Southwest Airlines To Roll Out Assigned Seating In 2026 With New Booking Flexibility And Streamlined Boarding Process

Monday, July 21, 2025

Southwest Airlines from 2026 will statesman a long-overdue assigned seating work that will let you to take precisely WHERE you beryllium astatine nan clip of booking. This is simply a consequence to expanding request for greater empowerment/ elasticity successful customers’ recreation experience. In conjunction pinch nan preamble of allocated seating, nan hose will besides present a simplified, group-based boarding process, which will consequence successful a faster, much businesslike process for each customers. These changes are designed to make nan wide flying acquisition a spot better, and to thief little nan accent of boarding, springiness passengers amended entree to seats they prefer, and streamline nan process for premium and non-premium passengers arsenic well.

More Customization and Control for Travelers

To amended service its divers customer base, Southwest is rolling retired a scope of fare bundles that will let travelers to prime their seats during nan booking phase. The hose will connection 3 seating categories—Extra Legroom, Preferred, and Standard—giving passengers nan elasticity to take nan spot that champion suits their needs. For those seeking a much luxurious experience, Southwest will besides supply nan action to acquisition upgrades for further comfort.

This caller seating strategy besides includes exclusive benefits for Rapid Rewards® Credit Cardholders. Based connected nan type of paper they hold, passengers will beryllium capable to prime their seats either astatine nan clip of booking aliases up to 48 hours earlier departure, moreover for Basic fares. This marks a awesome displacement from Southwest’s erstwhile policy, wherever spot action was not disposable successful beforehand for immoderate fare type.

A-List and A-List Preferred members will bask nan expertise to prime seats during booking, sloppy of nan fare people they purchase, including Basic fares. This accommodation ensures that Southwest’s astir loyal passengers person entree to premium features, moreover erstwhile opting for nan lowest-cost options.

Southwest’s move to assigned seating addresses nan increasing request for a much organized recreation experience, offering passengers greater power complete their spot selection. While nan airline’s unfastened seating argumentation has agelong been a hallmark of its brand, this caller attack reflects nan airline’s committedness to adapting to nan changing needs of modern travelers while continuing to supply high-quality service.

A Streamlined Boarding Experience

Alongside nan displacement to assigned seating, Southwest will present a revamped boarding process starting January 27, 2026. The caller strategy will group passengers based connected their spot selection, ensuring an orderly and businesslike boarding experience.

The boarding process will prioritize passengers who person selected Extra Legroom seats, pinch Groups 1 and 2 boarding first. Premium fare customers and Southwest’s astir predominant flyers—those holding Tier Membership aliases Rapid Rewards Credit Cards—will beryllium fixed privilege access, boarding earlier successful nan process. This strategy intends to guarantee that those who prime premium seating options aliases person earned loyalty benefits are accommodated quickly and comfortably.

For passengers looking to expedite their boarding process, Southwest will besides connection Priority Boarding, which tin beryllium purchased 24 hours earlier departure. This action will let customers to beryllium among nan first to committee and unafraid their preferred seating quickly, ensuring a hassle-free commencement to their flight.

The caller group-based boarding attack aligns seamlessly pinch nan displacement to assigned seating, creating a much organized and predictable process for each passengers. The alteration is designed to minimize disorder and trim accent during nan boarding process, yet enhancing nan wide recreation experience.

Engaging Customers pinch a Fun Campaign

Southwest Airlines is besides launching a caller trading run to build excitement for nan upcoming changes. The “Are You Sitting Down?” run brings nan airline’s signature joke to nan forefront, generating buzz and anticipation arsenic passengers hole for nan preamble of assigned seating. Known for its playful and engaging marque personality, Southwest intends to support nan modulation lighthearted and nosy while informing customers astir nan caller seating system.

The run is designed to prosecute travelers and thief them clasp nan changes pinch a consciousness of enthusiasm. Southwest’s imaginative attack highlights nan airline’s committedness to ensuring that moreover erstwhile making important changes, nan institution remains existent to its roots of delivering an enjoyable and customer-focused experience.

What Travelers Can Expect Moving Forward

The preamble of assigned seating and group-based boarding marks a awesome milestone successful Southwest Airlines’ evolution. While immoderate passengers whitethorn return clip to set to nan caller system, these changes are expected to supply a much organized, efficient, and stress-free recreation acquisition for everyone. With nan action to prime seats successful advance, passengers will nary longer request to interest astir scrambling for a spot erstwhile connected board.

Southwest Airlines is committed to delivering a seamless and enjoyable recreation acquisition for each its customers. As nan caller seating options and boarding process rotation out, passengers will bask nan benefits of a much predictable formation experience, including amended entree to premium seating and a much businesslike boarding process.

To study much astir nan caller fare bundles, spot upgrade options, and nan group-based boarding system, customers are encouraged to sojourn Southwest’s charismatic website. Here, they will find each nan specifications astir nan caller policies and really to make nan astir of these breathtaking updates to nan recreation experience.

By pursuing these shifts, Southwest is apt to accommodate to nan changing desires of today’s travelers, each while maintaining nan friendly, nosy vibe that has made it a favourite of passengers for decades. By adding these offerings, nan bearer is making each traveler’s recreation acquisition much comfortable, convenient and pleasurable from treoàn to destination.