Southwest Airlines quietly changes policy for plus-size customers

Starting early next year, plus-size passengers who request or require an extra seat on Southwest Airlines will now have to pay for that extra seat in advance — and then request a refund after the fact.

This week, the Dallas-based airline quietly changed its long-standing policy on "customers of size," which had been widely considered the most passenger-friendly in the industry.

Southwest's current policy, now in effect through Jan. 26, 2026, encourages passengers who know they’ll need an extra seat to purchase it before flying. As it stands now, the carrier offers to refund the cost of that extra seat after the date of travel, if you request it.

Passengers who need an extra seat but do not prepurchase it are often offered a complimentary extra seat at the gate if there are empty seats. If the flight is full, the airline will offer to rebook that customers on a later flight.

But big changes are in the works at Southwest. Its longtime open seating setup, a big factor in its generous extra-seat policy, is set to end early next year. That shift has sparked a change to its plus-size seating policy, too.

"We are updating many policies as we prepare our operation, employees, and customers for assigned seating," the carrier said. "To ensure space, we are communicating to customers who have previously used the extra seat policy they should purchase it at booking."

New rules for Southwest Airlines beginning in 2026

Southwest’s updated customers of size policy will go into effect Jan. 27, 2026 — the same day it's set to launch assigned seating.

From that date on, passengers who need extra space will be required to purchase an extra seat in advance; the carrier will no longer make complimentary extra seats available at the gate.

If you show up at the airport without having prepurchased that seat and it's determined (either by you, the gate agent or the flight attendant) that an extra seat is necessary, you’ll have to purchase it at the "applicable fare available on the day of travel."

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The airline's long-standing policy says that the armrests define the boundary of a passenger's seat and that passengers needing more room beyond that require a second seat.

Southwest says that if the flight is sold out or no adjacent seats are available, it will offer to rebook that passenger on an alternate flight that might have availability.

Related: Southwest Airlines announces St. Maarten as newest Caribbean destination

And what about that refund for the extra seat?

Southwest will still offer refunds to many passengers who need to purchase a second seat, though there are some rules to know.

For those flying with Southwest on or after Jan. 27, 2026, refunds will only be issued if they meet a couple of conditions:

• The flight must have departed with at least one open seat (or with passengers traveling on space-available passes).
• Both seats should have been purchased in the same fare class (i.e., Choice, Choice Preferred, Choice Extra or Basic).

Additionally, Southwest now requires that the refund request be filed within 90 days of the date of travel. Previously, there was no stated time limit for filing for that refund.

"We are heavily encouraging customers to book in advance if they need a second seat, to avoid having to purchase it at the gate," a Southwest spokesperson told TPG, "because last-minute seats tend to cost much more."

But if you do end up buying an extra seat at the gate at a different fare and price point, don't assume that you won't get a refund. Southwest says it understands there will be a learning curve on the new policy, so seek the help of customer service.

Bottom line

Despite these changes, Southwest's policy for plus-size passengers will remain among the most lenient in the U.S. airline industry since it will in many (though not all) cases offer a refund to customers who require a second seat.

Still, it's a definite shift for a policy that had been perhaps the most generous of any U.S. carrier.

Related reading:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards: Guide to earning and redeeming points, elite status and more
• Best Southwest Airlines credit cards
• How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
• Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• How to change or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight