Because Southwest does not have assigned seating, you have to check in 24 hours ahead of your scheduled flight to get a good boarding position. Have a 6 a.m. flight? Gotta set your alarm to wake up early the day before to check in. Did you oversleep and miss your 24-hour check-in...
“They may grumble about it, but there’s no one else they can go to that has open seating.” In addition to the boarding change, Southwest also plans to convert about one-third of the seats on its planes to premium seating with more legroom, matching a practice that is standard among...
Southwest Airlines has announced more details about its upcoming assigned seating policy, which comes into effect in 2026. Over the summer, Southwest dropped its longstanding open seating practice, which had been a key part of the brand’s identity for 57 years. Guests can begin to book...
Earlier this year, Southwest announced a major change to its operations. Starting in the first half of 2026, theairline will no longer have open seating. The change shocked many, but a large number of people were also happy with the change. Photo: Southwest Airlines As mentioned above, one ...
Get ready for changes in boarding and seating at Southwest Airlines. The airline says it's studying possible changes as it looks for new sources of revenue.
On the other hand, 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, reported that they would prefer an assigned seat over open seating. In fact, Southwest’s lack of assigned seating was the top reason potential customers chose other airlines. While open seating initially served...
Southwest is ending its open seating policy, in which customers find a cabin seat on a first-come, first-serve basis. When the changes go into effect next year, customers will purchase tickets with assigned seating, eliminating some of the stress associated with the current boarding process. ...
Southwest's reservation system is capable of handling assigned seating, Jordan said, but "we have dozens and dozens of other systems of the company that are geared for open seating ... and those have to be changed." “There is a lot of risk if you do this poor...
Southwest has an open seating style, prioritized by boarding groups. Here's how to put yourself in the best position for boarding and claim the seat you want.
In fact, the airline has built its entire system around a fairly democratic seating policy, where everyone gets treated mostly the same. Nobody gets an assigned seat and most passengers get their places in the three-tiered regular boarding system when they ch...