Southwest Airlines is ending its open-seating policy and replacing it with a new rule for passengers. The airline will soon require assigned seating for customers when they purchase a ticket.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Southwest Airlines has officially ended a quirk that has become synonymous with the airline, ditching its ...

Open seating, Southwest Airlines' long-standing policy that allowed passengers to choose their own seats on a first-come, first-served basis based on their boarding position, died at age 54 on Monday, ...

Southwest Airlines will switch to assigned seating starting Jan. 27, 2026. The airline is adopting a group-based boarding process, prioritizing premium ticketholders and Rapid Rewards elites. This ...

After over 50 years of having a unique open seating policy, Southwest Airlines started using assigned seating on Tuesday. The introduction of assigned seating comes with other changes, such as the ...

Tuesday marks the start of Southwest Airlines' assigned seating — a change that reshapes how millions of Americans fly. Why it matters: Southwest is the last major U.S. airline to abandon open seating ...

The airline's open seating policy has been a pillar of the brand since 1971. Assigned seats take effect Jan. 27 JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty; Getty Since 1971, Southwest Airlines offered an open seating plan ...

“Our customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” he said in a statement. “Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our customers — including the ability to ...

Southwest Airlines has officially provided an end date for its well-known open seating policy: Starting July 29, 2025, customers booking flights for Jan. 27, 2026, or later will either have to choose ...

(FOX 5/KUSI) — Southwest Airlines has officially ended a quirk that has become synonymous with the airline, ditching its first-come, first-served seating policy in exchange for a new assigned seating ...

Southwest Airlines is ending its open-seating policy today and replacing it with a new rule for passengers: they must choose seats when purchasing a ticket. Southwest Airlines executive Tony Roach ...