Southwest Airlines will begin assigned seating for bookings made in the second half of next year, for flights operated in the first half of 2026.
They’ve announced what this means for their A-List and A-List Preferred elite members, and how this will affect Companion Pass.
- A-List: requires 20 qualifying one-way flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points per calendar year
- A-List Preferred: requires 40 qualifying one-way flights or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points per calendar year
- Companion Pass: requires 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 qualifying points per calendar year, with co-brand credit card customers getting 10,000 points per year credited towards companion pass.
It’s a little weird to keep calling the status level ‘A List’ since the idea of the branding was that you can expect an A boarding group, boarding earlier and getting a better seat – a value proposition that no longer matters with assigned seats!
Here’s the new benefit table:
A-List customers get free assigned seating, but only extra legroom seats complimentary out of what remains within 48 hours of departure. A-List Preferred gets free extra legroom at booking. Passengers on the same reservation share these seat assignment benefits. And Companion Pass companion passengers receive the same seating benefits as the Companion Pass holder, whether based on elite tier or fare purchased.
They haven’t yet outlined how co-brand cardmembers will be treated in this. For instance, a premium card benefit is a statement credit for A1-15 boarding positions which will no longer be so valuable since they won’t come with better seats. Meanwhile, at other airlines there’s generally a boarding benefit just for holding the card. They anticipate sharing an announcement in ‘spring 2025.’
The beginning of the end for the little airline that could. Incredibly sad ….
Herb Kelleher always valued each and every Customer, no matter how old or how young, how rich or how poor, with no special status given. Then Gary Kelly started changing things because those who traveled more than others started complaining. So along came the A, B, C groups. Now, I once worked for Midway Airlines and they had all Coach Cabin when I was hired. Then they hired a bunch of Eastern Airlines former Management and decided to do First Class.. And the entitled began demanding to be upgraded to First Class because they could.
And now Southwest will soon destroy one more dream of the Airline that Herb Kelleher built, as if the A-List group has not whined enough. What will happen if the folks who book their seats 6 months ahead have already paid for those extra leg room seats? Are the whiners going to say they want them removed? Will Southwest not release those seats to Customers who book far in advance? There are still many questions to be answered, but I sincerely hope that the whiners do not kill Southwest Airlines.
@American,
Herb’s airline is dead…it’s been dead for nearly two decades now…and isn’t coming back.
IMO, the moment they start charging for the first or second bag, it’s game over.
Counting down until the seats in the 737-700 are replaced. Then I will not have any Southwest planes that I know have comfortable seats…
I have flown Southwest for years. It has always been my choice of airline because of their seating system, early bird, bags fly free and fairly comfortable seats. With their changes it will not give me or other passengers the incentive to want to choose to fly them over another airline. They are ruining t Southwest. At one time I was lucky enough to reach Alist preferred, however I do not fly as much so I have lost that privilege. I believe their changes will be the beginning of the end for them. Greed always seems to win. Money in the big wigs pockets is all they care about. They should pay attention and listen to their customers because if we all stop choosing their airline to fly they will no longer be rich or have a job. Common sense really, but not much of that left these days.
Ah, ‘the people’s airline’ becoming just like the rest. This was the one thing that separated SWA from everyone else; now they’re undoing it. Nothing is truly ‘egalitarian’ in-practice (see the preferential boarding zones), but their ‘sit anywhere you want’ policy was the closest to it in the industry. The only remaining unique thing about them now is the ‘two free checked bags’. If they get rid of that too then they really are just Spirit, Frontier, or Allegiant, but with a ‘heart’ logo. Next they will throw in ‘big seat up front’ equivalents. Sheesh.
Totally brokenhearted over the stupid management decision-making. I chose Southwest because of the seating policy. I had too many instances of closing a seat only to have it changed at check-in for no reason with other carriers. Are they going to start overbooking too?
Those of you complaining because you liked open seating or “bags fly free” need to understand reality. First of all more frequent fliers avoid Southwest due to open seating (and all the games around that) than actually fly them so for all of you that say you won’t fly them after this change more people will it is a net positive change economically.
As for “bags fly free” you do understand that the only people that actually pay to check a bag on the legacy carriers are infrequent fliers that don’t have an affinity credit right right?! Anyone with elite status doesn’t pay for the first bag at least (and 2 on most of the carriers). Also, just having a credit card for around $100 a year typically gets you at least 1 free bag and a better boarding group.
The world has changed and some people want to pay more for a better seat or improved service. Trust me I remember the days of flying SW in the 80s and 90s when you had to get a boarding number 24 hours ahead and had a number from 1-45 (first group) then actual boarding was based on who lined up first (number 45 could be in front of number 1). People lined up an hour or more before the flight. The current system where at least your place in line in reserved is a huge improvement but I still refuse to fly SW (and status matched to A list when I did fly them). Even with A list or Early Bird you can get in group B when watch all the “handicapped passenger” (and I put it in quotes since many aren’t), other preboards, group A and then all families traveling with children get on before you. Then you have to contend with passengers on a direct flight that stopped there and remained on board (if you don’t understand what a direct flight is versus a non-stop Google it) and the seat saving scam. Way too much hassle for those of us that actually fly a lot.
This is a change that’s been long anticipated. The two bags free is definitely a good perk. But ordinary travelers have become very frustrated at the special boarding where so many people board and “reserve” seats for their family. They also all sit in front slowing down the boarding process.
Extra legroom seats are available must in this market. There are have travelers who want better amenities. The other major area they need to focus on is sale of food on board. Another missed opportunity for southwest and even on long Hawaii flights they don’t do that.
It looks like SW will no longer be my airline of choice, and neither will their credit card.
Airlines have learned to monetize boarding priority and seat selection to great levels, in no small measure by capitalizing on widespread passenger anxiety about securing a good seat and overheard luggage space. Southwest was leaving a lot of money on the table because of its inability to do that as well as the competition. They did their homework and realized the financial upside of ditching their boarding policy and open seating was much greater than potential customer pushback. I am shocked it took them so long. When your absolutely top customers, the ones that fly you the most and contribute the greatest to the bottom line, cannot have their choice of seats or cannot have the best seats on the plane, there is something very wrong with your business model.
i just want to know which airline the fake pre-boarders will now fly so I can avoid that airline.
@Mary Every other airline monetizes assigned seating and sells extra leg room. You cant leave Southwest and expect a different product elsewhere. Coach is a commodity product across US carriers and its ubiquitous.
Southwest will be just fine. How reluctant people are to embrace change. That’s human nature. From my perspective, the new changes at Southwest are a plus for the airline. If prices stay competitive or less expensive than the majors everything will be alright. It may take some time for Southwest and their passengers to adjust. Like every change in life. Probably the only thing written about these changes will focus on the negative. That’s seems to be the trend.
What was the number, 80% prefer assigned seating. That leaves a hefty 20% inclined to fly SWA ’cause it doesn’t. I’d take that 20% and fly away. Far too complicated; casual two-three times a year flyer will be completely lost. I’d fly somebody else to avoid being embarrassed.
The thing I notice is that currently, same-day standby is free for everyone; same-day confirmed change is an A-List benefit.
It looks like now same-day standby is an A-List benefit; I fear that will mean that it is no longer free for everyone. And it looks like free same-day change is going away entirely.