Southwest Airlines Ends Open Seating, Introduces Assigned Seats

Airline's signature boarding process comes to an end after more than 50 years.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:31pm

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Southwest Airlines is ending its long-standing open seating policy and transitioning to an assigned seating system starting Tuesday. Passengers will now be assigned to one of eight boarding groups based on factors like fare class, loyalty status, and whether they've paid for preferred or extra-legroom seats. The change marks a major shift for the airline, which had built its reputation around its quick boarding process and democratic open seating.

Why it matters

The move to assigned seating is part of Southwest's efforts to boost profitability and appeal to new customer segments. The airline faced pressure from investors to make changes, with studies showing that many travelers now prefer to know their seat assignments ahead of time. The shift also aligns Southwest more closely with industry practices at other major U.S. carriers.

The details

Under the new system, Southwest will have an eight-group boarding process, with passengers filing through two lanes at the gate. Those who pay extra for preferred or extra-legroom seats will be placed in the first two boarding groups. Passengers with basic fares will likely be in groups 6-8. The airline is also updating its policy for passengers who need extra space, now requiring them to purchase an additional seat in advance rather than requesting one at the gate.

  • Southwest began selling tickets with the new assigned seating policy in July 2025.
  • The airline's open-seating system, in place for over 50 years, ended on Monday, January 26, 2026.
  • The new assigned seating system went into effect on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

The players

Southwest Airlines

A major U.S. airline known for its low fares and open seating policy, which it is now ending after more than 50 years.

Robert Jordan

The CEO of Southwest Airlines, who said the company has "tremendous opportunity" to meet customer needs and improve profitability through the seating changes.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Robert Jordan, CEO, Southwest Airlines

What’s next

Southwest says the process of converting its gate areas to the new assigned seating system could take about two months to complete across its network.

The takeaway

Southwest's shift to assigned seating, after more than 50 years of its iconic open-boarding process, marks a major transformation for the airline as it seeks to boost profitability and appeal to a wider range of travelers. The change aligns Southwest more closely with industry norms, but also ends a longstanding customer perk that had helped define the airline's brand.