Southwest open seating, baggage fee decisions announced

Southwest Airlines is making significant changes to its open seating and business operations in the next year. 

The Dallas-based airline announced Thursday that it plans to start selling assigned seats in late 2025 and those seats will become available on flights in early 2026. 

Southwest also plans to reserve a third of seats on its flights for passengers who would pay more to get extra legroom. 

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The open-boarding system the airline has used for over 50 years will be eliminated, and passengers will get to pick their seats in advance, like other major airlines.

Citing a Southwest survey, the Associated Press reported that 80% of the airline’s customers want to know their seat before arriving at the airport instead of having to search for open seating when they board the plane. Southwest will now have four airfare tiers to accommodate passengers.

FILE-A Southwest Airlines airplane taxies from a gate at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on October 11, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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Southwest will also continue letting passengers check two bags for free, describing the policy as "the most important feature by far in setting Southwest apart from other airlines."

The AP noted that U.S. airlines amassed over $7 billion in revenue from bag fees last year, with American and United earning more than $1 billion apiece. Wall Street has asserted that Southwest is leaving money on the table.