- Southwest Airlines is ending its open seating policy and transitioning to assigned seating.
- The change will take effect in early 2026, with tickets for flights with assigned seating going on sale in the second half of 2025.
- Passengers will have the option to pay for a seat assignment or have one assigned to them for free the day before their flight.
Southwest Airlines is ending its longstanding practice of open seating that began with the airline’s founding in 1967 and switching to assigned seating.
Southwest announced the changes as part of a three-year transformation plan called “Southwest. Even Better.” that was unveiled in September. In a speech at the Goldman Sachs Industrials and Materials Conference, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said the changes, including assigned and premium seating, would be “transformational.”
“It’s not going to change who we are or the values that we stand for, but it changes the product that we can offer our customers” to give them the experiences they prefer, Jordan said.
Here’s the latest on Southwest’s new seating policy and when assigned seating starts.
When is Southwest going to assign seating?
Southwest Airlines will end open seating in early 2026.
It will sell tickets for the first flights with assigned seating and premium seats in the second half of 2025.
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How does Southwest assigned seating work?
Southwest assigned seating will work similarly to other airlines: Passengers who buy the cheapest tickets can select a seat for a fee, or a seat will be assigned to them the day before their flight.
Passengers also will be able to pay for premium seats with up to 5 extra inches of legroom. About a third of Southwest’s seats will be premium, and premium passengers will be among the first to board the plane.
Depending on their status, Southwest Rapid Rewards members can select seats without paying extra. A-List members can select standard legroom seats at the time of booking at no additional cost; they’ll have the opportunity to upgrade to a premium seat within 48 hours of the flight at no extra cost if any are still available. A-List Preferred members can select any available seat, including extra legroom seats, at no additional cost.
Southwest estimates the availability of extra legroom seats will look like this:
- Boeing 737-8 and 737-800: 68 seats with 3 additional inches of legroom.
- Boeing 737-7: 48 seats with 3 additional inches of legroom.
- Boeing 737-700: 40 seats with 5 additional inches of legroom.
Southwest’s new seats will have six-way headrests, more cushioning and electronic device holders.
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.