Southwest Airlines is doing assigned seating starting January 27, 2026. Passengers will be able to select their seats beginning July 29, 2025, for flights departing on or after that date. This marks the end of Southwest's longstanding open seating policy. The new system will include options to choose from different fare bundles with various seat types, including extra legroom seats, preferred seats, and standard seats. The boarding process will also change to a group-based system optimized for assigned seating.
