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Southwest Airlines debuts first plane with redesigned cabin and upgraded amenities

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Southwest Airlines debuts first plane with redesigned cabin and upgraded amenities
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Bob Jordan, President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Connect with Bob Jordan on LinkedIn (Opens in a new browser tab) | Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines will introduce its first aircraft with a redesigned cabin this Thursday, marking a significant update to its fleet. The Dallas-based airline’s new Boeing 737 MAX 8 features modern seats, extra legroom rows, larger overhead bins, and power outlets at every seat.

The new seats, manufactured by Recaro and first unveiled in 2024, include tray tables with two cup holders, personal device holders, and both USB-A and USB-C charging ports. According to the airline and manufacturer, these seats were selected after extensive customer testing and are intended to provide improved lumbar support and comfort compared to previous models.

Tony Roach, Southwest’s Chief Customer and Brand Officer, said in an interview with The Points Guy: "If you think about all of the changes we've been making, especially to the cabin experience, this is kind of the culmination of everything together."

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All new Southwest aircraft deliveries will feature these updated interiors. Additionally, some older Boeing 737-800 jets will be retrofitted with the new seats later this year. The company also announced that more than half of its planes now have extra legroom rows as part of preparations for assigned seating set to begin on January 27, 2026. All flights to Hawaii already offer these expanded sections.

Currently, passengers who board early may access extra legroom seats without an additional fee. However, starting in January 2026, these seats will become part of a new premium product that includes complimentary premium beverages and snacks such as Wonderful Pistachios.

Southwest also plans further upgrades for its older Boeing 737-700s by adding in-seat power outlets beginning in late 2026. These planes are already scheduled for extra-legroom updates later this year.

The airline has received four MAX 8 jets with the updated design so far. All future Boeing deliveries will include the new cabin features.

This rollout coincides with another onboard change: free inflight Wi-Fi for Rapid Rewards members beginning October 24.

Organizations Included in this History
The Points Guy
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