Southwest Airlines announced recently that it will be terminating its long-standing “Customer of Size” policy, which had allowed larger passengers to occupy an extra seat without additional charges. This change, as stated in a press release, will take effect on January 27, 2026.
Passengers who require the use of an adjacent seat will now need to proactively purchase the necessary additional seat(s) before traveling in order to ensure their availability. The airline also reserves the right to require passengers to purchase extra seats for safety reasons, regardless of whether passengers themselves have made the request.
Refunds for the additional seat purchases can be requested after the flight, subject to specific conditions such as the flight not being fully booked and both seats being in the same fare class, with refund applications to be submitted within 90 days after travel.
This announcement has sparked widespread discussions, as Southwest Airlines had received praise and consumer favoritism for its inclusive practices and accommodating policies towards larger passengers in the United States.
Under the new policy, passengers who cannot comfortably fit within the armrests of a single seat must purchase a second seat at the time of booking.
Furthermore, the changes align with two other significant reforms by Southwest Airlines: transitioning from open seating arrangements to designated seating, and ending the tradition of free checked baggage by introducing fees of $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second.
These changes bring Southwest Airlines’ policies more in line with other major U.S. airlines such as American Airlines and United Airlines.
Implementation of the new policy may result in increased costs for some passengers, especially for those who cannot afford the additional seat fees. Long-time loyal customers are also concerned that this change may weaken Southwest Airlines’ brand image as a customer-friendly airline.
In comparison, other U.S. airlines have varying policies for larger passengers:
– Alaska Airlines requires the purchase of an additional seat with the option for a refund if there are available seats on the flight.
– Delta Air Lines does not mandate advance purchase of additional seats but may reassign seating or require rebooking to another flight if space is affected.
– Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines demand passengers unable to lower armrests to purchase additional seats in advance without guaranteed refunds.
– United Airlines requires purchasing of extra seats, with potential higher fees if purchased on the day of travel.
Southwest Airlines advises customers of size to proactively purchase additional seats when booking to ensure seat availability. The specific steps include selecting the departure location, destination, and travel date on Southwest.com, choosing the total number of seats needed, and marking the additional seat as “XS” in the passenger’s middle name column.
For trips involving partner airlines or Getaways by Southwest vacation packages, passengers must also separately contact the partner airlines or Getaways by Southwest to complete the purchase of additional seats.