Southwest announced in 2024 that they'd be making a move to assigned seating on their flights, but when will it be happening?

There has never been more interest in travel and flying. Each and every year there seems to be record numbers of travelers at busy times and even during the slow periods. The growth is tremendous. Travelers have a number of airlines to choose from in 2025, but Southwest continues to be one of the big ones because they have been able to remain fairly cheap for flyers.

The way that seating works on Southwest is that you are but into one of three groups, A, B, or C. A gets first choice and C gets last and usually ends up with a dreaded middle seat. However that's all changing for New York fliers in 2025.

New Assigned Seating

Southwest Airlines Experiences Major Flight Cancellations Across U.S.
Getty Images
loading...

For the second half of 2025 fliers will be able to choose their seats. Southwest says that they rolled this out because customers had been demanding it so they decided to finally give them what they had been asking for.

When will it begin?

While there hasn't been a confirmed date, multiple sources say that it will begin in the second half of 2025. Open seating will officially come to an end in early 2026. This will be a long process that many folks will have to get used to.

As far as how it will work, it will be similar to other aviation companies. There is premium seating available along with standard seating. You will board the plane based on where you will be sitting on the flight.

It is certainly going to be a change from the open style that Southwest offers, but hopefully will make things smoother in the long run.

Fly Direct To These 20 US Destinations From Albany International Airport

There are many destinations you can fly to from the Albany International Airport. But if you are like most travelers, you don't want to have to make a connecting flight. Here are the destinations you can fly directly to from the Albany International Airport. You can hop on Delta, American Airlines, Southwest, Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze, Jet Blue, and United Airlines.

Gallery Credit: Unsplashed-Canva

More From Q 105.7