Southwest Airlines will officially end its open seating policy on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for the budget carrier after nearly 60 years. The final flight to use the old system will depart from Honolulu on Monday evening aboard a special commemorative aircraft.
The retro Boeing 737-8 MAX, painted in the airline's original 'Desert Gold' livery, is designated Flight N871HK in honour of founder Herb Kelleher and the airline's first flight in 1971. It will fly overnight to California, landing on Tuesday morning.
Southwest had been the last major airline to maintain an open seating model, where passengers were seated on a first-come, first-served basis within boarding groups. However, the company said research showed that 80% of its customers and 86% of potential customers now prefer assigned seats.
“Open seating is cited as the number one reason for the change when a customer elects to stop flying with Southwest and chooses a competitor,” the airline said in a statement. “By moving to an assigned seating model, Southwest expects to broaden its appeal.”
The shift means passengers will now be assigned specific seats based on fare class, aligning Southwest with other major carriers. The change could also affect larger passengers, who previously could request a free extra seat at the airport but will now need to book one in advance.
The decision comes amid investor pressure for Southwest to adopt industry norms, including ending its long-standing 'bags fly free' policy in May 2025.
