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Southwest Airlines is in the process of introducing extra-legroom seats across its fleet, with about 25% of its planes now featuring these new rows. The airline plans to officially launch the sale of these seats on July 29, coinciding with the introduction of assigned seating for flights starting January 27, 2026.
The retrofitting of Southwest's approximately 800 Boeing 737 aircraft began in early May. As stated by Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson, around 200 planes are already flying with the updated configuration. This change comes as part of a broader shift from open seating to a more traditional boarding process.
Passengers currently have no way to determine if their flight will feature extra-legroom seats when booking due to frequent aircraft swaps within Southwest's all-737 fleet. However, passengers may be notified closer to departure if their flight includes these upgraded seats. This notification serves as an opportunity for Southwest to promote its Upgraded Boarding option, which offers priority boarding and an early chance at selecting preferred seats.
