Southwest product moves noted
Coverage of Southwest’s shift points to changes already in play — the carrier is testing extra‑legroom seats and reports say it plans to end its longstanding ‘bags fly free’ policy. (thepointsguy.com) Those moves are being packaged alongside the CEO’s push toward premium services. (thepointsguy.com)
Southwest Airlines has already started selling a different kind of ticket: one where seat location and checked bags now depend on what you buy. (southwest.com) For flights departing on or after January 27, 2026, Southwest’s booking system offers assigned seats in three categories — Standard, Preferred and Extra Legroom — instead of the carrier’s longtime open-seating model. Extra Legroom seats come with up to five additional inches of pitch, depending on the aircraft. (southwest.com) The baggage shift is already in Southwest’s fee tables. On most mainland U.S. itineraries booked and ticketed on or after April 9, 2026, Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares pay $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second, while Choice Extra still includes two free checked bags. (southwest.com) That is a break from the policy Southwest spent years advertising as “Bags Fly Free.” The new fare chart says checked bag fees may apply on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred, while the highest-priced Choice Extra bundle keeps the old two-bag allowance. (southwest.com) The changes sit inside a broader remake of the airline’s product. Southwest’s customer-enhancements page groups assigned seating, premium seating options, refreshed Rapid Rewards benefits, vacation packages and new international airline partnerships in one package. (southwest.com) Southwest did not wait for the January 2026 switchover to start changing cabins. By July 25, 2025, about 25% of its fleet had already been retrofitted with extra-legroom rows, and chief operating officer Andrew Watterson said roughly 200 aircraft were flying with the new layout during the last months of open seating. (thepointsguy.com) The new fare bundles also redraw who gets what. Basic passengers get a Standard seat assigned at check-in, Choice passengers can pick a Standard seat at booking, Choice Preferred includes Preferred seating, and Choice Extra includes an Extra Legroom seat plus Group 1-2 boarding. (southwest.com) Southwest is also preserving some of its old perks for frequent customers and cardholders rather than for everyone. A-List Preferred members can select available Extra Legroom seats at booking, and Rapid Rewards credit cardholders get a first checked bag free for themselves and up to eight people on the same reservation. (southwest.com; southwest.com) The result is a carrier that now looks less like the one built around one cabin, open seating and two free checked bags for all. Southwest’s own website now sells a menu of seat types, boarding groups and bag benefits that vary by fare, status and credit card. (southwest.com; southwest.com)
