Southwest Airlines Upgrades Benefit the Customer Experience and Boost Financial Performance

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Southwest Airlines announced a series of upgrades to enhance the in-flight customer experience while growing revenue. The airline plans to introduce assigned seating, premium seating options, and redeye flights.

In response to customer feedback and after exhaustive research, Southwest will move away from its long-standing open seating model and offer assigned seats on all flights. This change comes as 80% of current and 86% of potential customers prefer assigned seating, especially on lengthier flights. 

Additionally, Southwest will introduce a premium seating section with extended legroom. The enhancement is a response to research highlighting customer preference for more space. Southwest anticipates that approximately one-third of its seats across its fleet will offer additional legroom.

“Moving to assigned seating and offering premium legroom options will be a transformational change that cuts across almost all aspects of the Company,” said Bob Jordan, President, CEO, & Vice Chairman of the Board. “Although our unique open seating model has been a part of Southwest Airlines since our inception, our thoughtful and extensive research makes it clear this is the right choice—at the right time—for our Customers, our People, and our Shareholders. We are excited to incorporate Customer and Employee feedback to design a unique experience that only Southwest can deliver. We have been building purposefully to this change as part of a comprehensive upgrade to the Southwest experience as we focus on Customer expectations—and it will unlock new sources of revenue consistent with our laser focus on delivering improved financial performance.”

Southwest already made other improvements to attract new customers and increase the airline’s appeal, including in-seat power, faster WiFi, and more extensive overhead bins. The latest enhancements are part of Southwest’s modernization strategy, including current work on refreshing its aircraft’s cabin design and adding new RECARO seats to improve comfortability.

Southwest is also expanding its flight schedule to include redeye flights to optimize its network and aircraft utilization. Starting February 14, 2025, customers can book nonstop overnight flights from Los Angeles to Baltimore and Nashville, Las Vegas to Baltimore and Orlando, and Phoenix to Baltimore. The new routes are part of Southwest’s strategy to transition to 24-hour operations.

Learn about Southwest’s Rapid Rewards progam here.