Southwest Airlines’ new assigned seating policy will come into effect next month, and the changes look set to hit plus-size passengers financially. Under the new policy, plus-size passengers will have to purchase an extra seat in advance without the guarantee of a refund.
Southwest’s current policy gives plus-size passengers a refund on their second seat, or allows them to request a free seat once at the airport. However, with refunds no longer guaranteed, many passengers will be reluctant to buy an extra seat without knowing if they are eligible for their money back.
Southwest’s New Seat Policy To Cost Plus-Size Passengers
As announced earlier this year, 
Southwest Airlines will be doing away with its unassigned seating policy early next year, implementing a new assigned seating system from January 27, 2026. As a part of these changes, the carrier has also amended how its plus-size customers should approach getting an extra seat. While passengers are still able to request a refund on their second seat, it will no longer be guaranteed in instances of fully-booked flights.
It is also no longer possible to request an extra seat for free at the airport, with Southwest asking its customers to pre-book their extra seats to ensure space will be available. Plus-size customers presently have the option to board the aircraft early to find two suitable seats, but this perk also looks set to be removed. Simple Flying has reached out to Southwest Airlines for clarification on its new policy and will update this story accordingly.
In a statement, Southwest Airlines said,
“To ensure space, we are communicating to customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking.”
Refunds Only If Flight Isn’t Fully Booked
As it stands, Southwest customers purchasing an extra seat will have the cost of that seat refunded by the airline on request, as it qualifies as a special seating request. While passengers will still be able to submit a refund request, there are now new requirements that will determine whether the request is accepted or not. Most importantly, refunds won’t be issued for fully-booked flights, as there needs to be at least one open seat for the request to be eligible.
Both seats must also be booked within the same fare class (Choice, Choice Preferred, Choice Extra, or Basic), and all requests must be submitted within 90 days of travel. Depending on the fare type, customers may be able to assign their seats at the time of booking. If a suitable adjacent seat is not available on that flight, Southwest will rebook customers on the next available flight.
As reported by Associated Press, Jason Vaughn, who runs travel site Fat Travel Tested, said the changes will have a detrimental impact on all passengers, not just plus-size flyers, stating that Southwest has “no idea anymore who their customer is.” Vaughn added that there is currently no downside to buying an extra seat with a refund guaranteed, but the new policy will lead to more plus-size passengers trying their luck with single seats.
Southwest Airlines Updates Policy For Plus-Size Passengers Purchasing Two Seats
Starting in January, customers of size will now face more restrictions on when and how they can receive a refund for booking two seats.
Southwest Airlines has announced a series of major changes within the past 12 months, transforming the company’s product and attracting plenty of publicity, whether favorable or critical. Perhaps the most controversial change was the removal of its trademark free checked bag policy, with checked bag fees now applying for Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares.
If this policy change wasn’t seismic enough, the carrier then revealed that its open seating policy would be replaced by assigned seating from January 2026. This also introduces new seat types — Standard, Preferred and Extra Legroom — to give passengers more options when traveling.
Boarding groups have also been tweaked, with Southwest dropping its A/B/C groups with a numbered system, which will assign passengers a boarding group between 1 and 8.
