Southwest Airlines Now Offering Free Extra Seats to Plus-Size Passengers at the Airport

If a flight is fully booked or no adjacent seats are open, the airline will not be able to accommodate the request on that flight.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 5/30/2026, 7:26:19 PM EDT

Southwest Airlines Now Offering Free Extra Seats to Plus-Size Passengers at the Airport — A Southwest Airlines plane prepares to land at Midway International Airport in Chicago on Feb. 12, 2023. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo)

Southwest Airlines has quietly updated its policy for larger passengers, now allowing airport agents to provide a complimentary additional seat to customers who need one—as long as space on the flight is available.

The change went into effect late last week for how the Dallas-based carrier handles what the airline refers to as "customers of size"—passengers whose body size causes them to encroach on a neighboring seat. According to an airline spokesperson, the goal is to make the boarding experience smoother, less stressful, and more consistent for those travelers.

"Southwest is working to create a more consistent and seamless experience for customers who require an additional seat," an airline spokesperson said in a statement provided to NTD News on Saturday. "On flights where adjacent seats are available, our agents at the airport are empowered to provide an additional seat at no extra cost to customers who require one."

For passengers who show up at the gate without having reserved a second seat, the new policy offers a safety net—but it comes with a caveat. If a flight is fully booked or no adjacent seats are open, the airline will not be able to accommodate the request on that flight. Instead, the airline will work to place the passenger on a later departure that has the room they need.

"If another seat is not available, we will work to accommodate the customer on a later flight," the spokesperson said.

Southwest's updated policy applies only when there is room on the plane. According to Southwest's customer of size policy, the armrest serves as the definitive boundary between seats, and passengers who are unable to fit within that boundary may be required to occupy two seats. The airline also notes that only one seatbelt extension per passenger is approved for use onboard, and it must be provided by Southwest—a seatbelt extension cannot be used by anyone seated in an exit row.

While the new airport accommodation is now available at no charge in certain circumstances, Southwest still strongly encourages passengers who know they will need an extra seat to book it ahead of time. Doing so, according to the airline's policy, is the most reliable way to guarantee that two adjacent seats will be available on the chosen flight. Passengers who pre-purchase a second seat may also be eligible for a refund on that extra ticket after the flight is completed, provided the flight left with at least one open seat and the refund request is submitted within 90 days.

"We continue to encourage customers who need an additional seat to book it in advance to help alleviate any last-minute inconvenience at the airport," the spokesperson said.

The policy update adds to a series of recent changes at Southwest as the airline has worked to refine its customer experience. Last week, the carrier also announced it would require passengers to keep portable chargers visible while in use—making Southwest the first U.S. airline to implement such a rule. That policy change came amid growing concerns over lithium-ion battery fires on commercial flights.

For passengers who arrive at the airport without a second seat booked and are found to need one after boarding has already begun, the situation becomes more complicated. According to Southwest's policy, those passengers may be asked to leave the plane so they can be rebooked on a flight with available adjacent seating.