Under the new system, Passengers receive assigned seats at booking or during online check-in, replacing the old first‑come, first‑serve scramble.
Southwest Airlines passengers boarded the flight for one last time for the open seating arrangement on Monday as the carrier ends the open-seating system that distinguished it from other U.S. carriers for more than a half‑century.
Begining 27 January, 2026, passengers on Southwest flights will have assigned seats and the option of paid preferred seats closer to the front of a plane or seats with extra legroom. The carrier began selling tickets shaped by the new policy in July.
As per Southwest, the change in policy comes in response to evolving customer preferences.
“Our customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience. Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our Customers — including the ability to select Extra Legroom seats — and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin," the company said of the move.
However, there is Elliott Investment Management Influence in this as Elliott acquired a stake in Southwest in June 2024, aiming to revamp the airline's strategy. By September 2024, they crossed the 10% threshold in shares.
So, what's new for the passengers, as Southwest does away with another of its historic features and becomes more like other U.S. carriers.
Under the open-seat system, Southwest customers could check in starting exactly 24 hours before departure to secure places in boarding lines at departure gates.
Early check-ins were placed in the coveted “A” boarding group, essentially guaranteeing they would find an open window or aisle seat. Others landed in “B” or “C,” the likelihood of only middle seats being available rising the longer they waited to check in.
Southwest’s open seating process began as a way to get passengers on planes quickly and thereby reduce the time that aircraft and crews spent on the ground not making money.
The open-seating arrangement became less democratic over time, however, as Southwest also had starting allowing passengers to pay extra for spots near the front of the line.
An eight‑group boarding structure is replacing the find-your-own-seat scrum. Passengers will file through two alternating lanes once it’s time for their group to board.
The airline said its gate areas will be converted in phases starting Monday night, a process that could take about two months to complete. Columns that remain standing past Tuesday will have their numbers removed or covered in the meantime.
The carrier is selling tickets at fares with different seating choices, including standard seats assigned at check‑in or paid preferred and extra‑legroom seats selected at booking. For certain flights, passengers also will have the option of paying for priority boarding beginning 24 hours before departure.
Newly designed boarding passes will show seat assignments and boarding groups, according to Southwest. A reservation made for nine or fewer people, including families, will assign those passengers to the same boarding group.
As per the revamped policy, the boarding groups will be based on seat location, fare class, loyalty tier status and the airline’s credit card rewards benefits. Customers who purchase seats with extra legroom will be placed in groups 1-2.
However, customers with premium fares and the airline’s “most loyal travelers” will also have access to preferential seats and earlier boarding, the carrier said, while those with basic fares will likely be placed in groups 6-8.
With the switch to assigned seating also comes a revision of the airline’s policy for customers who need extra room. Under the new rule, also effective Tuesday, travelers who do not fit within a single seat’s armrests will be required to purchase an additional seat in advance.
Previously, passengers who needed extra space could request an additional seat at the boarding gate.
However, under the new system, passengers who require an extra seat need to book it before arriving at the airport and refunds are only offered under three, specific conditions:
That represents a change from the airline’s previous policy that allowed passengers the choice to purchase a fully refundable extra seat before arriving at the airport, or request a free one at the gate. Under the updated policy, refunds are still possible but no longer guaranteed and depend on seat availability and fare class.
In May 2025, the Texas-based carrier also ended its decades‑old “bags fly free” policy, replacing it with baggage fees for most travelers.
The changes mark one of the biggest transformations in the airline’s history, as it alters its longstanding customer perks to bring it more in line with the practices of other larger U.S. carriers.
The major shift from original mode of operation comes amid pressure from new investors to increase profitability.
“We have tremendous opportunity to meet current and future customer needs, attract new customer segments we don’t compete for today, and return to the levels of profitability that both we and our shareholders expect,” Southwest CEO Robert Jordan said last year.
When the airline first announced plans in 2024 to switch to assigned seating, it said studies on seating options showed that customer preferences had changed over the years, with the vast majority of travelers saying they now want to know where they are sitting before they get to the airport.
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