Southwest Airlines is revamping its product with extra legroom seats, less legroom in back of the aircraft, redeye flying and partnerships with other airlines.
We can expect to see planes reconfigured (50-100 aircraft per month) to offer extra legroom seating throughout 2025. This will mean less legroom, though still more than at United, Delta and American, for regular coach. They expect to make seats assignable for early 2026 flying beginning in mid-2025.
The basic problem with Southwest Airlines is that they’ve outgrown their model. They were the most consistently profitable airline for decades – racking up 47 straight years of profits, even through 9/11 and the Great Recession – with a simple formula. They had low costs, a single fleet type, and simple customer-friendly policies.
Now, however, Southwest is no longer a low cost carrier. They lack long haul flying and partnerships. They can’t serve small markets bringing connecting feed to their larger planes. And they don’t offer premium products that customers want to buy.
The thing is that changing their model takes time. They’re going to offer more premium seating, but until that’s reliably offered across their fleet customers are going to luck into it without paying for it.
Southwest can’t sell premium seats until they have enough planes converted to be sure that the plane operating a given flight will have the new seats. They’re converting planes throughout 2025, but it’ll be 2026 flights that have these assigned seats.
That means you become increasingly likely throughout 2025 to wind up with a plane that has premium seats, but where seats are still available on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll board and be able to just sit in a seat with extra legroom.
For 2025, Southwest Airlines passengers are going to be getting more than they pay for. As the fleet modification approaches completion, it will be nearly one-third of seats and therefore more than one-third of passengers who get more than they pay for.
That’s going to make Southwest an increasingly better value proposition to fly, for a short period of time. Come 2026, it will be Southwest that benefits from these seats in terms of higher fees. But while passengers are getting them free it’s a modest windfall.
So, free premium seats for the legit and nonlegit wheelchair users and their entourages? Oh, and any remaining seats reserved by early boarders? I applaud the change at WN, but I guess, for my blood pressure, I’ll need to wait until 2026.
Dave W – you stated it perfectly. The freeloaders/ fake wheelchair users will jump all over this. Meanwhile those who pay to upgrade their seating position,and the legit A1-16 passengers will be left out as all of the “new” seating is taken up by these aforementioned leeches.
3-3 seating is not Premium!
On SWA I often pick the middle seat in the very front since no one apparently wants it. I guess that will now be claimed.
The Southwest model for all of those years of profitability also included fuel hedges, which protected them in 2008 when fuel shot up to $150 a barrel.
Fuel hedges aren’t as useful today but they sure helped Southwest back then.
Think of it as a free sample to encourage you to buy it next time.
Offer us a all you can fly bargain like frontier just did. $299 for april 2025 thru may 2026. I’m all in. Pay a lil more for premium seats without tacking on fees. And if you ever, I mean, ever charge for checked luggage, I’m gone!!!!
Wow more legroom, how exciting…… Now if I can get a seat without a 550 Lbs. guy sitting next to me and spilling over me like a pile of warm lard I will really be ecstatic. Southwest, a low cost carrier trying to be something else.
as a legit w/c user-i’m irritated that i watch people who clearly take advantage, deplane early rather than wait for w/c and no attempt to correct the abuse. Easy fix: REQUIRE a MD note. i have to have one to get a handicap placard-why not a designation???
My question is how does that work for Southwest Airlines employees that are now retired. Do we still need to call the non Rev number and list for standby and go the ticket counter to receive our our pass to get through security and then for standby please explain how that works. I worked for that company for 30 plus years and it’s been a long time since I been flying but I want to start traveling again.
Gary, Southwest is NOT sacrificing legroom in the non-premium seats on the rest of the aircraft like you implied. Seats will be removed to achieve extra legroom on the premium seats.
You left out the fact that SWA’s legendary customer service is still a huge attraction for those who enjoy being treated like people not cattle.
There are other fee-laden options out there for people who want to pay more, but SWA is still a great value.
It is critically important to note that it is the strength of the company’s CEO and it’s intensely loyal employees that fought off a hostile takeover as well.
@MDB Bollinger “Southwest is NOT sacrificing legroom in the non-premium seats on the rest of the aircraft like you implied. Seats will be removed to achieve extra legroom on the premium seats.”
Boeing 737-700s, which currently have less legroom than the 738s and MAX 8s, will see seats removed. Boeing 737-800s and MAX 8s won’t lose any seats. Southwest is absolutely sacrificing legroom in standard economy on the bulk of its fleet so that about one-third of its seats will have extra legroom.
“It is critically important to note that it is the strength of the company’s CEO and it’s intensely loyal employees that fought off a hostile takeover as well.”
There was no employee groundswell to fight off Elliott Capital. We’ll see how long Bob Jordan remains. Chairman Gary Kelly is being pushed out.
I recently flew to Midway from a CA small airport. I was able to get around it with my cane. In Chicago I requested a wheelchair due to length I would need to walk. 10 W/c in CA, i walked on with cane, I was only one that waited until flight crew said the w/cs had arrived. I would estimate 2/3 of plane was emptied by then. I chose to wait. Flight staff was surprised and thankful.
I wish, I too had the Southwest miracle!!!
I agree with comments about leeches!! I wish SW boarded Alist preferred, 1_15, and other locals first. W/C and only 1 helper given some sort of identification and agree to disembark last.
Flying again after holidays. Maybe I’ll get my SW miracle.
Loyals not locals
You have not addressed handicap seating. I have Parkinson’s disease. I walk wirh a cane. I use a wheelchair when I have to walk far. I also have double knee replacement. How will seating be determined for handicap.
The first one is free……. Hmm seems I have heard that before…. Of course, SW is not changing ng it’s model, an investor who may be affiliated with another major airline is really the one behind this change. Sadly, is it hink his end goal is the bankruptcy of SW. 🙁