Overview
- Flights beginning Jan. 27, 2026, will feature assigned seats across three classes: standard, preferred and extra-legroom.
- Ticket reservations with seat assignments open July 29, 2025, aligning with Southwest’s next schedule extension.
- The carrier will roll out four fare bundles—Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred and Choice Extra—each offering different seat-selection privileges and ticket benefits.
- Southwest’s longstanding A-C boarding groups will give way to eight groups based on fare tier, seat location and Rapid Rewards or credit-card status.
- Southwest projects the combined initiatives, which also include checked-bag fees, will add about $800 million to EBIT in 2025 and $1.7 billion in 2026.