If you get preboarding status upon check-in for a connecting flight, does that automatically get you preboarding status for the second leg?
No. Pre-board status is assigned at the gate only. However, there are situations (someone traveling alone and needing wheelchair assistance, for example) where it would effectively happen automatically. Depending on the length of your layover, preboard on the second leg may not even be possible as boarding may have started prior to your arrival at the gate. Steve
I have been assigned preboarding status at initial check-in before, so I know it is not only assigned at the gate. I've only gotten it for nonstop flights, though, which is why I'm asking what happens in the case of connections.
preboard is assigned at the gate of a connecting flight. You are given a blue card to hand in when you board so you will not have a blue card when you board the connecting flight unless you check in with the gate agent at your connection city
I've been assigned it at check-in before, so I'd like to know if that's valid for both legs of a flight.
Based on the information on the SWA preboarding page https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/boarding_the_plane_faq.html it appears that no, each boarding is separate "Customers should request preboarding from our Customer Service Agent at the ticket counter or departure gate."
OP, if you have, as you've indicated, gotten it in advance and DON'T have it on your connecting flight, just stop by the desk and explain the situation. Should be simple.
It must be noted that preboarding is to benefit the airline, not the passenger. The gate staff estimate for each flight whether doing preboarding will result in a quicker overall boarding and then choose whether or not to do preboarding. If you need extra time to board and get settled, it is a courtesy to the airline for you to request preboarding as opposed to quietly waiting for your zone to be called and surprising the gate staff by needing assistance or taking the extra time. The gate staff can still deny your request but at least by then they will not be so surprised. (You should not make any comments at that time.)
