Southwest Airlines to begin seat assignments January 2026

(CNN)— We now know the date for when Southwest Airlines will end its open seating policy.

Assigned seats for passengers will start January 27.

Southwest first announced the change last Summer, going to assigned seating for the first time in the low-fare airline’s history.

The ability to get certain seats will depend on the fare.

Purchase options will include standard, preferred, and extra legroom seats.

Earlier this year, Southwest announced it would also no longer offer two free checked bags to many customers.

  tickets for assigned seats can be purchased beginning next week.