thing for 5 decades and the FA union needs some work.

Agree with Mozam. The FAs should absolutely get priority on their own Jumpseat. It’s always amazed me to see them standing 2 hours prior to a flight with their hand on the podium (yes it’s a thing with them) so that no other employee steals their ride home.

Because that’s the way Colleen wanted it done.