Southwest Airlines tickets with seat assignments will go on sale on July 29, the airline told CNBC. The carrier plans to end its hallmark open-seating policy on Jan. 27. There will be eight boarding groups starting next year. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 airplane departs from Harry Reid International Airport as another airplane taxis in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 15, 2025. Kevin Carter | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Southwest Airlines passengers will fly in assigned seats for the first time on Jan. 27, the carrier told CNBC. Customers can start buying tickets with assigned seats on July 29.
The move ends more than half a century of open seating on the airline, a policy that has set it apart from rivals for decades — along with two free checked bags. Both things are