Open seating is on its approach out.

Southwest Airways simply introduced that, beginning on July 29, 2025, passengers may have the choice to pick (or not choose) a seat in the course of the reserving course of.

Seat assignments might be obtainable for flights departing on and after Jan. 27, 2026. The identical day, Southwest may also introduce a group-based boarding course of just like different airways. At the moment, Southwest has an open seating protocol, the place passengers select a seat based mostly on availability after boarding.

The change could possibly be excellent news for Southwest credit score cardholders and people with Speedy Rewards elite standing, who will get entry to early seat choice, seat upgrades and most well-liked boarding. However should you don’t fall into a type of classes, you’ll doubtless be paying extra for these advantages.

For flights starting on Jan. 27, 2026, Southwest will now not assign a bunch letter and place quantity for boarding at check-in. Reasonably, you’ll obtain a boarding group quantity between 1 and eight that’s tied to your loyalty standing or the fare class of your ticket, just like different airways. If you arrive on the gate, you’ll then queue for boarding when your group quantity is named, together with everybody else in that group.

Traditionally, practically each seat on a Southwest aircraft was the identical measurement, with no first-class or enterprise cabin. However Southwest is retrofitting their planes with totally different seat varieties. These new seats are related to new fare courses:

• Commonplace seats with commonplace legroom positioned close to the again of the aircraft. These seats have 1 inch much less pitch than Southwest’s previous seats (pitch is the gap between your seat and the seat in entrance of it).

• Most popular seats with commonplace legroom positioned between the center and entrance of the aircraft, additionally with much less pitch than the previous seats.

• Additional legroom seats with 5 additional inches of seat pitch positioned close to the entrance of the aircraft and in exit rows.

New fare varieties and what you get

The seats obtainable at reserving will rely on the fare class you choose:

• Fundamental (changing Wanna Get Away): Seat assigned at check-in; boards in Teams 6–8, towards the again of the aircraft. 

• Alternative (changing Wanna Get Away Plus): Choose commonplace seat at reserving; boards in Teams 6–8. 

• Alternative Most popular (changing Anytime): Choose a most well-liked or commonplace seat at reserving; boards no later than Group 5.

• Alternative Additional (changing Enterprise Choose): Choose an additional legroom, most well-liked or commonplace seat at reserving; boards no later than Teams 1–2.

Within the new system, elites in Southwest’s Speedy Rewards program will get entry to complimentary upgrades and most well-liked boarding. The advantages range by standing:

All Southwest credit score cardholders will obtain most well-liked boarding in Group 5 and a seat-selection profit throughout reserving, even with Fundamental fares. In some circumstances, they’ll additionally have the ability to select a seat forward of time and get a Most popular seat.

The favored Southwest Companion Go program stays largely the identical as earlier than, with just a few new particulars that designate how the cross works with latest adjustments.

Beginning July 29, 2025, vacationers utilizing a Companion Go can guide their companion into the identical fare class as their major ticket for flights starting Jan. 27, 2026. Companions may also obtain the identical tier member seating and checked bag advantages as the first traveler. (Extra on that beneath.)

Southwest hasn’t introduced any main adjustments to the Companion Go, which you obtain by incomes 135,000 Speedy Rewards factors in a calendar 12 months. As earlier than, the quickest technique to earn factors towards a Companion Go is with a Southwest bank card sign-up bonus.

Whereas numerous this information was beforehand introduced, we now have an outlined date when the adjustments might be applied.

Just like different airways, Southwest’s new mannequin is constructed round perks for elites and bank card holders, offering these passengers not solely with seat choice and boarding advantages, but in addition a free checked bag for as much as eight passengers on a reservation made by the elite member or major cardholder. These vacationers would possibly see Southwest’s new mannequin as a win.

However should you don’t have standing or a Southwest bank card, you’ll in all probability now see Southwest for what it has turn out to be: simply one other airline.

The details about the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been offered or reviewed by the cardboard issuer.