Southwest launches assigned seating

MIAMI--When Southwest launches service to St. Maarten on April 7, 2026, travelers headed to SXM will be flying under the airline’s new era of assigned seating, a major shift for a carrier long known for open seating. The St. Maarten route is part of Southwest’s spring 2026 expansion and is expected to begin with service from Orlando, with additional service from Baltimore Washington also slated to follow shortly after.

Southwest has already started operating flights with assigned seats, marking a historic change in how customers board and choose where they sit. Assigned seating, including new extra-legroom options, is being paired with a redesigned boarding process that replaces the airline’s traditional lineup system with multiple boarding groups and clearer staging for pre-boarding and priority customers. The goal is to modernize the experience and generate more ancillary revenue through paid seat options, while continuing broader changes Southwest has been rolling out across its product and fare structure.

Southwest flight WN3575 became the first in the airline’s more than 54-year history to fly with assigned seating when it departed San Juan at 5:40 a.m. local time for Orlando, according to AirNav Radar data. About 20 minutes later, WN4974 departed Manchester, New Hampshire, for Chicago Midway, and the airline marked both early flights with gate celebrations.

“In true Southwest fashion, the company is marking the occasion throughout the day with employees and recognizing the culmination of an 18-month transformational journey,” Southwest said.

Reserved seating, including the airline’s new extra-legroom options, has been on sale since July 29, with availability expanding gradually. The shift to assigned seating is the latest major step in Southwest’s broader move toward a more conventional U.S. airline model.

Other recent customer-facing changes include ending its free checked bags policy, introducing a basic economy fare, and expanding interlining with other carriers, including in Europe and Asia.

With assigned seating and extra-legroom seats, Southwest is targeting additional ancillary revenue. The airline now charges extra for extra-legroom seats and for certain standard seats closer to the front of the aircraft.

Southwest has also rolled out a new boarding procedure. The long-used system of lining up in groups of 30 beside numbered posts, starting with A1–A30 and ending with C31–C60, has been retired. In its place, Southwest now uses eight boarding groups, with passengers lining up in two alternating lanes guided by digital screen displays. Separate areas have also been set aside for pre-boarding and priority boarding.

Boarding Groups 1 and 2 include A-List Preferred members, customers who purchased the top-level Choice Extra fare, and passengers with extra-legroom seats.

Groups 3 to 5 include A-List members, customers who purchased Choice Preferred, and Rapid Rewards co-branded credit card holders who do not qualify for an earlier group, who will board in Group 5.

Groups 6 to 8 include customers who purchased the lower Choice fare option or the no-frills Basic fare, and who do not otherwise qualify for an earlier boarding group.

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