Everything About American Airlines boarding groups & its priority

American Airlines - An airline that is known for its ultimate services. Right from the flight boarding to the departure, everything of the airline is organized and travelers love to fly in American Airlines. When it comes to talking about American Airlines services, then it is necessary to start with the boarding process.

American Airlines has a boarding process with an extensive range of nine boarding groups. As the boarding groups are quite large, passengers think that they might not get on the plane timely, however they must not take stress as the entire process is quite organized and the airline won’t disappoint passengers.

American airlines have diverse boarding groups and it creates confusion among passengers. Due to many boarding groups passengers are unable to find which one they belong to. In such cases, passengers must consult with the enquiry department available at the airport. While enquiring about the boarding group, try to find how to avail priority boarding facilities to get rid of the long queues of normal boarding.

What are the American Airlines Boarding Groups?

There are 9 boarding groups of American Airlines under which every traveler flies. But there is one more group which is known as “PREBOARDING”and it comes prior to all 9 groups. It is meant for all those passengers who need special assistance and passengers flying with toddlers who are under 2 years old. Members of the airline’s invitation and top-tier elite status passengers are allowed to preboard. Here is the complete guide about the 9 groups such as follows:

Group	AAdvantage/elite members	Other passengers
Group 1	AA Executive Platinum	First class passengers. Business class passengers (two-class aircraft). Active duty U.S. military with military I.D. Active-duty U.S. military.
Group 2	AA Platinum Pro. Oneworld Emerald.	Business class passengers (three-class aircraft).
Group 3	AA Platinum. Oneworld Sapphire.
Group 4	AA Gold. Oneworld Ruby.	AirPass travelers. Premium economy. Citi/AAdvantage Executive cardmembers. Travelers who bought priority boarding. Eligible corporate travelers.
Group 5 (Preferred boarding)		Main cabin extra (including basic economy). AAdvantage credit cardholders.
Group 6		AAdvantage members.
Group 7		Group 7 passengers.
Group 8		Group 8 passengers. Basic economy passengers to/from Europe or South America.

Group 9		Basic economy passengers within the U.S., Central America, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean.

What are American Airlines priority boarding groups?

American Airlines has divided these 9 groups into 2 further segments i.e. Group 1 through 4 and Group 5 through 9. Group 1 through 4 gets the priority to board the flight through the priority lane whereas group 5 through 9 will get the opportunity to board through the normal boarding lane.

One benefit that groups 1 through 4 get is to skip the line after arriving at the gate in the midst of boarding and just walk up the priority lane and the gate agent will hold the normal lane to board the flight first. Passengers flying in group 4 are also eligible to board the flight by holding the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. To get this card you need to consult the airline once and you will get it. To maintain its validity, passengers need to pay an annual fee of $450. As there are diverse bonuses available on the card, regular or frequent flyers can get this card to avail the bonus benefits and fly comfortably without any hassle.

Preferred Boarding (Group 5)

American Airlines preferred boarding is one of the segments of the Airline in which Main Cabin Extra passengers and certain American Airlines credit cardholders travel. And Main Cabin Extra Passengers are those who sit in the economy seats and have paid for an upgraded experience. The upgraded experience includes the benefit of extra legroom, free movies & TV shows, and complimentary snacks and drinks (including alcoholic drinks). Passengers who want to avail this service of American Airlines just need to pay $20 and get the upgraded experience at the Main Cabin Extra seat.

If you have any other American Airlines credit card which makes you eligible to board in Group 5. There are two current credit cards which enable passengers to get the offer for Group 5 boarding privileges. These are different annual fees and current welcome offers:

How is this Group Diversification Made?

The group diversification is made on the basis of the passenger’s flight ticket, fare class, and their cards who qualifies to make them to be in the particular group. Depending upon the fare class and their benefits over card or bonuses, the groups are designed and passengers can fly accordingly in diverse groups. For Example, the basic economy flight ticket travelers will be boarding through group 9, which is the last 9 in series.

However passengers can upgrade their seat just by consulting the customer care department. Right from the flight seat upgradation, to the priority boarding and lots more, the experts take the accountability to handle diverse queries of the passengers and assure them to provide its solution. So, passengers who are looking for seat upgradation and priority just need to consult the customer support department and get the service that they are looking for. There are chances that you might need to pay for some of the services like the fare difference of the seat upgraded.

How to Avail Priority Boarding Facility of American Airlines

Passengers who want to avail the facility of Priority Boarding they just need to have any of the following things with you and then you can skip the long queues of boarding. Get AAdvantage elite tier status: There are four tiers of American Airlines i.e. Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum. Depending on the particular tier, passengers can board with Group 2, 3, or 4.

Get Oneworld elite tier status: Frequent flyers of other airlines who have the Oneworld Alliance will get the elite status with those airlines eventually providing Oneworld elite status as well. And their names are Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, which correspond to Group 2, 3 and 4.

