I attempted Southwest’s new extra-legroom seats: Here is what to anticipate

When Southwest Airways pivots to assigned seating Jan. 27, 2026, it will not simply mark the top of its 50-year-old open-seating coverage.

It will additionally usher within the official launch of its extra-legroom seats — the extra spacious rows that Southwest is advertising and marketing as its new, extra premium product.

Going ahead, these seats will probably be accessible to Southwest’s highest-paying clients. They usually’ll be an improve possibility, of kinds, for A-Listing elite standing flyers and sure Speedy Rewards bank card holders.

Southwest’s hope is that these roomier rows will usher in further money from a shopper who’s been extra keen, lately, to pay extra for higher-end experiences.

“What they wished us to alter and evolve to was developing with extra facilities that they are used to getting with different plane,” Tony Roach, Southest’s chief buyer and model officer, mentioned whereas talking earlier this month in Phoenix.

The query now: Are the extra-legroom seats value the additional splurge?

Learn extra: Southwest’s ‘main milestone’: First airplane with new, fashionable cabin makes large debut

What it is like flying in Southwest’s extra-legroom seat

I had the possibility to check out Southwest’s new extra-legroom expertise on a current ceremonial flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) to the airline’s Dallas Love Discipline (DAL) dwelling base.

What to anticipate? It is definitely not firstclass; do not count on an upscale reclining seat, a sizzling meal or a curtain separating these seats from the remainder of the cabin.

Southwest designed this to easily be an elevated providing over its normal coach product.

Mushy-product upgrades

That mentioned, the airline has thrown in a number of “tender product” upgrades for its extra-legroom part.

On board, these passengers will probably be handled to free premium drinks — together with alcohol.

Southwest will even serve its extra-legroom clients Fantastic pistachios, a snack alternative that will not be accessible in the remainder of its cabins.

Plus, these passengers will get precedence boarding as a part of the provider’s revamped boarding procedures that may launch in January alongside assigned seating. Additional-legroom clients will board no later than Group 2.

An elevated coach expertise

Altogether, the entire expertise might be most corresponding to what you’d discover in sections like American Airways’ Foremost Cabin Additional or Alaska Airways’ Premium — a extra premium coach providing that Southwest, till now, hasn’t had in its repertoire.

Personally, that further area makes an enormous distinction for me in relation to consolation on an extended flight, particularly once I’m making an attempt to get work carried out — which I did with all the benefit I would count on in, say, a United Airways Financial system Plus seat.

Discovering your seat

By Jan. 27, you will discover extra-legroom seats within the first 5 rows of all Southwest Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 737-800 planes, and within the three rows surrounding the midcabin emergency exit.

On its smaller Boeing 737-700s, it will supply further legroom within the first six rows and within the emergency-exit row.

Aboard many planes, you will discover distinctive striping on the provider’s elevated seats, distinguishing them from normal seats. That features these gentle blue highlights on the latest jets in Southwest’s fleet, like this brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 I flew on this month.

ebook Southwest’s extra-legroom seat

There are a number of methods you may ebook extra-legroom seats on Southwest.

Purchase a Alternative Additional fare

The “normal” technique is to buy its new Alternative Additional fare product, which comes with an extra-legroom seat choice — together with another advantages like precedence boarding and free checked luggage (the latter, in fact, is now not a blanket perk with the airline).

Tickets that embrace extra-legroom seat assignments went on sale in late July for flights departing on or after Jan. 27 — so you may ebook them now, whether or not you are paying money or redeeming Speedy Rewards factors.

Associated: Southwest Airways’ ‘variable’ Speedy Rewards redemption charges take impact

Elite standing and bank card upgrades

These seats will even be accessible as an improve possibility for A-Listing elite members and sure bank card holders.

Here is a full rundown:

By late January, Southwest expects that extra-legroom seats will probably be accessible on every of its roughly 800 plane.

The airline is at present greater than midway carried out reconfiguring every of its jets with the brand new seating setup.

A trick to get further area now

Nonetheless, Southwest has already completed including extra-legroom seats to all the planes it makes use of on its longest routes, like flights to Hawaii.

Which means, between now and January, you would possibly have the ability to rating one in all these seats at no added price, in the course of the closing months of first-come, first-served seating.

You may simply have to get on board early sufficient to snag one. Your greatest probability of that’s doubtless buying the airline’s add-on Upgraded Boarding possibility, bought inside 24 hours of takeoff.

TPG tip: Southwest extra-legroom seats are tender launching, and you’ll rating one now should you get an early boarding place

Backside line

Southwest executives imagine that between providing a higher-end seating product and different onboard enhancements like its just-deployed free inflight Wi-Fi, it will compete higher — straight away — with different airways.

“It is not like an airline the place you are like, ‘If I do not get upgraded, I am caught,” Southwest Chief Working Officer Andrew Watterson mentioned in Phoenix this month.

On the similar time, the provider continues to drop hints about maybe launching an excellent higher-end seating possibility sometime sooner or later.

So, whereas Southwest’s new extra-legroom seats definitely should not be confused with a real firstclass, it is value staying tuned to see what else could be on the horizon.

For now? These seats are a definite notch above what the airline has supplied its clients up to now. They usually’re an attractive new perk of incomes Speedy Rewards elite standing, or carrying one of many airline’s cobranded bank cards.

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