Airport security is so strict nowadays that it helps to learn the check-in procedure for any particular airline ahead of time. Southwest Airlines allows customers to choose between checking in online and checking in at the airport.
Go to the link in the Resources section and follow the prompts. You will be able to print your boarding pass at home.
You can only check-in online between 24 hours and 1 hour before your scheduled departure time. You must have made a ticketless reservation and have bought an eligible fare type (group fares, for example, are not eligible). If you are traveling on a senior, child or infant fare, your age will need to be verified.
Go to one of the following locations at the airport to check in and receive your boarding pass: the Skycap podium, the Southwest Airlines ticket counter, the departure gate or the e-ticket check-in kiosk.
If you arrive at the airport with only 20 minutes until departure, the departure gate is the only location where you'll be able to get a boarding pass. If you arrive with less than 10 minutes to departure, your reservation may be canceled.
As check-in requirements frequently get updated, contact Southwest Airlines to confirm these rules well in advance of your flight. The website is www.southwest.com and the toll-free telephone number is 1 (800) I-FLY-SWA.