Buy expensive fare class ticket: Passengers who will get the expensive flight ticket such as Business class, Premium Economy and Main Cabin Extra, they automatically get the opportunity of priority boarding under Group 1. So, if you can afford flying in an expensive fare class then get it.

Get an AAdvantage credit card: Passengers who avail this credit card eventually get the opportunity of priority boarding in different boarding groups. Some common credit card that offer great perks to passengers include AAdvantage® Mastercard® cardmembers board with Group

4, CitiBusiness® / Executive World Elite™ Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and Citi® / World Elite Mastercard® with Group 5.

Buy American Airlines AirPass: Passengers who can buy an elite tier status membership with AirPass which starts from $10,000 per year, then you can get the priority boarding facility for Group 2, 3, and 4.

Get Priority Boarding: Passengers who cannot afford the experience flight tickets and beneficiary cards, they can just pay $9 to $74 and avail priority boarding for Group 4. By purchasing priority boarding, passengers can even get the facility of check-in and priority security at certain airports.

If You Are an Active duty US Military: All you need to carry is your official ID and you will be allowed to board with Group 1.

Are a corporate traveler: If you are an eligible corporate traveler then you can certainly get the opportunity to board with Group 5. Your tickets must be booked and paid through the corporate number and card, so that it proves that you are a corporate traveler and on behalf of the same you will receive the best benefit of priority boarding.

What is an American Airlines boarding group pass and how does it benefit passengers?

American Airlines Priority Boarding AAccess is designed in such a way that it maximizes the time and minimizes the hassles that travelers face during their travel. The boarding pass also enables passengers to get the dedicated check-in and security screening lanes that certainly saves a lot of time for the passengers. There are some exclusive boarding lanes at the gate to AAdvantage elite and premium class travelers. So, passengers who don't want to face difficulties, they just need to get the American Airlines boarding pass and get the best of the benefits. It not only helps the passengers to save, but also helps to get rid of diverse kiosks that happen at the airport.

How to Use Mobile Boarding Pass and How is it beneficial?

Passengers can use mobile boarding passes at the time of boarding the flight. Passengers need to download the boarding pass from a website or mobile app, then you need to scan the barcode on the screen at airport security checkpoints and at the gate during boarding for American flights. It is convenient and faster than a paper boarding pass. It saves a lot of time for passengers thus it is beneficial for passengers.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99): Get 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after you spend $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Platinum Select® Mastercard® CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® (annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99): Card holder can get up to 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® and bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases. Card holders will get it within the first 4 months of account opening.
How to get your mobile boarding pass:
How to get your mobile boarding pass:

1.Passengers just need to visit the official website i.e. aa.com and then select boarding pass, Email with Mobile Option.' From there you can even check in the app and your mobile boarding pass will be saved or stored on your mobile device.

2.Go to your email and from the registered mobile phone and follow the link to get your mobile boarding pass.

3.Just save the boarding pass at your device to easily get inside the security check and board the flight comfortably.

4.Make sure that the barcode is properly displayed on the screen when you show it at security.

FAQs

Ans. It is a kind of document that passengers need to carry while traveling in flight. It is offered by the airline and passengers need to use it at the time of check-in. It enables passengers to board the flight. On the other hand, its purpose is to identify the passenger, flight number, date, and scheduled departure. Boarding pass is certainly essential for the passengers to board the flight. So, one must get it timely.

Ans. There are nine boarding groups on American Airlines which range from Group 1 to 9. Group 1 is reserved for premium class passengers and elite flyers whereas Group 9 is reserved for basic economy passengers within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Ans. Well No, Group 5 is not priority boarding on American Airlines, however it is known as Preferred boarding. This group of boarding comprises all those passengers who have made the payment to fly in Main Cabin Extra perks, as well as those who have the right of co-branded AAdvantage airline credit cards. Some of the other eligible cards that can offer better boarding experience includes American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®.

Ans. Yes, Group 4 is known as priority boarding on American Airlines. Passengers flying in this group must have the facility of elite flyers holding AA Gold or Oneworld Ruby status, as well as premium economy ticket holders, AirPass travelers, travelers who bought priority boarding and eligible corporate travelers. On the other hand, Group 4 priority boarding also comprises some perk of the airline's premium Citi/AAdvantage Executive card, and has an annual fee of $450.

Ans. Group 7 is one of the groups of American Airlines in which the boarding passengers do not have any elite status with AAdvantage or Oneworld. And doesn’t have any of the eligible co-branded American Airlines credit cards.

Ans. Boarding Group 3 comprises customers with active oneworld Emerald status, American Airlines' AAdvantage Platinum Pro members, and those traveling in business class on an aircraft with three or more cabins. Group 3 also benefits passengers who belong to the category of AAdvantage Platinum members and oneworld Sapphire status holders.

Ans. Boarding Group 5 is meant for all those passengers who travel through basic economy flight or members who earn 15,000 Loyalty Points Eligible AAdvantage® credit cardmembers*.

Ans. There is no such age biasedness where seniors are allowed to board the flight early. Be it senior citizens or young ones, passengers are allowed to board the flight as per the group.