Southwest Airlines is phasing out its long-standing open seating system and revising its refund policy for extra seats as part of a larger operational overhaul.
So, is the era of open seating and free extra space officially over at Southwest?
Source: Fujiphilm/Unsplash
For the first time in over five decades,
These updates launched on Jan. 27, 2026, effectively ending the airline's famous open seating model and its previous policy of providing free extra seats to customers of size.
These adjustments align Southwest's service model with the standards currently used by other major domestic carriers like Delta, United, and American.
Under the new system, passengers select their spots during booking with options for preferred or extra legroom seats, while "Basic" fare holders receive assignments at check-in; this change also introduces a traditional group-based boarding process. Finding inexpensive airport parking is often a priority for these travelers now that they have a specific boarding time to meet.
The updated guidelines for "customers of size" require those who cannot fit within the armrests or who occupy part of a neighboring seat to purchase an additional seat ahead of time, with specific seat widths listed on the fleet's website.
If a flight has empty seats available, passengers can request a refund for their extra seat within 90 days of travel, though no refund is given for full flights; if adjacent seats are unavailable during booking, the airline will attempt to rebook the traveler on a different flight. This may affect the total price for parking if a traveler's departure time changes significantly due to rebooking.
Travelers who arrive at the gate needing an extra seat without a prior airport reservation for one will be required to buy it on-site, provided space is available; otherwise, they must be moved to a flight with open adjacent seating.
The airline maintains the right to decide if an extra seat is required for safety reasons and notes that if this occurs on a full flight after boarding has finished, the passenger may be asked to deplane and rebook.
While this is a major transition for loyal fliers, ABC News points out that the policy remains more accommodating than many other U.S. carriers that offer no refund options for additional seating.
These seating and boarding updates come on the heels of the airline's May 2025 move to discontinue its "Bags Fly Free" program, which previously allowed two free checked bags for everyone.
