In just a few days, Southwest Airlines is changing the way its boarding process, seating options, and ticket pricing work, and it’s time to prepare, because a lot of people may be thrown off!

Southwest Airplanes

For the first time ever, the airline’s open-seating, first-come, first-served policy will no longer be in existence starting on January 27th, and instead of boarding in groups A-C with a specific number, you’ll board in groups 1-8 to sit in your seat that’s part of one of three new seating tiers. While many people are upset about these changes, now that it makes the airline a lot more similar to others out there, we can’t lie — there ARE some perks to these changes!

No More Guessing

As much as we hate paying extra for things, one of the great parts about this change is that if someone has a tight connection, knows they need to sit in a specific type of seat due to a medical issue/concern, or otherwise knows exactly where they’d like to sit on the plane, they can now choose that exact seat.

©Southwest

Yes, it will cost extra, which stinks, but for those who really care about where they sit, they now have the option to book it ahead of time and have that peace of mind. Previously, you’d have to hope you checked in with enough time to be one of the early numbers in Groups A or B to get a good seat, and even then, it wasn’t guaranteed. This now allows the option for people to choose their seat if they’d like, but if you don’t care about where you sit, you can still choose Basic and have a seat assigned for you!

Tall People Can Have A Bit More Space

While many people wish that airline seats had more space, that’s especially true for tall people who find their legs literally pressed up against the seat in front of them. If this is you, while it’ll cost you more, having the option to book a seat with more legroom may very much be worth the cost.

©Southwest

This is especially true for longer flights — while five inches of legroom may not seem like a lot, for some people, it may make a massive difference! As a bonus, you’ll be seated in an exit row or at the front of the plane, get earlier access to bin space, get to dine on enhanced snacks, and even enjoy complimentary premium drinks.

Rapid Rewards Can Really Help You Out

Being a Rapid Rewards member now comes with additional perks, especially when it comes to choosing when you’d like to board. Depending on your point status or if you’re a cardmember, you may not have to spend any additional money on your seating choice or boarding time either. Starting with the changes on January 27th, if you’re a Rapid Rewards member or a Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmember, your status will affect your boarding in the following ways:

• A-List Preferred: Group 1-2
• A-List: Group 1-5
• Basic and Choice fares: Group 5

©Southwest

We know these changes may not be the best for everyone, and some people are still upset about them (and we totally get it!), but we can see how some travelers are looking forward to these adjustments beginning in a few days. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with all the latest travel news, so stay tuned to DFB!

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How do you feel about these Southwest changes? Tell us in the comments!