As of Jan. 27, Southwest Airlines made some major changes to its seating policies. First announced in July 2025, the airline scrapped its longstanding open-seating model.

Hoping to boost revenue and respond to passenger feedback of wanting the option to purchase more premium seating options, Southwest Airlines finally implemented a new seating policy this year. Now, passengers can select from standard, preferred and extra legroom. Passengers will also notice different boarding categories, too, with the system changing from an A/B/C grouping to a Groups 1–8 system.

But this isn’t the only change dividing travelers. Southwest Airlines released a new policy for “customers of size.”

According to the airline’s official website, customers of size are “customers who encroach upon the neighboring seat(s).” The airline considers the armrest as the definitive boundary between seats.

With the new policy, these passengers now need to purchase two tickets in advance in order to ensure the additional seat is available. The airline also notes extra seats may not be purchased solely to keep the adjacent seat empty.

Customers of size who don’t reserve the space needed for the flight will be required to purchase an additional seat and pay any applicable seat fee at the airport (at the fare available on the day of travel). If the flight is full or adjacent seats aren’t available, the customer will be rebooked on another flight with available seating.

Southwest Airlines also possesses the right to determine an additional seat is necessary for a customer for safety purposes.

The airline does offer a refund of the extra seat after completion of travel if the flight had at least one open seat (or with passengers traveling on space available passes), both seats were in the same fare class, and the refund was requested within 90 days of travel. Passengers required to book two seats are therefore encouraged to purchase the extra seat at time of booking to ensure space and be eligible for a refund.

This also means if a passenger does not pre-book an extra seat and the airline determines one is needed, Southwest Airlines will provide complimentary additional seating only if space is available. Additionally, if the determination is made after boarding, the passenger may be required to deplane to rebook.

The change to its “customers of size” policy has been met with different reactions. Some frequent travelers who identify as larger-bodied have spoken out against the new policy, with some refusing to fly Southwest Airlines again.

What are your thoughts on the new policy? Do you think customers of size should pay for an extra seat? How do you think airlines should approach issues like this? Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.