Southwest launches ticket sales for flights with assigned seating in major policy U-turn

For the first time, Southwest Airlines is selling assigned seats to passengers, ending the often chaotic — and unpopular — free-for-all boarding era that has existed since the airline’s inception in 1966.

All tickets purchased for travel starting January 27, 2026, will feature assigned seating, the carrier announced. The open seating system will operate up to that date.

The Dallas-based airline has been refurbishing its Boeing 737 fleet since May 2025 in preparation for the four new fare bundles that will launch simultaneously for flights from this coming January.

Southwest Airlines’ fleet now includes extra legroom seats and passengers will be able to pay more to enjoy them, or less for seats with a standard pitch further back.

The fare tiers — Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred and Choice Extra — also include variations for baggage allowance and Wi-Fi. The most expensive fare option might typically be double the price of the cheapest, though route, demand, date of travel, and booking date can all affect prices.

open image in gallery

Here’s how they break down.

Choice Extra is the most expensive fare option, which includes an extra legroom seat within the front five rows of the cabin that has up to five extra inches of pitch, depending on the type of Boeing 737 used on the route. Choice Extra also comes with two free checked bags, priority lane boarding, a “premium drink” on select flights of 251 miles or more, and complimentary in-flight internet.

Choice Preferred tickets come with standard legroom seats. However, they’re located further forward in the cabin and Choice Preferred passengers also get priority lane boarding.

A Choice ticket holder has the chance to select a standard seat toward the back of the plane during the booking process and if the passenger has to cancel their flight, they get credit towards another one that’s valid for 12 months.

The cheapest fare is Basic. Passengers opting for this one will have a standard seat assigned to them during the check-in process and they receive flight credit valid for six months if their flight is cancelled.

Choice Preferred, Choice and Basic ticket holders all have to…