CHOOSE WHAT YOU PREFER! NEW FARE BUNDLES, EXTRA LEGROOM SEATS, ASSIGNED SEATING, AND ST. THOMAS, USVI, NOW ON SALE
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) has announced significant changes to its service model and route expansion. Starting January 27, 2026, the airline will implement assigned seating across all flights, departing from its traditional open seating policy. Customers can now purchase assigned and premium seating during booking.
The airline also announced new year-round service to St. Thomas, USVI, with daily flights from Orlando beginning February 5, 2026, and peak-day service from Baltimore/Washington starting February 7, 2026. Additionally, Southwest is expanding seasonal routes connecting northeastern cities to Florida, and midwest cities to Phoenix and Palm Springs.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) ha annunciato importanti cambiamenti nel suo modello di servizio e nell'espansione delle rotte. A partire dal 27 gennaio 2026, la compagnia introdurr脿 i posti assegnati su tutti i voli, abbandonando la tradizionale politica di posti liberi. I clienti potranno acquistare posti assegnati e premium durante la prenotazione.
La compagnia ha inoltre annunciato un nuovo servizio annuale per St. Thomas, USVI, con voli giornalieri da Orlando a partire dal 5 febbraio 2026, e un servizio nei giorni di maggiore affluenza da Baltimore/Washington dal 7 febbraio 2026. Inoltre, Southwest sta ampliando le rotte stagionali che collegano le citt脿 del nord-est alla Florida e le citt脿 del Midwest a Phoenix e Palm Springs.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) ha anunciado cambios significativos en su modelo de servicio y expansi贸n de rutas. A partir del 27 de enero de 2026, la aerol铆nea implementar谩 asientos asignados en todos sus vuelos, dejando atr谩s su pol铆tica tradicional de asientos libres. Los clientes podr谩n comprar asientos asignados y premium durante la reserva.
La aerol铆nea tambi茅n anunci贸 un nuevo servicio durante todo el a帽o a St. Thomas, USVI, con vuelos diarios desde Orlando a partir del 5 de febrero de 2026, y servicio en d铆as pico desde Baltimore/Washington desde el 7 de febrero de 2026. Adem谩s, Southwest est谩 ampliando las rutas estacionales que conectan ciudades del noreste con Florida, y ciudades del medio oeste con Phoenix y Palm Springs.
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Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) a annonc茅 des changements majeurs dans son mod猫le de service et l'expansion de ses routes. 脌 partir du 27 janvier 2026, la compagnie mettra en place des si猫ges attribu茅s sur tous ses vols, abandonnant ainsi sa politique traditionnelle de si猫ges libres. Les clients pourront d茅sormais acheter des si猫ges attribu茅s et premium lors de la r茅servation.
La compagnie a 茅galement annonc茅 un nouveau service toute l'ann茅e vers St. Thomas, USVI, avec des vols quotidiens depuis Orlando 脿 partir du 5 f茅vrier 2026, et un service lors des jours de forte affluence depuis Baltimore/Washington 脿 partir du 7 f茅vrier 2026. De plus, Southwest 茅tend ses routes saisonni猫res reliant les villes du nord-est 脿 la Floride, ainsi que les villes du Midwest 脿 Phoenix et Palm Springs.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) hat bedeutende 脛nderungen an seinem Servicemodell und der Streckenerweiterung angek眉ndigt. Ab dem 27. Januar 2026 wird die Airline auf allen Fl眉gen Sitzplatzreservierungen einf眉hren und damit von ihrer bisherigen offenen Sitzplatzpolitik abweichen. Kunden k枚nnen nun bei der Buchung zugewiesene und Premium-Sitzpl盲tze erwerben.
Die Airline k眉ndigte au脽erdem einen neuen ganzj盲hrigen Service nach St. Thomas, USVI an, mit t盲glichen Fl眉gen ab Orlando ab dem 5. Februar 2026 und Spitzentagsfl眉gen ab Baltimore/Washington ab dem 7. Februar 2026. Zus盲tzlich erweitert Southwest saisonale Strecken, die nord枚stliche St盲dte mit Florida sowie St盲dte im Mittleren Westen mit Phoenix und Palm Springs verbinden.
- None.
- Potential operational adjustments and costs associated with implementing new seating system
- Risk of customer dissatisfaction from longtime passengers accustomed to open seating policy
Insights
Southwest's shift to assigned seating marks historic strategic pivot away from its founding model while expanding routes to boost revenue.
Southwest Airlines is making a fundamental shift to its 50+ year business model by abandoning its signature open seating policy in favor of assigned seating starting January 27, 2026. This represents one of the most significant operational changes in the airline's history, effectively eliminating one of its key differentiation points in the competitive airline landscape.
The company is introducing tiered fare bundles with premium seating options, allowing for additional revenue streams through seat selection fees - a lucrative ancillary revenue source that Southwest has historically foregone while competitors generated billions from such fees. This strategic shift aligns Southwest with industry standard practices and creates substantial new revenue potential.
Simultaneously, the airline announced new service to St. Thomas, USVI with daily flights from Orlando starting February 5, 2026, and peak-day service from Baltimore/Washington beginning February 7. This international expansion, part of a broader growth strategy with two more destinations planned for announcement this summer, targets leisure travelers seeking Caribbean destinations.
The timing of implementation in early 2026 gives Southwest an extended runway to adapt operations, train staff, and modify their technology infrastructure to support the new seating model. The deliberate 18-month transition period suggests significant backend complexity in pivoting away from a core operational philosophy that has defined the airline since its founding. It also provides time to communicate changes to loyal customers who may have specifically chosen Southwest for its unique boarding process.
- Airline will begin its new seating and boarding process January 27, 2026听
- Seat maps on听Southwest.com allow Customers to choose the seat they prefer
The Choice is Yours
All tickets purchased for travel starting Jan. 27, 2026, will feature assigned seating. 听Moreover, Southwest Airlines庐 Customers can , including the opportunity to purchase assigned and premium seating and select a seat at booking. Customers connecting into the Southwest庐 network from transoceanic journeys with airline partners, currently Icelandair and China Airlines, will be able to select seats for all flights in their itineraries. Flights operating until Jan. 27, 2026, will continue with open seating.
See You in
Southwest will volunteer its next new destination when its schedule is extended in August.
Seeking the Sun
Southwest's schedule is available for booking through March 4, 2026, and the airline is giving Customers many sunny locales to choose from during the coldest months. Seasonal service on numerous routes connecting the northeast and
Want even more from Southwest?听
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ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
听operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 117 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within
- Based on
U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey as of Q1 2025 - Fulltime-equivalent active Employees as of June 30, 2025
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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
FAQ
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