Southwest Airlines Abandons Iconic Open Seating Policy

Southwest Airlines is set to end its open seating policy and introduce assigned seating for passengers. The change will take effect for tickets purchased after July 27 for flights after Jan. 27, 2026. The airline claims it will bring in an additional $800 million in interest and taxes by the end of 2025 and $1.7 billion in 2026. The decision to end the policy was made after Elliott Investment Management took over as majority investor in 2024.