Southwest Airlines is replacing its long-standing open-seating policy with assigned seats and nine boarding groups, effective January 27, 2026. This change was revealed following pressure from an activist investor and aligns Southwest's boarding process with those of other major U.S. carriers.
Key details of the new boarding system:
Assigned seating: Passengers will now be assigned a specific seat on the plane.
Nine boarding groups: The familiar "A, B, and C" groups are being replaced by nine numbered groups. Priority Boarding will happen before groups 1 through 8.
Boarding order: Boarding group assignment will depend on the purchased fare, elite status, and credit card usage.
Priority Boarding: This group boards first and includes passengers with disabilities and active-duty military members.
Groups 1–2: Includes passengers with extra-legroom seats and top-tier elite status members (A-List Preferred).
Groups 3–5: Includes passengers with preferred seats, A-List members, and Rapid Rewards credit cardholders.
Groups 6–8: Comprises passengers with standard seats and those who booked the new "Basic" fare.
This new process is intended to streamline boarding and better manage passenger flow. The airline will use two separate queues at the gate to facilitate the new system.