Southwest Airlines ends open seating, changes plus-size passenger policies

Southwest Airlines is officially ending two signature policies that have long set the carrier apart from its competitors.

Starting Tuesday, the controversial policies announced last year will raise ticket prices for plus-sized passengers and end the airline’s decades-old open seating arrangement.

Southwest first announced in July 2025 that it would end its open seating policy, partly to boost revenue and in response to what it described as passengers’ increasing preference to purchase premium seat options.

“Our customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” said Tony Roach, Southwest CEO, in 2025. Personalized seating opens up new opportunities for our customers — including the ability to choose seats with extra legroom — and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin.

Southwest Airlines is ditching decades-old open seating after years of holding out

Seating options now include standard, preferred and extra legroom. The airline is also moving from a model of A/B/C groups with numbered positions to a new boarding system using groups 1 to 8.

SOUTHWEST is introducing new refund terms for plus-sized passengers

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A Southwest Airlines plane takes off from Hollywood Burbank Airport as another Southwest Airlines plane boards on July 25, 2024, in Burbank, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images/Getty Images)

For “large customers,” passengers who cannot sit between the armrests must purchase two tickets in advance, the company stated on its website.

“Customers who encroach on adjacent seat(s) should proactively purchase the required number of seats before traveling to ensure the additional seat is available,” Southwest Airlines said.

Southwest adds a “robust” cockpit alert system to detect runway hazard

Travelers use a Southwest Airlines self-check-in kiosk at Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston, Massachusetts, US, on Friday, July 19, 2019. (Scott Eisen/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)

The move represents a stark departure from previous policies that many plus-size travelers relied on for flexible accommodations. Under the previous rules, travelers could pre-emptively purchase an extra seat and get a refund for the second ticket later, or request a free extra seat at the airport if room permitted.

Passengers must now purchase the extra seat while booking to guarantee space and only qualify for a refund if their chosen fare class is not full. Additionally, the traveler needs to request a refund within 90 days of the trip.

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If a passenger has not booked an extra seat in advance and decides they need an extra seat, the airline will only provide a free extra seat if space is available. If the flight is full, the passenger will be rebooked on another flight with available seats. In addition, if the decision is made after boarding, the passenger may be asked to deplane to rebook.