South -West Airlines is not technically Launch launched seating For one and four months. But now starting, if you are flying to Hawaii with the airline, you will be on an aircraft that already has your new additional-legroom seats.
And since the airline has not yet abolished its open seating policy, it means that a major boarding position can take you one of those huge seats at no extra cost.
By this week, the Dallas-based carrier has finished installing additional-space rows on all of its Boeing 737 Max 8 jets-the same aircraft that it uses on flights and from Aloha state. It is a milestone in the south-west push to regain all its aircraft with additional-legroom housing before the end of January 2026, when it officially launches open seating facility and starts making additional charge for those rumor lines.
So, think of it as a “soft launch”, first-ao, during the last few months of seating found first.
About half southwest aircraft now have additional legumes
It is not just a south-west air flights, which have new additional-ligroom seats, either. As September 8, the carrier retrofitted 380 of its aircraft with a new seating installation – about 47%of its fleet.
As part of the cabin revamp, the crew also installed seat power outlets and large overhead compartments on all Max 8 aircraft in the south-west that fly its long routes.
Connected: South -west ‘variables’ redempions are effective
Southwest’s Max 8 (and Boeing 737–800) aircraft that are now retrofitted have five additional-legend rows in front of the aircraft and three additional rows of high seating near the middle-cabin emergency exhaust.
We should note that these are only regular coach seats with more legrooms. So for now, as you ride on an aircraft that contain these huge rows, you may have to look closely to see what kind of seat you are choosing.
Award your inbox with tpg daily newspaper
Join more than 700,000 readers for exclusive deals from braking news, in-depth guides and TPG experts
Southwest recently began to install a particularly colored headrest to raise its extra-legroom seats. But you will only notice colors on a quarter aircraft that have a new seating installation.
Here Max will look like 8 and 737-800 seat maps like the aircraft is ready with new configurations.
Retrofits for every aircraft
Southwest started Refill your aircraft in this spring after Announcement of its shift for assigned and additional-lgroom seating In 2024.
The carrier is already Start selling flights With assigned seating, which officially begins on 27 January 2026. At that time, customers who buy new designated options of the airline will have access to additional legrooms.
Top-tier rapid rewards a-list will be able to select one of those seats within 48 hours of the departure of the flying. Passengers who carry Southwest Rapid Rapids® priority credit card (Look Rates and fees, Southwest® Rapid Report Business Credit Card (Look Rates and fees) Will also be able to do this.
Read more: Southwest unveiled Big Credit Card Refresh: 50% Fee Hike, but new seating and boarding perks
The best ways to get a south-west additional-leagroom seat in 2025
Between now and January, when there is still an open sitting place in the south-west-your best bet is to secure an initial boarding position to score one of the additional-ligroom seats.
Airline Sells advanced boarding As an alternative add-on within 24 hours of departure. This guarantees the A1–15 boarding status-and, in short, ensures that an additional-legroom seat will be available when you reach the aircraft.
Read more: What do you know about 8 boarding groups of Southwest Airlines starting in January
next
Southwest still has to resume its Boeing 737-800 fleet with a new configuration. A spokesperson told TPG that the airline is now expected to start updating its 737–700s in December.
Related reading:
