Southwest Airlines is overhauling its seating policies, including new requirements for plus-sized passengers, as the carrier prepares to abandon its decades-old open-seating system.
Beginning Jan. 27, 2026, the same day Southwest introduces assigned seating, passengers who cannot be safely accommodated in a single seat will be required to buy a second one. The change updates a long-standing “customer of size” policy that for years merely recommended purchasing an extra seat, with the option to seek a refund after the flight.
Refunds will still be possible under the new system, but with stricter conditions. Southwest says travelers must have purchased both seats in the same fare class, the flight must have departed with at least one open seat, and refund requests must be submitted within 90 days of travel.
Southwest officials said the change is meant to standardize rules as the airline transitions to assigned seating. The Dallas-based carrier announced in May that it would phase out its signature boarding process — where passengers select any available seat — after years of customer feedback and pressure to modernize.
Consumer advocates say the new seating rules reflect challenges airlines face in balancing comfort, accessibility and revenue. Plus-sized passenger policies vary widely among U.S. carriers: some require advance notification or purchase of a second seat, while others allow free re-accommodation if space is available.
Southwest, which carried more than 130 million passengers last year, is one of the last major U.S. airlines to move to assigned seating. The airline says its updated approach will give passengers more clarity about where they will sit and how seating accommodations are handled.
The carrier has not said whether the changes will affect boarding times — a hallmark of its current open-seating model — but emphasized that the new policies are designed to improve consistency for all travelers.