As planes deboarded at Dallas Love Field Tuesday, people streamed into the baggage claim area as some of the first to have flown Southwest Airlines in an assigned seat.
Dallas resident Kay Youngblood left for a business trip to Charleston, S.C. Friday, flying the same way she always has: by picking her own seat based on boarding order.
On her return flight Tuesday, however, the airline had completely changed.
“I definitely enjoyed the pick-your-own seating,” she said. “It was easy to get seats with your family. Today I’m flying by myself so not really a big deal.”
Youngblood is a frequent Southwest flyer, as Love Field is conveniently located to both her home and work. Though she won’t break up with the airline entirely, the airline’s recent changes — assigned seating and baggage fees — “makes it not as enticing. Makes me want to explore other airlines a bit more.”
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The Dallas-based carrier has assigned seating on all of its planes, similar to other major U.S. competitors like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
“We’ve heard back from our customers over the last few years and it was really important for them to have assigned seating,” Kristina Peterson, president of Southwest’s flight attendant union TWU Local 556, told The News.
“They wanted (a) more personalized, elevated in-flight experience. We heard their feedback and welcomed it as flight attendants. Anything that our customers would like to improve regarding safety and their comfort, of course, we fully support.”
Southwest is based out of Love Field Airport, where it operates 18 of the 20 gates.
The switch to assigned seating, first announced in 2024, is arguably the biggest change in company history since Southwest began flying more than 50 years ago. The move is part of a series of policy moves that Southwest announced amid an activist takeover in hopes of better financial performance.
“It’s clear that the open seating model that served us well for so many years is no longer optimal for today’s customer,” Bob Jordan, Southwest CEO, told shareholders at the time. “I want to stress that this decision was not made lightly.”
For others, like Orlando residents Steve and Terry Bierwirth, who are visiting their grandchild in Dallas, assigned seats made their flying experience easier.
“You weren’t trying to rush to find a seat, get on board or anything,” they said together.
They’ve flown Southwest a lot before because of the price, and they’ll still fly Southwest going forward no matter what the seating arrangements are, they said.
While many people were neutral on the seating itself — after all, every other major airline uses assigned seats — Southwest took the unusual approach of loading the plane back to front, which caused traffic jams for carry-on baggage.
Jocelyn Grimes of Carrollton Hughs her daughter and Southwest Airlines traveler Jaelyn Grimes after arriving to Dallas Love Field in Dallas, January 27, 2026. She and her sons Julian Grimes (left), Jay Ellis (right) and husband Brandon Grimes surprised Jaelyn who made it to Dallas following the winter storm to celebrate Jay’s 10th birthday.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
“For me, I found my seat right away. I think the only thing was, like, putting luggage up in the top. Everybody was having a problem,” said Jaelyn Grimes, an Air Force service member visiting family from being stationed in California.
Jamie Goertler said she paid to upgrade her seat to the front few rows, but since she boarded last there was no more overhead space.
Still, she and her colleagues, traveling together for work from Denver, praised the Southwest flight attendants for how they handled the new boarding process.
“It didn’t seem like it was their first day at all,” Goertler said.
‘Pleasantly surprised’
Southwest Airlines traveler Jaelyn Grimes is surprised by her brothers Julian Grimes (left) and Jay Ellis (right) at Dallas Love Field in Dallas, January 27, 2026. Jaelyn made it to Dallas following the winter storm to celebrate Jay’s 10th birthday.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
The change was also made after Southwest conducted a survey of customers, which found that 80% preferred an assigned seat, in addition to 86% of potential customers also in favor of assigned seating.
Southwest reported that when customers chose a different airline, assigned seating was the number one reason why, The News reported.
Peterson said she thinks customers will be “thrilled” with the change. “They’re not only going to be thrilled to have a seat and go to their final destination, but the fact that they have a reserved seat or an assigned seat, I think it will be really well-received,” she said.
Peterson said there might be initial challenges in implementing the new policy, such as passenger confusion about the new boarding group process.
She also had a message to passengers who were fans of open seating or may be thinking of shying away from flying the airline because of assigned seating.
“I hope that they give us a chance and come back, try the assigned seating,” she said.
“You may like it. You may love it. I think that if you get to the airport early and give yourself enough time, this assigned seating will be a win-win for not only family or friends or anxious flyers to streamline the boarding process,” she added.
“I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised at what this is going to mean for us as a company.”
The start of assigned seating also means customers will have to pay extra for Southwest’s new extra legroom seats, which have been available for customers to test for free on retrofitted aircraft currently in service.
Southwest Airlines passenger Lauren Lowry of Midlothian receives help from her four year-old daughter Greta as they retrieve their luggage from the carousel at Dallas Love Field in Dallas, January 27, 2026. Travelers were flying today using the new assigned seating as the airline increases flights following the winter storm.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
To pair with the new seating arrangement, Southwest will begin rolling out a new boarding process that will seek to revolutionize how its moves passengers from the gate area, down the jet bridge and onboard the aircraft.
The famous numbered metal stanchions that for decades defined Southwest Airlines’ unique boarding procedures are coming down at airports across the country.
The columns, which helped travelers find their place in line during boarding, will be replaced by digital screen displays at gates where screens are already installed starting Tuesday, Southwest said.
The Winston family heads to the car after retrieving their luggage as the Southwest Airlines carousel at Dallas Love Field in Dallas, January 27, 2026. They used the assigned seating on the first day of its implementation after the winter storm.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
There will be eight boarding groups, which will be determined by seat location, the type of fare purchased, tier status and Rapid Rewards Credit Card benefits.
Gate areas will be reconfigured in a phased approach, the airline previously said. Removing the columns from all airports will take about 60 days. Columns that were not removed by Monday evening will have their numbers removed or covered so that they’re not visible for the new boarding process.
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