One of the things that made Southwest Airlines special is now gone. The company’s open seating policy is now a thing of the past.
Passengers will now have to have assigned seats.
The seat choices include Standard, Preferred and Extra Legroom and will be in boarding groups one through eight instead of the former A, B and C groups, Fox Business reported. The columns are gone, and will be replaced with two alternating lanes, The Associated Press reported.
Boarding groups will be based on seat location, fare class, loyalty tier and airline credit card rewards benefits.
If they want to sit near the front of the plane or in seats with extra legroom, those perks come at a higher price, according to the AP.
Priority boarding can also be an added option.
Basic fares will be in groups of six to eight most of the time.
Another change is for “customers of size,” or flyers who do not fit in the two armrests. They must now buy two tickets in advance.
“Customers who encroach upon the neighboring seat(s) should proactively purchase the needed number of seats prior to travel to ensure the additional seat is available,” the company said on its website.
If the seat class is not full, the passenger can get a refund but must request it within 90 days of the flight, Fox Business reported.
The airline had previously done away with another one of its perks last year. Bags no longer fly free as of May 2025, the AP reported.