Say goodbye to the seat scramble. Starting Jan. 27, Southwest Airlines will retire its decades-old open seating policy and begin assigning seats in advance. The familiar A, B and C boarding groups will be replaced, along with the rush to check in exactly 24 hours before takeoff.
“Our Customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” said Tony Roach, executive vice president of customer and brand at Southwest Airlines. “This is an important step in our evolution, and we’re excited to pair these enhancements with our legendary Customer Service.”
Goodbye open seating
The move marks a major departure from Southwest’s signature boarding process, where travelers choose any open seat once on the plane. Southwest announced the seating update Monday, July 21, saying the change aims to improve the boarding experience and give passengers more control over where they sit with three options: Extra Legroom, Preferred and Standard.
Extra Legroom seats offer the most space, located at the front of the cabin and near exit rows. These seats also come with earlier access to overhead bin space, upgraded snacks and complimentary premium drinks.
Preferred seats are located closer to the front of the plane and offer standard legroom. Standard seats are toward the rear of the cabin and include the basic seat amenities.
Pick your perk
To go along with the seat updates, Southwest will also introduce new fare bundles beginning July 29, 2025. These bundles will determine which seat types are available to passengers based on the price they pay and their loyalty status.
Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM
Five U.S.-based airlines made $12.4 billion from seat-selection fees between 2018 and 2023, according to a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report.
Like many other U.S.-based carriers, customers on basic-fare tickets will have to pay extra to select a seat before check-in. A-list and A-list preferred passengers will still be able to select a seat for free at booking, regardless of fare class. Additionally, Southwest credit card holders will be able to select seats for free 48 hours before departure, if their fare class or frequent flyer status does not allow them to select a seat sooner.
According to a Senate committee report, five U.S. airlines — American, Delta, Frontier, Spirit and United — earned $12.4 billion in seat-selection fees between 2018 and 2023.
The airline is also revamping how passengers board, assigning them to boarding groups from 1 to 8 depending on their fare type, seat selection and tier status. Travelers in Extra Legroom seats and higher fare categories will get to board first.
No more free bags
Weeks ago, Southwest ended its “bags fly free” policy. As of Wednesday, May 28, most passengers now pay $35 to check their first bag and $45 for a second. The change marked the end of an era, Southwest had been one of the last major U.S. carriers to offer free checked bags. The policy shift took effect the day after the airline’s decades-old baggage benefit expired on May 27.
