Southwest Airlines is gearing up to introduce assigned seating in just over two months.
The low-cost carrier will say goodbye to its polarizing open seating policy on January 27, 2026, when travelers will be met by an all-new gate experience and streamlined boarding process.
"Gate areas will be converted in a phased approach, beginning the evening of January 26," the airline confirmed.
"It will take approximately 60 days to remove the numbered stanchions from all airports. The stanchions that are not removed overnight on January 26 will have their numbers removed or covered so they are not visible by the morning of January 27, when assigned seating begins."
Rather than the numbered silver stanchions, Southwest will use alternating boarding lanes with digital screen displays that show which group is boarding. There'll also be a separate Preboarding and Priority Boarding area for active-duty military, travelers who purchase the new Priority Boarding product and those customers who need to preboard.
With the A/B/C group boarding process retired on January 27, Southwest will shift to boarding in eight stages.
Here's how the eight groups will break down:
- Groups 1-2: A-List Preferred, Choice Extra fare, Extra Legroom seat purchase or upgrade (including A-List Members who upgrade at no additional cost to ELR seats within 48 hours before departure, when available)
- Groups 3-5: A-List and Choice Preferred fare, plus Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers who did not receive an earlier boarding group will also board in Group 5
- Groups 6-8: Choice fare and Basic fare who did not receive an earlier boarding group
Passengers needing special accommodations will be able to self-identify digitally before their day of travel. Special service requests, such as wheelchair assistance, will be visible on their boarding pass.
What's more, everyone on the same reservation of nine or fewer, including traveling families, will be assigned to the same boarding group.
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