Southwest's Most Iconic And Unique, Decades-Old Feature Is Coming To An End

It's the end of an era for frequent flyers on Southwest Airlines who've enjoyed wandering down the aisle and choosing a window seat on a whim. This is because the company's iconic and decades-old open seating model will come to a close in January of 2026. This new policy change comes not long after Southwest ended its famed "Bags Fly Free" program in May of 2025. So, what's behind the big changes at the largest low-cost carrier in the country?

It all comes down to dollars and cents — and shifting traveler preferences. In terms of customer satisfaction and fan following, Southwest Airlines has long been one of the most popular airlines in the United States. The brand is especially beloved by budget-minded travelers, and in 2023, J.D. Power published the North America Airline Satisfaction Study where Southwest beat out Delta and JetBlue, ranking first for customer satisfaction in the economy category. This probably comes down to the fact that the airline has big seats, simple rules, and plenty of nonstop flights.

Part of Southwest's popularity has to do with its unique twists on industry convention. The company has traditionally kept airfares affordable through its high-frequency, quick-turnover approach. The airline only uses one kind of aircraft, the Boeing 737, simplifying pilot training and plane maintenance. It focuses on direct routes to in-demand destinations, sometimes providing service to secondary airports to keep overhead costs low.

Some of the airline's cost-cutting measures also doubled as passenger-friendly policies. This also applied to allowing customers to choose their own seats, a policy that started with the very first Southwest flights in the 1970s. Although counterintuitive, as it turns out, allowing travelers to choose their seats and check two bags for free lessened the time it takes to board and deplane. According to the airline, the efficient boarding policy facilitated on-time departures, even if customers had a love-hate relationship with the concept. However, the fact that some customers didn't like the open seating arrangement prompted Southwest to experiment with more conventional assigned seating structures over the years, though the brand always returned to its first-come, first-serve seating policy.

Sadly for those who favor spontaneous seat selection, those days are over. "The research is clear and indicates that 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat," said the airline in a 2024 statement. Starting July 29, 2025 (applicable for flights that are scheduled to depart January 27, 2026 or later), passengers can choose a seat at the time of booking. Though the airline isn't adding first-class or business-class sections, premium "Extra Legroom" options will be available for an additional fee. So, if you are a frequent Southwest flyer, you may want to brush up on how to book the best seat on the plane if you want the most space to yourself. You can also check out this viral TikToker's hacks for making economy flights more comfortable.