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Southwest Airlines to Open Assigned Seat Sales July 29, Begin Assigned Seating Jan. 27

The carrier aims to generate billions in ancillary revenue by imposing baggage fees, implementing structured boarding, offering premium seat sales ahead of the January overhaul.

A Southwest Airlines plane.
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 4: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX8 departs from San Diego International Airport to Chicago on March 4, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Ticket sales for flights with assigned seating open on July 29, with the policy taking effect on Jan. 27, 2026.
  • The open-seating system will be replaced by an eight-group boarding process structured around seat selection, fare class and loyalty status.
  • March fare-bundle changes introduced fees for checked bags and created tiered options—Basic, Choice and premium levels—that determine seat-selection rights.
  • About 25% of Southwest’s Boeing fleet has been retrofitted with extra-legroom seats available for a surcharge, with further installations planned.
  • Southwest projects these ancillary measures will add $800 million to EBIT in 2025 and $1.7 billion in 2026.