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Southwest to End Open Seating, Adopt Assigned Seats With WILMA-Style Boarding on Jan. 27, 2026

The carrier says the overhaul follows queuing research to speed boarding.

Overview

  • Passengers will board in a priority group followed by Groups 1 through 8, with window, then middle, then aisle seats loading from the back after priority.
  • Travelers with disabilities and active-duty military members will board first under the new process.
  • Customers with perks such as elite status, premium seats or a co-branded credit card will be placed in early Groups 1 or 2 regardless of seat location.
  • A last-minute Priority Boarding option will use dynamic pricing, with a recent Wall Street Journal example showing $93 for a PhoenixDallas flight.
  • Boarding passes will display group, seat number and seat type, and gates will use two lines for the current and next groups to reduce crowding.