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Southwest Airlines is set to abandon its long-standing open seating model, transitioning instead to assigned seating and introducing extra-legroom "premium seating" options. This decision comes after extensive deliberation and customer research indicating a strong preference for assigned seats.
“The research is clear and indicates that 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat. When a customer elects to stop flying with Southwest and chooses a competitor, open seating is cited as the number one reason for the change,” stated the airline, which has operated under an open seating model for over five decades.
In addition to assigned seating, Southwest plans to offer a sizable extra-legroom economy section across its fleet. Although specific cabin layout details are still being finalized pending approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airline expects roughly one-third of its seats will feature extended legroom comparable to industry standards on narrowbody aircraft. Bookings for these new cabins are anticipated to begin next year.
