Overview

• Effective Jan. 27, 2026, travelers who encroach on neighboring seats must purchase an additional seat at booking or risk buying one at the airport or being rebooked.
• Refunds for the extra seat will be issued only if the flight departs with at least one open seat, both tickets are in the same eligible fare class, and a request is made within 90 days.
• The policy change takes effect the same day Southwest ends open seating and begins assigning seats in advance.
• Southwest estimates fewer than 1% of customers request an extra seat each year, while advocates say the new rules increase costs and complicate travel for plus-size flyers.
• Alaska is cited as the only other major U.S. carrier offering a conditional extra-seat refund when a seat goes out empty, as observers link Southwest’s move to ancillary-fee pressures.