We know that just about everything at Southwest Airlines is changing. One of the biggest updates is that we’re seeing the Dallas-based airline introduce assigned and extra legroom seating.
With the airline moving from its open seating policy to its assigned seating policy, we also know that the boarding process will change, and Southwest will no longer have its unique “cattle call” boarding, as it’s often jokingly referred to. We now have some more details about what this will look like, and exactly when the new policy will be implemented.
In this post:
How Southwest plans to overhaul boarding process
Southwest plans to introduce a new boarding process for flights as of January 27, 2026, which is the same date as of which the airline will introduced assigned and extra legroom seating.
The airline will have a new group-based boarding process, with the goal of maintaining an efficient and orderly boarding process, while also optimizing it to reflect the new seating options.
Southwest plans to have eight different boarding groups, with the boarding group you’re in determined based on the fare type purchased, the seat assigned, and the elite status or credit card membership of a passenger. Here’s what we know so far:
- Group 1-2 will include Choice Extra passengers, passengers who purchase an upgrade to an extra legroom seat with any fare bundle, A-List Preferred members, and A-List members who upgrade to an extra legroom seat
- Group 3-5 will include Choice Preferred passengers, and A-List members who are seated in a preferred or standard seat
- Rapid Rewards cardmembers will board with Group 5, if they are not assigned an earlier boarding position based on seat type, fare type, or status
- Group 6-8 will include Choice and Basic passengers, with Basic passengers being last to board
Passengers will also be able to purchase priority boarding 24 hours prior to departure, in order to be among the first to board. In the past, I’ve written more about elite status and credit card perks in light of all the changes at the airline.
Southwest thinks assigned seating will reduce turn times
Justin Jones, Southwest’s EVP of Operations, was recently on the Airlines Confidential podcast, hosted by Scott McCartney (which is excellent, and worth listening to). During that interview, he made some interesting comments about the impact the new boarding process will have on efficiency.
Southwest of course has a huge focus on efficiency and quick turn times, and the airline is actively trying to reduce turn times, in order to essentially grow its schedule without actually needing to acquire more planes.
So, how will the switch from the old boarding policy to the new boarding policy impact turn times? According to Jones, every scenario that the airline has run shows a reduction in boarding time of five to six minutes. In particular, Jones highlights two points:
- Southwest is notorious for having a lot of pre-boarders in wheelchairs, and the airline believes the number of pre-boards will go down, when there’s no longer an incentive in terms of being able to pick your seat
- Under the current system, some passengers board and walk to the back of the plane in hopes of finding a window or aisle seat, only to find there are none, and then walk “upstream” to try to sit further up
Jones admits that he’s concerned about the impact that Southwest’s new checked bag policy will have on turn times, given that this no doubt leads to an increase in gate checked bags, complicating short turns.
Still, I can’t help but point out how funny some quotes are from senior airline executives. Jones seems like an honest guy who is sharing his real opinion, and I think he’s probably right about assigned seating being more efficient.
But what’s funny is that for years, Southwest executives had insisted that a key benefit of open seating is that it makes turns quicker. I can’t count the number of times we’ve heard Southwest folks claim that. Now, suddenly, it’s the opposite — assigning seats will speed up the boarding process by five to six minutes.
It’s hardly the only area where Southwest has done an about-face. In September 2024, Southwest executives insisted that eliminating free checked bags wasn’t even under consideration. They claimed to have done the math, stating that they’d gain around $1-1.5 billion from charging for bags, but would lose $1.8 billion of market share.
Unsurprisingly, the airline backtracked on that, with Southwest CEO (and at this point, Elliott puppet) Bob Jordan claiming “in contrast to our previous analysis, actual customer booking behavior through our new booking channels such as metasearch, did not show that we are getting the same benefit from our bundled offering with free bags, which has led us to update the assumptions.”
It’s funny how so many of these folks can make completely conflicting claims with such confidence, only to then claim they’ve come to a completely different conclusion, once it suits their narrative.
Bottom line
As of early 2026, Southwest will completely overhaul its boarding process. The airline plans to have eight different boarding groups, and no longer have passengers line up in advance. The boarding group that passengers belong to will vary based on the fare or seating type purchased, as well as elite status or credit card membership.
What do you make of Southwest’s boarding process updates?
