Southwest Airlines reveals new details about its seat assignment initiative.
After announcing in July 2024 that its open seat policy is ending, the Dallas-based carrier is sharing updates on its new model as part of its three-year business plan, according to a Sept. 26 press release.
While the airline has always been known for offering seats on a first-come, first-served basis, it will officially start selling assigned seats in the second half of 2025. However, passengers won’t see reserved seats in action on their flights until early 2026 , says the airline.
Southwest also offers premium seats that have “extra legroom options with up to five additional inches of pitch for about a third of its seats,” while not sacrificing legroom in its economy seats.
Southwest Airlines is ending its open seat policy and will assign seats starting in 2025
Southwest Airlines.
Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty
On Thursday, July 25, the airline announced that it was doing away with assigned seats after conducting “extensive research” into customers’ in-flight needs.
The survey concluded that 80% of Southwest customers and 86% of potential customers prefer an assigned seat.
“The airline has been known for its unique open-seat model for more than 50 years, but preferences have evolved with more customers taking longer flights where seat assignments are preferred,” the airline said in a press release at the time.
“When a customer decides to stop flying Southwest and choose a competitor, an open seat is cited as the number one reason for switching,” the statement continued. “By moving to an assigned seating model, Southwest expects to broaden its appeal and attract more flights from its current and future customers.”
They also announced that they are launching their first overnight flights in February 2025, including direct routes from Las Vegas to Baltimore and Orlando, Los Angeles to Baltimore and Nashville, and Phoenix to Baltimore. The airline is working on adding additional redeye routes in the future.
Twitter users are roasting Southwest Airlines for giving passengers ukuleles on a flight to Hawaii
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Southwest’s new seat design.
Southwest Airlines/TikTok
In February, Southwest unveiled its new seat design, which is expected to debut in early 2025, but some passengers weren’t too happy about it.
The airline revealed the stylish look on TikTok with the caption: “New fit check! Introducing our updated cabin design and new seats! You can see this interior on new aircraft deliveries early next year. Not to mention our ongoing rollout of adding larger tanks and in-seat power ports to our current aircraft!”
In the clip, users got their first look at the updated cabin interior with new, streamlined seats featuring a small heart detail in the lower corner of each headrest. Also featured is an additional tray to support iPads and phones.
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However, fliers were quick to criticize the new design in the comments.
“So we get thinner, more uncomfortable seats with a heart on it,” one user wrote, while another added: “Why don’t you just put wooden benches? They’d be just as comfortable!”
Despite some comments pointing out that it seems like less space is offered in each seat, an airline spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that the seats “retain the customer-friendly width and legroom we currently offer on all aircraft configurations.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education