Southwest Airlines allows passengers to book assigned seats, new fare classes for travel starting on January 27, 2026.

Assigned seating is coming to Southwest Airlines in 2026. Here's when, how it will work and how much it will cost to choose a seat.

Southwest assigned seating will work similarly to other airlines: Passengers who buy the cheapest tickets can select a seat for a fee, or a seat will be assigned to them the day before their flight.

On Monday, Southwest Airlines announced that assigned seating will become active on Jan. 27, 2026, ending a 50-year tradition. Customers will have the option to choose between extra legroom seats ...

The free-for-all seating arrangement on Southwest Airlines is about to end and now we know exactly when that will be. CNBC.com reports Southwest passengers will be assigned seats for the first ...

Southwest Airlines is considering doing away with open, single-class seating on its aircraft. In an interview with CNBC, ahead of the airline’s first-quarter earnings call on Thursday, CEO Bob ...

Southwest Airlines reveals timeline for ending open seating, changing boarding process The airline earlier this year it would get rid of its popular "open seating" model and start assigning seats ...