Southwest Airlines Ends 50-Year Open Seating Policy

Passengers participated in a final rush for seats during boarding on Monday as the airline readied to discontinue its signature open-seating policy.

Beginning Tuesday, Southwest flyers will receive assigned seats and can pay extra to secure a favored spot near the front of the aircraft or for seats offering more legroom. Tickets under this new system first went on sale in July.

Here is what passengers can anticipate as Southwest eliminates distinctive features and aligns more closely with its competitors:

Goodbye, A/B/C groups

Previously, Southwest travelers could check in precisely 24 hours before their flight to secure a position in the boarding queue at the gate.

Those who checked in early were assigned to the sought-after “A” group, which almost assured them an available window or aisle seat. Passengers in the “B” or “C” groups faced increasing odds of finding only middle seats available the later they checked in.

This unique process, initiated by the Dallas-based carrier, was originally designed to expedite boarding, minimizing the time planes and crews spent idle on the ground. It enhanced operational efficiency, allowing for more daily flights, and was a primary factor in Southwest’s consistent profitability until the pandemic.

Over time, however, the system became less egalitarian as Southwest introduced the option for passengers to pay for a better place in line.

Hello, assigned seating

A new eight-group boarding system is replacing the free-for-all approach. Passengers will now proceed through two alternating lanes when their group is called, instead of lining up at numbered posts.

The airline stated that gate areas will be updated in phases starting Monday night, a transition expected to take roughly two months. Any remaining posts after Tuesday will have their numbers covered or removed during this period.

Southwest is now offering fares with various seating options, such as standard seats assigned at check-in, or paid preferred and extra-legroom seats chosen during booking. On some flights, passengers can also pay for priority boarding starting 24 hours before departure.

How it will work

According to Southwest, newly designed boarding passes will display both the seat assignment and boarding group. Reservations for parties of nine or fewer, including families, will be assigned to the same boarding group.

The airline says boarding group placement is determined by seat location, fare class, loyalty status, and credit card benefits. Travelers who buy extra-legroom seats will board in groups 1 or 2. Premium fare customers and the most loyal travelers will also get access to better seats and earlier boarding, while those with basic fares will typically be in groups 6 through 8.

Other changes

The move to assigned seating also brings a policy update for passengers who require additional space. Effective Tuesday, travelers who cannot fit within a single seat’s armrests will be obliged to buy an extra seat beforehand.

This modifies the previous policy, which allowed customers to either purchase a refundable extra seat in advance or request a complimentary one at the gate. Refunds under the new policy are still an option but are not guaranteed and will be subject to seat availability and fare type.

This follows Southwest’s decision in May 2025 to terminate its long-standing “bags fly free” policy, introducing baggage fees for the majority of travelers.

These changes represent a significant turning point for the airline as it revises its traditional customer benefits to more closely mirror those of other major U.S. carriers.

Why all the change?

The transformation is part of an effort to boost profitability.

“We have tremendous opportunity to meet current and future customer needs, attract new customer segments we don’t compete for today, and return to the levels of profitability that both we and our shareholders expect,” Southwest CEO Robert Jordan stated last year.

When the Texas-based airline initially revealed its plans in 2024 to adopt assigned seating, it cited data indicating that customer preferences had evolved, with most travelers now wanting to know their seat assignment before arriving at the airport.

Jordan noted at the time that open seating was the primary reason potential customers surveyed chose a different airline over Southwest.