What is the fastest way to board a plane?

Ten airplane boarding methods raced with identical passengers: Steffen, WILMA, reverse pyramid, random, back-to-front and more. Which is fastest?

How carry-on bags slow down boarding

See how luggage levels affect simulated boarding times and why some boarding methods cope better with heavy carry-on.

How long does it take to board a plane?

Simulated boarding times for regional jets, single-aisle and wide-body aircraft, plus the factors that can make one flight take 8 minutes and another 20.

Is it better to board a plane first or last?

Boarding early may help with bin space, while boarding late can mean less time seated before departure. See what the simulator shows, group by group.

Why does boarding a plane take so long?

Boarding is slow because passengers stop, not because they walk slowly. How bags, seat access and boarding order affect the queue.

Why does getting off a plane take so long?

Why bags and a narrow aisle slow deplaning, with simulated exit times for row-by-row, free-for-all, aisle-seats-first and alternate-row patterns.

Why don't airlines use the fastest boarding method?

The Steffen method boards a plane in less than half the time of back-to-front zones in simulation. Why do airlines still use boarding groups?