Southwest Airlines’ assigned seating is coming soon.
The carrier, known for its open seating policy, confirmed that it will introduce assigned and premium seating across its flights as early as next year.
By adopting assigned seating, Southwest aims to appeal to a wider ranger of travelers and create a more consistent and comfortable flying experience.
The new model will also debut premium seating tiers, offering additional benefits such as extra legroom or preferred locations within the cabin.
The new seating system will gradually replace the current open-seating format, which allowed passengers to choose their seats on a first-come, first-served basis during boarding.
While this approach earned praise for its efficiency and simplicity, it also caused frustration among those who preferred the certainty of a pre-assigned seat, particularly families, groups and business travelers.
Southwest has not yet shared the exact start dates for assigned seating but is expected to give an update on the timeline in the coming months.
On its website, the carrier says, “We are planning to begin offering booking for assigned and premium seating in the second half of 2025, and we are expected to begin operating with assigned and premium seating in 2026.”
