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2h ago

Southwest Tightens ‘Customer of Size’ Policy, Requiring Extra Seats to Be Bought Upfront in 2026

The shift accompanies Southwest’s move to assigned seating within a broader revenue overhaul.

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 airplane prepares to takeoff at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on July 10, 2025.
Southwest Airlines will require plus-size passengers to purchase an extra seat in advance starting next year, with refunds subject to new rules.
A Southwest Airlines plane lands at SFO in February 2025.
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Overview

  • Effective January 27, 2026, passengers who cannot fit within a single seat’s armrests must purchase an adjacent seat at booking.
  • Refunds for the extra seat apply only if the flight departs with at least one open seat (or space-available passengers), both seats are in the same fare class, and the request is filed within 90 days.
  • Travelers who arrive without having bought the additional seat must purchase it at the airport or be rebooked if no adjacent seating is available.
  • Southwest defines the armrest as the seat boundary and publishes Boeing 737 seat widths to help customers determine their needs.
  • Itineraries involving partner carriers are excluded from Southwest’s refund rules, and advocates for plus-size travelers criticize the tighter policy as less accessible than the airline’s prior practice.