Southwest Ends Open Seating Policy After More Than 50 Years

CALIFORNIA — Say goodbye to the panicked feeling that hits when you realize you forgot to check in to your Southwest flight 24 hours in advance.

The company announced Thursday it was ending its open seating policy of over 50 years. The practice allows Southwest flyers to check in up to 24 hours ahead of time, with the first to do so assigned to the coveted A boarding group, which get first pick, followed by groups B and C.

The airline will instead assign specific seats, a third of which will be premium with extended legroom, according to Southwest, which explained that 80 percent of customers and 86 percent of potential customers prefer an assigned seat. Open seating is the most common reason travelers stop flying Southwest, according to the company. The changes are expected to be implemented for travelers in 2025.

“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,” President, CEO and Vice Chairman Bob Jordan said in a news release.

Southwest's unusual boarding process started as a fast way to load passengers and limit the time planes and crews spend sitting idly on the ground, not making money. It helped the airline operate more efficiently and even squeeze a few more flights into the daily schedule.

It was one reason that Southwest alone among U.S. airlines remained profitable every year until the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline also announced Thursday it would introduce red-eye overnight flights, with the first landing on Feb. 14, 2025. The overnight offerings include flights from Los Angeles to Baltimore and Nashville.

The changes come as Southwest is under pressure from Elliott Investment Management. The hedge fund argues that the airline lags rivals in financial performance and has failed to change with the times. It wants to replace Jordan and Chairman Gary Kelly.

Southwest also faces increased scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration after a series of worrisome flights, including one that dove within 400 feet of the ocean off Hawaii, two that flew at extremely low altitudes while still miles from landing at airports in Oklahoma and Florida, and another that was discovered to have rudder-area damage after an unusual "Dutch roll" wiggle during a flight.

Southwest announced the seating move and other changes on the same day that both it and American Airlines reported a steep drop in second-quarter profit despite higher revenue.

Southwest, based in Dallas, said its second-quarter profit fell 46 percent from a year earlier, to $367 million, as higher costs for labor, fuel and other expenses outstripped an increase in revenue. The results met Wall Street expectations.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.