NEW Southwest Airlines Rule Hits Travelers Tomorrow

Flying with Southwest Airlines is about to look a whole lot different.

Tomorrow, January 27th, marks one of the biggest changes in Southwest’s history, and if you’re planning to fly with them anytime soon, you need to know what’s coming. The airline that prided itself on doing things differently is completely abandoning its signature open seating policy. Here’s what’s changing and how it affects your next flight.

Open Seating is Officially Dead

For years, Southwest’s claim to fame was its unique boarding process. You’d check in, snag a boarding number, line up accordingly, and then pick whatever seat you wanted once you stepped on the plane. It was simple, it was different, and honestly, a lot of people loved it.

But starting tomorrow, that’s all gone. Southwest is switching to assigned seating, meaning you’ll get a specific seat assignment when you book your ticket, just like literally every other airline out there. No more strategic check-ins exactly 24 hours before departure, no more rushing to grab your favorite spot, no more boarding number lottery. (If you’ve been a loyal Southwest flyer because of their boarding process, this is going to feel like a gut punch.)

Three Seating Tiers Replace the Old System

Under the new rules, Southwest has created three distinct seating categories, and where you end up on the plane depends entirely on how much you’re willing to spend.

Standard Seats are your cheapest option. These are located in the middle and rear sections of the cabin, and many of them will be middle seats since the better options get scooped up by passengers in higher tiers. If you choose Standard, you’ll be assigned to boarding groups 6 through 8, meaning you board dead last.
Preferred Seats cost more than Standard but give you a better location. You’ll get standard legroom in the forward and middle cabin areas, and you’ll board with Groups 3 through 5. It’s not the premium experience, but you’re not stuck in the back either.
Extra Legroom is the top-tier option. These seats are located in the forward cabin and include spots with additional legroom like exit rows. Passengers who pay for Extra Legroom board first in Groups 1 and 2. Obviously, these are the most expensive seats Southwest offers.

Your Boarding Pass Will Look Different Tomorrow

Instead of boarding numbers, your boarding pass will display a boarding group (somewhere between 1 and 8). When your group is called, you head onto the plane and go directly to your assigned seat.

If you splurged on Extra Legroom, you’ll board early and settle in while everyone else is still waiting. If you went the budget route with Standard seating, you’ll be among the last people on the plane. One small silver lining? You don’t have to worry about lining up in perfect numerical order anymore. Boarding groups are a bit more relaxed than the old system, even if you’ve lost the freedom to pick your own seat.

Make Sure You Know Your Status Benefits

If you’ve got elite status with Southwest or you’re a credit card holder, there are some perks that’ll make these changes a little easier to swallow.

Southwest credit card holders automatically get placed in boarding group 5, which isn’t the earliest group, but it’s definitely not the worst. Plus, credit card holders still get one free checked bag, which is a big deal since Southwest got rid of free checked bags for regular passengers.
A-List members can select a free Preferred Seat, while A-List Preferred members get free Extra Legroom seats. If you fly Southwest frequently enough to have status, these benefits can make a real difference in your travel experience.

Extra Seat Requirements Are Changing Too

Southwest’s policy for passengers who need more than one seat is also getting revamped tomorrow. Under the current rules, passengers requiring additional space don’t have to buy a second seat in advance, and Southwest provides extra seats when available, with refunds issued after travel.

Tomorrow, that changes. Passengers needing extra space will be required to purchase an additional seat upfront and pay any seat fees that apply. You can still request a refund after your trip, but there are conditions: both seats must be in the same fare class, the refund request has to happen within 90 days of travel, and the plane needs to have had at least one open seat available. If the flight was completely full but had seats reserved for off-duty employees, you might still qualify for a refund.

Southwest Just Became Like Everyone Else

Here’s the truth: Southwest isn’t unique anymore. The new seating system, the boarding groups, the tiered pricing, it’s all exactly what you’d experience on American, Delta, United, or any other major carrier.

For those of us who appreciated Southwest’s quirky, different approach to air travel, tomorrow feels like the end of an era. But whether we like it or not, these changes are happening, and if you’re flying Southwest in the coming weeks or months, you need to understand how the new system works.

The best thing you can do? Read up on these policies now so you’re not caught off guard at the airport tomorrow, expecting the old boarding process and getting something completely different.

As always, we’re here to help you prepare for your trip as much as possible, so stay tuned to AllEars!