Southwest Airlines recently made a big announcement that will change the way the airline operates after 50 years.
Southwest plane
Trying to find an airline to fly to Disney World can be tough, and if you are planning on flying Southwest, you are going to want to know about this MASSIVE change. Southwest Airlines is known to provide budget-friendly flights, as well as open seating, and the best part – TWO FREE checked bags! While the free checked bags are sticking around, there are major changes coming to the boarding process as well as seat selection.
Southwest recently announced that they will no longer offer open seating starting in 2025. Previously, those flying Southwest would check in 24 hours before their flight to receive a boarding group. Depending on how quick you were, you would get assigned into groups A, B, or C. Groups A and B have a better chance of sitting where you wish, but group A was the most desirable since you and your party could all likely sit together. If you get boarding group C, it can be hard to keep your party together and you would most likely get stuck with a middle seat.
Southwest Cabin
But now Southwest Airlines is saying goodbye to open seating and will have customers choose their seats at the time of booking. Southwest will also offer seats with more leg room which, of course, comes as an up-charge.
Flying Southwest
The news is not all bad. The company said it would also start flying red-eye routes to help with efficiency, which could mean more flight options. The shift in the boarding process came after customer feedback, as the number one complaint was open seating.
Southwest plane
As frequent Southwest flyers ourselves, we wanted to ask our readers how they felt about this new seating change.
Southwest Airlines
One reader told us that they are “not thrilled.” This reader said that they exclusively fly Southwest, and they don’t know if they will “have any motivation to remain loyal to them, especially if they start costing the same [as other airlines].”
Southwest Counter at MCO
Another reader pointed out that they do not know any people who were actual Southwest customers who had an issue with open seating. With this change, they personally would never fly them because of it, but they admitted that they felt that they were never Southwest’s target customer.
Southwest
Also upset with the change, a reader said, “Now they’ll just be like every other airline. Nickel and diming you for an assigned seat. This is the #1 reason we always fly Southwest, but now there won’t be any motivation to remain loyal.”
Southwest
Some of our readers are happy with this change! One reader said that “I, for one am glad they will be going for assigned seating! By having an assigned seat, it takes the stress out of boarding. Also happy about the shift, a reader said, “I love this! Their open-boarding policy adds so much stress to families with kids over 6 traveling together.”
Southwest
A reader who is excited about the change shared that they were excited that they would now be guaranteed to sit next to their wife instead of being between two strangers for a flight.
Southwest Airplane
We will have to wait and see what this new pricing will look like once Southwest rolls out its new seating policy sometime in 2025. If you need any help with air travel or booking any parts of your vacation, you can reach out to our friends at Small World Vacation!
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Will you still be flying Southwest after this change? Let us know in the comments!
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I was always a fan of the free checked bags but the opening was a deal breaker in the past. With this announcement, I might actually fly Southwest again. Open seating was a nightmare and the prices on Southwest were usually higher out of our home airport than other airlines. Having a credit card with one of the other airlines I had free bags and could select my seat which took away a lot of the stress that comes with flying.
Been flying them since 1979 but never again. They’re taking away everything that made the airline fun and unique. How do I know where I want to sit until I get on the plane??? See where the kids or other noisy people are? Maybe sit with someone I met while waiting to board? I only fly Albany NY to Tampa or Orlando so I choose the side where the sun won’t be in my eyes but most nonstops are gone or at a horrible time. If you wait til the last minute to get your boarding pass, accept the consequences! Better yet…buy Earlybird!! Southwest has always boarded wheelchairs and families with young children first so that’s not an excuse (and often those in uniform!). Most passengers are nice and move slightly so couples can sit together. If you can’t be away from your partner for a couple hours, you have bigger problems that an airline can’t fix! If you read their statement carefully, it’s very clear that this is a money making venture for them and their stockholders. I don’t believe their percentages, would not put it past them to lie for PR purposes now that an activist investment company is stirring the pot and leveraging these changes – again for profit. If you want redeyes – which Herb was dead set against – and, assigned seating (and paying more!)…..go fly any other airline! Why ruin Southwest for loyal customers who love it??? Herb must be rolling over in his grave!!!!
I am not sure of the new policy. I always chose the Earlybird seating and if the price for choosing assigned seats is not more money then I’ll probably keep flying them. I have always enjoyed and found it to be a pleasurable experience, so much so that I actually drive 5 hours to fly Southewest rather than 30 minutes to the local airport.
I hate the change!! If you were so worried about where you sat then pay for the early bird process so you could board early. This change I am sure will increase the price of flights again making them just like all other airlines. So sad that they are losing their uniqueness.
I will be more willing to flu with them now I would rather pick my seat and not get stressed out when boarding , I think it’s a good idea,
As an ‘A list preferred’ and companion pass earner for many years (and it’s not easy to do that!), I’m more than disappointed that the change is happening! And I agree with the previous comment that nobody I know that flies SW frequently has a problem with the open seating policy! I hope they do a 180 on that decision, but alas, greed is all powerful if indeed it is a money-making thing
I have flown on Southwest on over 100 flights and never had a problem with open seating whether I was flying by myself or with a group of up to six people, young and old. If we couldn’t get all six seats together, which was rare, other passengers were always happy to change their seat so that we could sit together as a family. Most people are nice.
Southwest also has the least amount of stressful folks corralling close to the gate and I appreciate that. Southwest is literally for those of us who don’t want chaos at the gate and just get in line and board. If you’re complaining that flying with 6 people will not be together, then do not fly SW. And if it’s because SW is cheaper, you now are going to pay MORE for that assigned seat. These are the folks that were not intended to fly SW and yet here we are, accommodating them — and they’ll now complain when the seating price enters the chat.
I just flew to Disney with my mom on SW and it was a breeze. No one complained. No one got hostile. No one yelled at a flight attendant. Feel like SW is for those of us that just wanna be away from the chaos and here we are, screwed.