Southwest has used the open seating concept for decades, in which guests are assigned a boarding number based on how quickly they check-in for the flight. A1 gets to board first and gets first pick of seats, while passengers with a boarding number around C30 and worse are pretty much guaranteed to be left with middle seats. Southwest also introduced early boarding in 2022, available for a fee starting at $30, that would guarantee you a number in the A1-A30 range. Supposedly, the open seating model speed up the boarding process.
Southwest’s open seating model assigns a boarding group based on how quickly you check in. Photo: Suzie Dundas
But today, Southwest Airlines announced the concept of open seating will be no more, though it didn’t say when the new model will go into effect.
According to the news release from the airline, “The research is clear and indicates that 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat.” It also announced it will creating premium seating with more leg room, as well as more comfortable seats across all fare classes. The airline will also introduce a few new red-eye routes starting in February 2025, including Las Vegas to Baltimore or Orlando; Los Angeles to Baltimore or Nashville; and Phoenix to Baltimore.
Southwest Airlines claims the change is to reflect customer preferences, citing research that shows when customers choose an airline other than Southwest, it’s usually because they want an assigned seat. Realistically, however, it’s likely to also be a profit driver for the airline, which is flying with fewer planes in 2024 and 2025 due to delivery delays from Boeing.
If it follows the model of other US airlines, it will likely charge passengers to select a seat.
Rates for seat selection on a United Airlines basic economy fare start at $15 per segment, while American Airlines starts at $10 to choose a seat with its basic fare. Alaska Airlines charges $35 or more to select a seat with a basic saver fare (as the only seat you can pick is one with extra leg room), and flyers in Delta’s most basic class of service will need to pay at least $15 to choose a seat in advance. Budget and low-cost airlines charge even more; Frontier starts at $17 but can go up to $60 or more, and Spirit Airlines starts around $20.
Southwest said it plans to share more details in September, so flyers traveling in August shouldn’t notice any changes to their flight experience. 