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For decades, Southwest Airlines' unique open boarding process set it apart from competitors. That era officially ended on Jan. 27, 2026, when Southwest switched to assigned seating — meaning you'll now get a specific seat assignment at check-in or earlier, depending on your fare type and status. EarlyBird Check-In, which once moved you to the front of the boarding line for as little as $15, is no longer available.
But there are still strategies to secure better seats on Southwest, especially if you're aiming for extra legroom, window seats or anything other than a middle seat near the bathroom.
On this page
What are the Southwest seat types?
Southwest now offers a few different types of seats:
Standard seats: Regular economy seats in the back part of the cabin.
Preferred seats: Seats that are the same size as standard seats but located toward the front of the aircraft.
Extra legroom seats: Seats with up to five additional inches of extra legroom (exact amount depends on the aircraft), plus pre-packaged snacks that are marginally fancier than what the other folks get (think pistachios over pretzels) and complimentary premium beverages. These are located at the front of the cabin and in exit rows. Additionally, the bins above Extra Legroom seats are reserved for customers in those rows.
If you want a better seat (including one of those best-in-the-cabin Extra Legroom seats), here’s what you need to do.
Hold the right Southwest credit cards
If you fly Southwest more than once a year, it’s worth getting a Southwest credit card. Aside from offering free checked bag benefits — which can save you hundreds per trip if you’re traveling in a group — the cards also offer early seat selection benefits for cardholders and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
Paid seat upgrades vary by flight but can cost up to $250 per segment — which is actually more expensive than even Southwest’s highest annual fee card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. If you were to pay for an upgrade on a flight where the cost was that high, you’d have paid less money if you paid $229 for the annual fee on that card.
Different cards unlock different levels of seat selection access, from choosing seats 48 hours early to selecting preferred seats at booking.
SOUTHWEST CREDIT CARDS WITH SEAT SELECTION BENEFITS
Annual fee
- $229
- $99
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Seat selection benefits
Select preferred or standard seats at booking; upgrade to Extra Legroom seats 48 hours before departure when available at no additional cost.
Select standard seats 48 hours before departure.
Learn more
» Learn more: Best Southwest Airlines credit cards
Earn Southwest elite status
Earning elite status with Southwest — called A-List or A-List Preferred status — lets you select your seat at booking, even on Basic fares. Here are the seating benefits for each type of Southwest elite status:
A-List Preferred (earned with 40 one-way qualifying flights or 70,000 tier qualifying points per calendar year): Select seats at booking (including Extra Legroom) at no additional cost.
A-List (earned with 20 one-way qualifying flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points per calendar year): Select a Preferred or Standard seat at the time of booking, when available. Plus, you can choose an Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours of departure, if available, at no additional cost.
Flying at least 20 times a year on Southwest is not an easy task (that’s almost one round-trip flight on Southwest per month for the lower tier), but if you can make it happen you’ll be able to book cheaper fares but still get the seat selection benefits.
If you're close to reaching elite status, consider taking a mileage run (a trip specifically to earn status) before the end of the year.
Book a higher fare class
If you don’t have a co-branded credit card or status, your next best bet is just to pay for a more expensive fare.
All three fare classes beyond Basic — Choice, Choice Preferred and Choice Extra — include seat selection at booking. That means you can pick your seat the moment you book your flight and select the best available seat from whatever hasn’t already been scooped up by the people who booked before you.
Choice Extra fares, the most expensive, let you choose any available seat at booking (including Extra Legroom). It’s also the only fare that lets you check bags for free.
Choice Preferred fares, the next most expensive, give you your choice of any Preferred or Standard seat at booking. You can also choose an Extra Legroom seat for an additional fee.
Choice fares, the fare class above the cheapest (Basic), offer you a choice of any Standard seat at booking, plus the option to choose an Extra Legroom seat for a fee.
Check in at the 24-hour mark
If you purchased a Basic fare without elite status or a qualifying Southwest credit card, you'll be assigned a seat at check-in. You can check in as early as 24 hours before departure.
While you generally can't choose your specific seat, checking in exactly when the window opens may improve your odds of getting a better assignment than the people who check in after you.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Set an alarm for that 24-hour mark (maybe even a few minutes early to get logged in) to check in immediately. Contact Southwest if you need assistance
Passengers with disabilities or those traveling with children ages 12 and under can contact Southwest for help finding seating. Southwest says it will work to accommodate families and ensure children ages 12 and younger are seated next to at least one adult in their party when possible.
How does Southwest boarding work now?
Those stanchions in the gate areas have gone away. Instead, you’ll board according to your group, which will appear on your boarding pass. Here are the new boarding groups, in the order they will board the plane.
Preboarding
Southwest allows passengers with disabilities who meet specific criteria to board first. Request preboarding from a Southwest customer service agent at the ticket desk or departure gate. Preboarding passengers can board with one companion.
Groups 1-2
- Choice Extra fare passengers.
- Passengers who purchased an upgrade to Extra Legroom seats (regardless of fare).
- A-List Preferred members.
- A-List members who upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat.
Groups 3-5
- Choice Preferred fare passengers.
- A-List members in Preferred or Standard seats.
- Southwest credit cardmembers (if not assigned earlier boarding based on seat type or fare).
Groups 6-8
- Choice fare passengers.
- Basic fare passengers (last to board).
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Starting 24 hours before departure, you can purchase Priority Boarding to be among the first to board, regardless of your fare type or seat selection. How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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