Southwest Airways is gearing up for assigned seating. Beginning early subsequent 12 months, all Southwest passengers will get an assigned seat — they usually’ll have the choice to fly within the airline’s all-new additional legroom rows.
Flights with the brand new seating setup go on sale July 29 for flights departing on or after Jan. 27, 2026.
As a part of that shift, Southwest will even make a serious change to its boarding course of, ending the distinctive, single-file setup it is used for years. That announcement got here after TPG reported earlier this 12 months that Southwest had determined to go together with new boarding procedures that look much more like those utilized by its prime opponents.
Cut price searching: When is the very best time to e book flights for the most affordable airfare?
Sure, that may imply an finish to the times of setting a check-in alarm to safe a boarding place — and it will additionally finish the Southwest preflight ritual of lining up alongside silver posts on the gate.
The provider may have new methods at hand out preferential boarding entry to prospects who pay extra for its additional legroom seats, carry one in every of its bank cards or have A-Listing elite standing.
How you can get a very good boarding group on Southwest
In all, Southwest plans to make use of a complete of eight boarding teams.
The boarding group you get can be decided by just a few components, together with:
- What fare product you select: As a part of the shift, Southwest will rename its fare lessons. They’re going to be known as: Fundamental, Alternative, Alternative Most well-liked and Alternative Further (the latter of which is able to include an additional legroom seat). Larger-priced fares include an earlier boarding group.
- Elite standing: Southwest will give precedence boarding to its Fast Rewards A-Listing and A-Listing Most well-liked flyers
- Credit score cardholders: Fast Rewards members with a Southwest bank card will get earlier boarding.
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The 8 boarding teams on Southwest Airways
Here is how Southwest’s new boarding teams will shake out, efficient Jan. 27, 2026.
| Teams | Passengers allowed to board |
|---|---|
| Teams 1 and a couple of |
|
| Teams 3 by means of 5 |
|
| Teams 6 by means of 8 |
|
Precedence boarding add-on possibility
There’s a further method to shortcut the boarding line: Southwest mentioned prospects will have the ability to buy precedence boarding 24 hours previous to departure.
Which group will most prospects use?
Should you do not carry a Southwest bank card, do not have elite standing, and do not pay to improve to an additional legroom seat, I count on you may seemingly land in:
- Group 6 or 7, when you go for one in every of its “Alternative” fares
- Group 7 or 8, if you choose a “Fundamental” fare
Nearer to subsequent January, the provider plans to elaborate additional on its boarding course of, gate expertise and preboard coverage, Southwest mentioned this week.
Backside line
As anticipated, Southwest’s new boarding setup certain seems to be much more just like the grouped format utilized by different main airways. Nevertheless, because the Dallas-based provider does not even have a first-class cabin, scoring an additional legroom seats is the important thing to a precedence boarding group.
Take into accout, you will get a spot in a kind of extra-space rows by:
- Buying a Alternative Further fare
- Paying to improve your seat
- Choosing it without cost at reserving as an A-Listing Most well-liked member
- Choosing it without cost inside 48 hours of departure as an A-Listing member or an eligible credit score cardholder
Boarding early will not include fairly the stakes because it does in the present day on Southwest, because it will not be your ticket to getting a very good seat. A number of that can be labored out now once you e book your flight.
Nevertheless, getting on board early may nonetheless be key to getting access to the overhead bins, because the airline now prices most prospects for checked luggage.
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