Southwest aircraft. Photo: Shutterstock Starting today, January 27, 2026, Southwest Airlines will let passengers pick their seats when booking flights, a major change for the airline. Travelers will be able to choose from Extra Legroom, Preferred, or Standard seats, making it easier to plan ahead and travel comfortably.
“Our Customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” said Tony Roach, Executive Vice President Customer & Brand, at Southwest Airlines. “Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our Customers, including the ability to select Extra Legroom seats, and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin. This is an important step in our evolution, and we're excited to pair these enhancements with our legendary Customer Service.”
Southwest is also introducing new fare bundles that allow seat selection during booking. Customers can even pay to upgrade their seat for a more comfortable journey. Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers, depending on which card they hold, can choose a seat when booking or up to 48 hours before departure, even on Basic fares. A-List and A-List Preferred members will enjoy the same flexibility, no matter the fare.
To go along with assigned seating, the airline is launching a group-based boarding process. Boarding will be organized by seat location, starting with Extra Legroom seats in Groups 1 and 2.
Premium fares and Southwest’s most loyal customers, including Tier Members and Credit Cardmembers, will board first. Priority Boarding can also be purchased starting 24 hours before departure for those who want to get on the plane early.
Tuesday also marks a change for plus-size passengers. Southwest previously had the most flexible policy in the industry, but the new rules are stricter. Passengers must now meet three conditions to be eligible for a refund on an additional seat:
- the flight must have at least one open seat
- both seats must be purchased in the same fare class
- the refund request must be made within 90 days of travel.
The policy also requires passengers who don’t fit between standard armrests to buy an extra seat, whereas before, refunds were easier and less restricted.
The new seat selection and boarding updates coincide with Southwest’s ad campaign, “Are You Sitting Down?” which uses the airline’s signature humor to highlight these changes.
Southwest has been serving travelers since 1971, operating at 117 airports in 11 countries and carrying more nonstop passengers within the US than any other airline.