The New Southwest Airlines Boarding Process Changes Are Happening Sooner Than You Think

We’ve been aware for a while that a major change was coming to Southwest Airlines, and NOW we know when.

Back in 2024, Southwest shocked longtime fliers when it announced the end of its longtime open-seating policy. Instead, the company said it would be evolving its seating policy to a more traditional assigned seating layout. At the time, the company said that the change would be coming in 2026 and that “The updated boarding process will maintain Southwest’s unique and popular approach in boarding through position numbers and signage displayed on stanchions within the gate area. The carrier’s most loyal Customers and those who purchase premium seating will continue to be among the first to board.”

As 2025 inches closer to its end, Southwest has confirmed the date its longtime policy is changing: January 27th, 2026.

According to the company, “For your comfort, we’re introducing seat options that allow you to choose the experience you prefer. This includes options to select where you want to sit and upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat, giving you more choices when you travel with us. Learn more about all the new options ahead, including our new cabin design, new fare bundles, plus Tier and Cardmember perks to match. New seat choices and assigned seating are now bookable for travel January 27, 2026, and beyond.”

The available new seat choices are:

• Extra Legroom Seats, which provide a “roomier experience with more legroom to stretch out, at the front of the cabin and near the exit rows, with up to five additional inches* of extra legroom compared to Standard and Preferred seats. Plus, earlier access to bin space, enhanced snacks, and complimentary premium beverages.”
• Preferred Seats, which offer “standard legroom seats near the front of the cabin.”
• Standard Seats, which offer “standard legroom seats located in the back of the cabin.”

U.S. domestic travel is going to look different for those flying in 2026, even if they’re not using Southwest. In July 2025, the Transportation Safety Authority announced that they were changing their longtime policy on shoes, announcing that they now will allow passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints. As a frequent flyer myself, I must admit I’m overjoyed at this rule change.

According to the TSA, the change is the “latest in a series of changes DHS has implemented since the Trump administration entered office. On July 2nd, TSA announced its “Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease” program, which provides special benefits to uniformed service members and their families, including a TSA PreCheck enrollment discount and expedited access lanes at select airports. In May, TSA began implementation of REAL ID at airport checkpoints, which has seen a 94 percent compliance rat,e which has led to a more efficient security process.”

Big changes are coming for Southwest Airlines on January 27th, in the shadow of massive changes to the overall domestic aviation industry in the U.S. Stay tuned to AllEars for more.

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Are you planning to fly Southwest next year? Let us know in the comments below.