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Can You Pick Your Seats On Southwest Airlines?

Yes, you can select your seats on Southwest Airlines, but it's important to understand the Southwest seat selection policy. For several years Southwest operated by using an open seating system that allows flyer selection of any vacant seats during airplane boarding. But, now the New Assigned Seating Policy developed by Southwest Airlines lets travelers select their seats before traveling. The updated seating policy gives travelers greater flexibility along with choice before taking their seats.

How Does The New Southwest Seating Work?

Starting in early 2025 Southwest Airlines will alter their seating procedure from open seating to assigned seating by allowing passengers to select seats at purchase or obtain them without cost the day before their departure. Southwest Airlines will permit A-List Preferred members to select their seats without charging any fees. Under the new seating procedure these are the instructions to follow when choosing your seat:

Southwest Online Booking

You can easily select a seat while booking your ticket online. The Southwest Airlines Seat Selection Process to select the seat using the new seating policy is:

  • Visit Southwest Airlines official website. 
  • On the website start by selecting the departure airport and arrival airport and then enter travel dates along with passenger numbers.  
  • Select the yellow colored "Search" icon located on the screen.
  • All available flights will present on the screen based on your budget and time preferences. Select the flight that fulfills all your needs.
  • Select your desired flight then proceed to input name and birthdate alongside contact information of the passengers.
  • The seat selection feature will become available right after you complete the passenger's information entry.
  • Your cabin class seat availability list will now appear for selection. Select from the available options the seat that matches your requirements. 
  • Enter your payment details to proceed with the booking.
  • The confirmation email which includes your flight details will arrive immediately upon payment completion.

Southwest Offline Booking

You can follow the Southwest Airlines Seat Selection Process discussed below to select the seat using the offline method: 

  • Visit the official website of United Airlines.
  • You must choose "Help Center" from the website to access the official contact number 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792).
  • Dial the provided number to reach the executive after obtaining it from the official website.
  • Tell Southwest Airlines to assign seats and follow the agent’s on-call instructions.
  • Flight and seat choices will become available to you from the representative. 
  • Provide your name together with birth date and contact information to the representative after choosing your flight and seat option.
  • Proceed with payment to continue.
  • An email confirmation about your reservation will automatically arrive after you complete your payment.

Southwest Airlines Seat Selection During Check-in

The online check-in process, which is often accessible 24 hours before to your trip, is the other ideal method to choose your seat. Simply enter your booking reference and last name on the website or mobile app to access your itinerary and choose your seat during the check-in procedure. You will be asked to check your flight information after logging in. From the list of available seats, you can choose your seat here. Make sure you pay the necessary fees to secure your seat after making your decision. After checking in, travelers will not be able to select their favorite seat because Southwest Airlines Seat Selection process begins after check-in.

Advantages of the Suthwest New Seating Policy 

The advantages of Southwest Airline’s new seating policy include:

Increased Flexibility

Passengers who book ahead can choose their seats early which improves their travel comfort by picking desired seating positions.

Reduced Boarding Stress

The method of assigned seating creates a structured boarding procedure that permits faster passenger settlement and decreases flight boarding stress.

Conclusion

Southwest Airlines, which is widely known among travelers, has now become one of the most preferred airlines among travelers because of its new assigned seating policy. With the help of this policy passengers can now slect their seat during booking.