Southwest Airlines will retire its famous open-seating policy on Jan. 27, 2026, moving to a fully assigned cabin that offers travelers three distinct seat types and revamped boarding groups.
The shift, unveiled in a series of company announcements this spring and summer, is designed to give passengers “more choice and greater control” while preserving the carrier’s hallmark hospitality.
New Seat Categories
Beginning with flights departing on or after the January 2026 launch date, customers may book:- Extra Legroom – up to five additional inches of legroom, located in the front of the aircraft or exit rows, plus early access to overhead bins, enhanced snacks, and complimentary premium drinks.
- Preferred – standard-pitch seats positioned toward the front of the cabin.
- Standard – traditional coach seats situated in the back of the plane.
Fare Bundles Reimagined
Southwest is renaming and reshaping its fare lineup to mirror the new seat map: Choice Extra, Choice Preferred, and Choice will replace Business Select, Anytime, and Wanna Get Away Plus.The bundles, slated to hit shelves in third quarter 2025, combine seat selection privileges with other perks such as earlier boarding and upgraded snacks, giving travelers “enhanced fare bundles [that] let Customers customize their trip,” Executive Vice President Customer & Brand Tony Roach said in a press release this spring.
Perks for Credit Cardmembers and Tier Elites
Rapid Rewards credit cardholders will be able to choose a seat either at booking or within 48 hours of departure, even if they purchased a Basic ticket, depending on card tier. Cardmembers will also keep existing benefits such as in-flight purchase discounts, anniversary bonus points, and the annual 10,000-point Companion Pass boost.A-List and A-List Preferred members will enjoy seat selection at booking on any fare, preferred seating, early boarding, and free checked bags for themselves plus up to eight companions on the same reservation.
Group-Based Boarding Debuts
To complement seat assignments, Southwest will abandon its current “cattle call” and institute group-based boarding optimized for the new cabin layout. Customers seated in Extra Legroom rows will board in Groups 1 to 2, followed by other passengers in descending order of seat location, fare bundle, and elite status. Travelers may still purchase Priority Boarding within 24 hours of departure to move to the head of the line.About the Dallas-Based Carrier
The airline—now serving 117 airports across 11 countries and flying more nonstop domestic passengers than any U.S. competitor—employs more than 71,000 people and carried 140 million customers in 2024. Executives frame the seat overhaul as the next step in that growth story.“As Southwest begins to operate with assigned seating on Jan. 27, 2026, the airline will also begin a new group-based boarding process designed to deliver a smooth and efficient Customer Experience on every flight,” the company said in a July 21 statement.