Southwest Airlines will officially end its decades-old open seating policy and introduce assigned seating starting January 27, 2026.
For more than 50 years, Southwest Airlines has been the last major U.S. carrier to use an open seating system, where passengers board by group and choose any available seat on a first-come, first-served basis.
This system will now change as the Dallas-based airline rolls out assigned seating, allowing customers to select their exact seat during the booking process, starting July 29, for flights departing after January 27, 2026.
Tony Roach, Executive Vice President Customer & Brand, at Southwest Airlines, wrote in the news release that “Customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” spinning this change into a positive development for consumers.
“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. This is an important step in our evolution, and we’re excited to pair these enhancements with our legendary Customer Service,” he added.
The airline is also modifying its boarding procedures to a group-based system, with groups numbered 1 through 8. Priority boarding is provided to passengers holding premium fares, loyalty program elite status, and Southwest credit cardholders.
Stephanie Shafer Modi, managing director of fares and ancillary products at Southwest, provided a similar perspective on this change, explaining that it could be beneficial for large families.
“I think that if families want that sense of control, they have the optionality to pick their seats through … our existing products that we’re selling,” she told CNBC.
“We will try to do our best to make sure that families are seated together no matter how they buy a ticket.”
These seating changes come amidst multiple other policy shifts by the airline, with Southwest announcing plans in May to end the iconic “bags fly free,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Since this announcement, passengers have been required to pay $35 for their first checked bag and another $45 for their second checked bag, marking a distinct change for the company.
These changes have resulted in significant shifts for the company’s stock price, with Southwest experiencing large fluctuations over the past few months as it transitions to a more standardized approach.
Southwest’s bag policy change came just one month after the company’s stock price dipped to a six-month low of $24.04 on April 21.
The company has since experienced a solid rebound and currently trades at a stock price of just over $37. However, it is unclear whether the new seating assignment announcement will have a significant impact on this price in the future.