Southwest Airlines Has Made 5 Major Changes As It Undergoes a Transformation
Southwest Airlines Has Made 5 Major Changes As It Undergoes a Transformation
Kevin HarrishSun, May 17, 2026 at 5:43 PM UTC
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Southwest Airlines Has Made 5 Major Changes As It Undergoes a Transformation
Southwest Airlines is not the same airline it was at this time last year as the once budget-friendly carrier has undergone some serious transformations as part of a total overhaul of its identity.
Throughout 2025, Southwest announced the several longtime policies, adjusted its overall flight strategy, and rolled out new customer perks. Some of these moves have been popular with travelers, while others have sparked frustration.
Regardless, Southwest looks very different today than it did only a few months ago, and customer satisifaction has remained high. Here’s a breakdown of the five biggest changes the airline has made over the past several months.
1. No More Free Bags
For years, Southwest Airlines was the only major carrier still offering complimentary checked luggage, and it became a key part of the airline's identity. The company even trademarked the slogan “bags fly free.”
That policy, however, has officially come to an end.
Back in May of last year, Southwest Airlines introduced checked baggage fees, charging passengers $35 for their first checked bag and $45 for every additional one. The airline raised those fees by $10 back in April as fuel prices began to soar.
Although the decision was obviously unpopular amongst customers, Southwest appears fully committed to the chage as CEO Bob Jordan made it clear that the airline was encouraged by the early results.
“The revenue contribution from bag fees has exceeded our expectations so far, and we’ve experienced no negative impact to the operation,” Jordan said of the change.
2. Assigned Seating Instead of Open Seating
For decades, Southwest Airlines used a unique, democratic open-seating policy to board its aircraft, allowing its customers to board the plane in the order in which they checked in and simply choose any seat on the plane.
That system, however, has officially come to an end. Beginning in January 2026, Southwest officially transitioned to an assigned seating model, rolling out four new tiers: “Basic,” “Choice,” “Choice Preferred,” and “Choice Extra.”
Customers purchasing the “Basic” fare will either receive an automatically assigned seat the day before departure or pay an added fee to select their own seat. The higher-tier options will include complimentary seat selection, though those fares naturally come at a higher price point.
With the addition of assigned seating, Southwest also rolled out premium seating for the first time in its history, offering select extra legroom seats for customers to select.
The airline faced some major challenges in the rollout of the new boarding system, mostly due to issues with overhead bin space, but they seem to have figured things out.
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Obviously, the change is designed to improve profitability, though the airline also insists customer feedback played a major role in the decision.
3. No More Point-to-Point System
Southwest Airlines has long appealed to travelers who preferred nonstop flights with no layovers thanks to its point-to-point operating model. But the airline is now beginning to move away from that approach.
Most major U.S. airlines operate on a hub-and-spoke model, routing passengers through large central hubs that connect smaller cities. Southwest, on the other hand, traditionally prioritized direct flights between cities regardless of distance through its point-to-point network.
While travelers generally favor the convenience and speed of the point-to-point structure, the hub-and-spoke system is considerably more efficient and less expensive for airlines to operate, which is why most major carriers use it.
Southwest Airlines has made it increasingly clear that it plans to shift away from its traditional point-to-point structure in favor of a more hybrid model that utilizes hubs more.
The airline has already started implementing that strategy by eliminating several nonstop routes from a major market, with more cuts to direct service expected to follow.
4. More International Offerings
Southwest has historically focused heavily on domestic travel, offering only a limited number of international destinations. These flights were primarily short-haul vacation spots in Mexico and the Caribbean.
However, Southwest has made it clear that it intends to expand its international offerings.
“Southwest Airlines is continuing to consider ways to grow our business as we evolve to meet the needs of our current and future customers,” Southwest said in a statement to CNN last year. “One of the things we are exploring is the potential to expand our network to new international destinations on our Boeing 737 aircraft.”
The airline did not specify where it plans to expand or when new international routes could begin service, but it's expected that these flights will eventually include long-haul flights to Europe.
5. Free In-Flight WiFi
For years, Southwest Airlines has charged its passengers for in-flight WiFi access. In the fall, however, Southwest officially began offering that Internet access for free to its Rapid Rewards members.
“All Southwest Rapid Rewards Customers, regardless of their wireless provider, will be able to access free WiFi for the duration of their flight,” Southwest Airlines said in a press release at the time.
“We are focused on making sure our Customers have a great experience from the time they book a flight to the time they reach their destination,” said Tony Roach, Southwest’s chief customer and brand officer. “We’re pleased to partner with T-Mobile to bring free WiFi to all Rapid Rewards Members. This is part of our ongoing commitment to elevate the cabin experience, with free WiFi being just one of the many enhancements Customers will see in the months ahead.”
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Money”
