{"id":184022,"date":"2025-07-30T16:30:32","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T16:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/book-assigned-seats-on-southwest-airlines-heres-how-the-points-guy\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T16:30:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T16:30:32","slug":"book-assigned-seats-on-southwest-airlines-heres-how-the-points-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/book-assigned-seats-on-southwest-airlines-heres-how-the-points-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"Book assigned seats on Southwest Airlines: Here\u2019s how – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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You can now officially book Southwest Airlines flights with an assigned seat.<\/p>\n

The carrier just started selling flights<\/a> that will depart on (and after) Jan. 27, 2026 \u2014 the day it plans to bid farewell to open seating and welcome in its long-discussed assigned and extra-legroom seating setup.<\/p>\n

For those of us who have flown Southwest on countless occasions in the past, it’s admittedly a bit of a strange feeling to pull up the carrier’s website and see a seat map when booking a trip.<\/p>\n

But as of this week, that’s now a reality.<\/p>\n

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<\/div>
A Southwest Airlines plane taxis at Baltimore\/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). SEAN CUDAHY\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These 2026 flights with assigned seating will also mark the start of using fare types that sound a lot different<\/a> from the ones Southwest has sold for years. “Wanna Get Away” is already a thing of the past<\/a>, having been replaced by the carrier’s new basic economy fare. But the airline is now also phasing out “Wanna Get Away Plus,” “Anytime” and “Business Select.”<\/p>\n

Instead, Southwest’s four fare products will include:<\/p>\n

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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fare product<\/strong><\/th>\nWhat to expect<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Basic<\/td>\nNo complimentary advance seat selection unless you have a Southwest credit card or A-List status, lower Rapid Rewards earnings and last to board<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Choice<\/td>\nStandard seat selection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Choice Preferred<\/td>\nSelect a “preferred” seat (a regular seat situated closer to the front of the plane)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Choice Extra<\/td>\nSelect an extra-legroom seat, plus enjoy two free checked bags and priority boarding<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What it’s like booking a Southwest Airlines flight with assigned seats<\/h2>\n

What is it like booking a Southwest flight with assigned seating?<\/p>\n

It’ll be a pretty familiar process if you’ve booked a flight on, well, just about any other airline \u2014 but I’ll briefly walk you through some of the unique elements of Southwest’s assigned seating process.<\/p>\n

Here’s an example: a one-way February 2026 booking from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/div>
A booking with Southwest Airlines. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As you can see, the ticket options on Southwest’s website now reflect the airline’s new fare classes.<\/p>\n

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\"Southwest's<\/div>
Southwest’s new fare class options. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Basic and Choice<\/h3>\n

For this trip, prices start at $118 for a basic ticket. That’s $30 less than Southwest’s Choice fare, which is now Southwest’s version of a standard, full-fare, non-basic economy ticket you’d see on another airline.<\/p>\n

If you’re booking a basic ticket, you won’t be able to miss the tightest restriction, which appears when you pull up the seat map: no complimentary seat selection, similar to basic economy policies at other airlines.<\/p>\n

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\"Seat<\/div>
Seat map for a Basic booking on Southwest. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, I will point out: On this flight, you still can<\/em> pay $60 extra to select an extra-legroom seat.<\/p>\n

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\"Upgrade<\/div>
Upgrades to extra-legroom seats are available on a basic booking. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Compare that to the $140 extra you’d pay for Southwest’s full, top-level Choice Extra bundle, which includes extra-legroom seats, two free checked bags and a few other perks.<\/p>\n

Choice Preferred<\/h3>\n

If you’re booking a Choice Preferred fare, the seat map will open up some seats closer to the front of the plane. Those will be regular seats with standard legroom, but you won’t be stuck in the back of the aircraft.<\/p>\n

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\"Southwest<\/div>
Southwest Choice Preferred booking. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Choice Extra<\/h3>\n

And then once you select the higher-priced Choice Extra bundle, you’ll have your pick of any seat, including one with extra legroom.<\/p>\n

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\"Southwest<\/div>
Southwest Choice Extra booking. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Award booking<\/h3>\n

Here’s an example of how the new fare classes are priced out if you’re booking a Southwest Rapid Rewards<\/a> redemption on another February itinerary \u2014 this time from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).<\/p>\n

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\"Award<\/div>
Award booking from Phoenix to Honolulu. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n