Southwest is a no-frills airline that doesn’t offer traditional luxuries like a first class cabin or even more standard options like reserved seating. If you want to get on the plane early enough to grab a good seat, you can pay extra for early boarding. Prices range from $15 to $25 per segment, depending on how you pay for the privilege to board among the first.

Southwest has a highly unconventional boarding system. Rather than being assigned a seat, you're assigned a boarding position, so folks with an A on their boarding pass board before those with a C. There are many ways to guarantee (or at least improve your chances of getting) an A next to your name. Among them is something called EarlyBird Check-In.

But is Southwest’s EarlyBird Check-In worth it? Here’s what you need to know to decide.

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What is EarlyBird Check-In?

EarlyBird Check-In guarantees that you will be one of the first passengers to board the plane — for a fee. The cost ranges from $15 to $25 per person, per flight. If you have a round-trip ticket and want this add-on both ways, you need to buy it for each leg.

However, even if you pay for EarlyBird Check-In, you still might not be the first to board the plane. Southwest guarantees the first 15 boarding spots to those who purchase Business Select tickets. The number of Business Select tickets purchased on your flight determines your place in the boarding line with EarlyBird Check-In.