Now you can formally guide Southwest Airways flights with an assigned seat.
The provider simply began promoting flights that can depart on (and after) Jan. 27, 2026 — the day it plans to bid farewell to open seating and welcome in its long-discussed assigned and extra-legroom seating setup.
For these of us who’ve flown Southwest on numerous events up to now, it is admittedly a little bit of a wierd feeling to drag up the provider’s web site and see a seat map when reserving a visit.
However as of this week, that is now a actuality.
These 2026 flights with assigned seating may even mark the beginning of utilizing fare sorts that sound quite a bit completely different from those Southwest has offered for years. “Wanna Get Away” is already a factor of the previous, having been changed by the provider’s new primary financial system fare. However the airline is now additionally phasing out “Wanna Get Away Plus,” “Anytime” and “Enterprise Choose.”
As a substitute, Southwest’s 4 fare merchandise will embrace:
| Fare product | What to anticipate |
|---|---|
| Fundamental | No complimentary advance seat choice except you’ve gotten a Southwest bank card or A-Listing standing, decrease Fast Rewards earnings and final to board |
| Alternative | Commonplace seat choice |
| Alternative Most popular | Choose a “most well-liked” seat (an everyday seat located nearer to the entrance of the airplane) |
| Alternative Further | Choose an extra-legroom seat, plus get pleasure from two free checked luggage and precedence boarding |
What it is like reserving a Southwest Airways flight with assigned seats
What’s it like reserving a Southwest flight with assigned seating?
It will be a fairly acquainted course of in case you’ve booked a flight on, effectively, nearly some other airline — however I will briefly stroll you thru among the distinctive parts of Southwest’s assigned seating course of.
This is an instance: a one-way February 2026 reserving from Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide Airport (FLL).
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As you’ll be able to see, the ticket choices on Southwest’s web site now replicate the airline’s new fare courses.
Fundamental and Alternative
For this journey, costs begin at $118 for a primary ticket. That is $30 lower than Southwest’s Alternative fare, which is now Southwest’s model of an ordinary, full-fare, non-basic financial system ticket you’d see on one other airline.
If you happen to’re reserving a primary ticket, you will not be capable to miss the tightest restriction, which seems if you pull up the seat map: no complimentary seat choice, just like primary financial system insurance policies at different airways.
Nevertheless, I’ll level out: On this flight, you continue to can pay $60 further to pick an extra-legroom seat.
Evaluate that to the $140 further you’d pay for Southwest’s full, top-level Alternative Further bundle, which incorporates extra-legroom seats, two free checked luggage and some different perks.
Alternative Most popular
If you happen to’re reserving a Alternative Most popular fare, the seat map will open up some seats nearer to the entrance of the airplane. These will likely be common seats with customary legroom, however you will not be caught behind the plane.
Alternative Further
After which as soon as you choose the higher-priced Alternative Further bundle, you may have your choose of any seat, together with one with further legroom.
Award reserving
This is an instance of how the brand new fare courses are priced out in case you’re reserving a Southwest Fast Rewards redemption on one other February itinerary — this time from Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) to Honolulu’s Daniel Okay. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL).
- Fundamental: 28,000 factors (down 9% from Alternative, Southwest’s new customary fare class)
- Alternative: 30,500 factors
- Alternative Most popular: 36,000 factors (up 18% from Alternative)
- Alternative Further: 43,000 (up 41% from Alternative)
Backside line
Each card may even get you at the least some type of seat choice — in some instances, inside 48 hours of departure. Two of the provider’s higher-priced playing cards include complimentary extra-legroom entry nearer to takeoff.
A-Listing and A-Listing Most popular members additionally get baggage, boarding and seating advantages underneath the brand new setup.
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