Southwest Sets Jan. 27 2026 Start for Assigned Seating, Overhauls Boarding

Southwest Airlines said it will introduce assigned seating on 27 Jan. 2026, ending more than five decades of open seating that has distinguished the carrier from U.S. rivals. Customers can begin buying tickets that include seat selection on 29 July 2025. The Dallas-based airline will replace its familiar A-B-C boarding queues with an eight-group system that prioritises elite frequent flyers, premium-fare holders and co-branded credit-card customers. Standard, preferred and extra-legroom seats will be sold as an add-on; prices were not disclosed. Chief executives have framed seat assignments, checked-bag fees for some passengers and new fare categories as part of a broader overhaul aimed at narrowing a profitability gap with competitors. Southwest projects the changes will lift earnings before interest and taxes by about $800 million this year and $1.7 billion in 2026.