January 27, 2026
Southwest® Assigned Seating Goes Live Today!
Pam
TODAY’S THE DAY (1/27)! Southwest® Airlines’s new seating changes are officially LIVE. If you’ve been hearing all the chatter about Southwest® moving away from the “grab any seat” vibe, it starts today. Here are some facts about this rollout.
Here’s what to know before you head to the airport:
Southwest® Airlines seating has changed
The big shift: the boarding and seating experience is no longer the same. So if you’re used to sprint-walking onto the plane to claim your favorite spot (or saving a row for your people 😅), you’ll want to pay attention.
Boarding strategy matters in a new way
Before, it was all about:
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Checking in exactly at 24 hours – not going to miss that!
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Upgrading to EarlyBird – tired of paying for that!
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Praying for A-group – that seldom worked!
Now? The strategy is gonna look different depending on your flight and what Southwest rolled out on your route.
What I’m watching closely
I’m especially curious how this impacts:
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Families trying to sit together
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People who always aim for the front rows
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Anyone who used to rely on EarlyBird as a “safe bet”
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Last-minute flyers who were always stuck in the middle seat 😭
If you’re flying today….
Drop your experience!
Did you get a seat assignment? Did the boarding process feel smoother or more chaotic? Did it speed things up or slow everything down?
Let’s get some real-world data in here.
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I booked a short trip on points and with my companion to phoenix for mid February but I booked the first part of January and I got to pick my seats. I needed 3 because my daughter and her son, lap child, are also going and I got her a ticket on my points. I was able to get all 3 of us in a row so we can help with the almost 2 year old. I was excited I could pick our seats and get us all together.
Thanks for sharing your experience!