What to Know to Upgrade a Southwest Flight

Southwest Airlines has been busy shaking things up over the last few years, including making changes to its fares and the benefits customers receive. Starting in early 2026, customers will have new ways to take advantage of Southwest flight upgrades, including assigned seating and extra legroom seats. Let’s take a look at what to expect when upgrading your Southwest flight once these changes take place.

Southwest ticket options at a glance

There are four fare classes on Southwest flights:

Basic.
Choice (formerly known as Wanna Get Away Plus).
Choice Preferred (formerly known as Anytime).
Choice Extra (formerly known as Business Select).

Benefits	Basic	Choice	Choice Preferred	Choice Extra
Rapid Rewards points earned per $1 spent	2.	6.	10.	14.
Flight changes	Requires fare upgrade.	Fare difference applies.	Fare difference applies.	Fare difference applies.
Refundable	Six-month flight credit.	12-month transferable flight credit.	Refundable.	Refundable.
Same-day flight changes	-	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.
Free checked bags	-	-	-	Two free checked bags.
EarlyBird Check-In	-	-	Yes, for flights departing before Jan. 27, 2026.	-
Priority boarding	-	-	-	A1-A15, for flights departing before Jan. 27, 2026.
Free in-flight internet	-	-	-	Yes.
Free premium drink	-	-	-	Yes.
Seat selection (for flights on or after Jan. 27, 2026)	Standard, assigned at check-in.	Standard, choose at booking.	Preferred or Standard, choose at booking.	Extra Legroom, Preferred or Standard, choose at booking.
Boarding (for flights on or after Jan. 27, 2026)	Last.	General.	Early general.	Early.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

How to upgrade your Southwest Airlines flight

While you may want to save money on your ticket, it may not be worth the risk of getting a bad seat. This is especially true for longer flights, where being stuck in the middle seat can be a truly awful experience.

Instead, consider upgrading your Southwest Airlines flight using any of these methods. Be aware that new seat choices are bookable now for flights on or after Jan. 27, 2026.

Buy a more expensive ticket

The first, and most obvious, option for those looking to upgrade a Southwest Airlines flight is to buy a more expensive ticket. Those who invest in a Choice Extra ticket will have the best of everything Southwest has to offer.

Not only will they receive a seat with extra legroom — and have the ability to choose window, middle or aisle — they’ll also get premium perks. These include a complimentary premium drink and free in-flight Wi-Fi.

Earn Southwest Airlines elite status

Like other airlines, Southwest is granting its most loyal customers elite benefits for better in-flight experiences. There are two major tiers of Southwest Airlines elite status:

Benefits	A-List	A-List Preferred
Seat	Extra Legroom 48 hours before departure, Preferred available at booking.	Extra Legroom available at booking.
Checked bag	One free checked bag.	Two free checked bags.
Earning bonus	25%.	100%.
Boarding	Early general (no later than Group 5).	Early (Groups 1-2).
Priority and Express Lane	Yes.	Yes.
Free Wi-Fi	No.	Yes.
Up to two premium drinks	No.	Yes.

Southwest also offers the Companion Pass, which allows one person to fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees.

As you can see, having Southwest Airlines elite status goes a long way toward upgrading your experience. To earn Southwest elite status, you must have the following:

A-List: 20 one-way flights or 35,000 tier-qualifying points (TQPs) in a calendar year.
A-List Preferred: 40 one-way flights or 70,000 TQPs.
Companion Pass: 100 one-way flights or 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points.

» Learn more: Where does Southwest fly?

Open a Southwest Airlines credit card

If you don’t want to pay more money and don’t fly enough to earn Southwest elite status, you can also choose to open a Southwest Airlines credit card. As a cardholder, you’ll receive elevated seat and baggage benefits.

Benefit	Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card and Plus Business	Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card	Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Seat selection	Standard seat 48 hours prior to departure.	Preferred seat 48 hours prior to departure.	Preferred seat at booking, Extra Legroom 48 hours prior to departure.
Early boarding	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.
Checked bag	First checked bag free for cardholder and up to eight passengers on the same booking.	First checked bag free for cardholder and up to eight passengers on the same booking.	First checked bag free for cardholder and up to eight passengers on the same booking.

» Learn more: 12 things to know before flying Southwest

Is a Southwest Airlines upgrade worth it?

Is it worth it to upgrade your Southwest Airlines flight? In the past, the benefits you’d receive were incremental. This was due to the fact that Southwest operates an all-economy class cabin — and its boarding process was fairly democratic, meaning nearly anyone could get a good seat without spending a lot.

However, beginning in 2026, Southwest will debut a new type of seating and a new standard for seat assignments. This means that those willing to fork over more money, open a Southwest credit card or earn Southwest elite status will have a substantially better experience. Depending on how much this will cost you, it’s absolutely worth it to upgrade.