Caters to business travelers with a connection to have an assigned seat vs rushing from the late first leg only to board C. Yes, business travelers take Southwest; its often way more convenient if you are near one of their airports (like OAK)
Assigned seating will be an improvement. But have to see what the value proposition is like as they get rid of everything that was unique to Southwest other the colors/livery. I rarely fly them these days (despite living near a major Southwest airport) since the combination of their scheduling, high prices, and the amateur fliers they attract (not like Spirit, but still) was just off-putting.
Now, is it generic AND still off-putting?
Ending cattle call in favor of gate lice…
Does anyone know the seating capacity of the average 737 used by Southwest in 2005, and the average passenger load back then, compared to now? What I remember is that it's easier to board a smaller plane with more empty seats, than it is today.
Turn times will increase as a result of the new process. Guaranteed.
Please tell me how there will be any difference between WN and AA,DL, and UA, other than a lack of a separate premium cabin. Whatever business my travel could give to Southwest, with the two free bags and lining up for A, B or C, and the less expensive fares has gone away.
All these moves may be more cost-effective, but have ruined the passenger-friendly vibe forever.
You are spot on and WN was not really a low cost carrier. Eliminating free check bags is biting them big time and they are like everyone else but without the upgrade.
I'm calling bullshit about all the references to "cattle call" (I'm looking at you Regis). The current boarding system is just the opposite, you have a boarding number (eg Bx) and there is no need for you to get in line until the last moment ( ie until Bx-1 boards). Passengers are asked to line up a few minutes earlier but not until the previous group has boarded. Serializing the passengers in boarding order eliminates...
I'm calling bullshit about all the references to "cattle call" (I'm looking at you Regis). The current boarding system is just the opposite, you have a boarding number (eg Bx) and there is no need for you to get in line until the last moment ( ie until Bx-1 boards). Passengers are asked to line up a few minutes earlier but not until the previous group has boarded. Serializing the passengers in boarding order eliminates any need to line up early.
If you want an example of a cattle call, go to gate for a United wide body flight and see the line for group 2 (remember that 1/2 the passengers are group 2) start before the agent has even shown up. By the time group 2 boards that line is way past the gate area.
Southwest did have a cattle call before the turn of the century, but it's very different now and it's clear that folks who continue to describe the boarding process as a cattle call, have no idea how it's done now:-(
Agreed. It was easy for everyone to follow and it was quick. Anyone calling it a "cattle call" is just a self-important windbag pretending their crap doesn't stink.
It was actually after the turn of the century. But both you and Regis are half correct.
Back then was open seating without boarding positions. So who ever boarded first gets the pick. The result would be like what GBOAC describe with UA group 2. Chaos when boarding starts.
Now the cattle call for some is the "open seating" part.
For you the call is the line formation before boarding.
I really wish Southwest kept it's current boarding process.
They could have just assigned the boarding position based on fare, A-list status, etc. instead of check in time.
I find it to be the most orderly boarding process of any airline in the world--just as or maybe even more orderly than Japanese airlines.
It would have been one way of keeping their unique identity.
Very simple and straightforward. People line up...
I really wish Southwest kept it's current boarding process.
They could have just assigned the boarding position based on fare, A-list status, etc. instead of check in time.
I find it to be the most orderly boarding process of any airline in the world--just as or maybe even more orderly than Japanese airlines.
It would have been one way of keeping their unique identity.
Very simple and straightforward. People line up based on their group and boarding position under clearly marked signs. No gate lice or cutting in line.
I was also hoping Southwest had their version of "first class" with 5 across seating w/ 34" pitch similar to JAL's domestic "Class J" 737 cabin which is suprisingly comfortable for 5 across.
Instead they're just copying everyone else.
@BeachBoy: You have a great proposal. Too bad they didn't think of that
Problem isn't ABC1-60
It's the FAKE pre boarding people.
I was thinking that the incentive of boarding early to choose your seat would be gone, but I guess the incentive to preboard is still there and has just changed to being able to store your carry on vs. checking it in.
SCORES of pre-boarders will be magically healed overnight!
It's a jetway miracle!
More cuts to Medicaid.
Elliott just help Trump save trillions by healing people who needs wheelchair and special assistance overnight.
RFK Jr. would be dumb enough to cite that as facts.
It's a MAGA miracle.
Question: Southwest announces that it will institute 8 boarding groups but shows criteria for only 3 different groups 1-2,3-5,6-8). Does anyone what determines whether you are in group 3, 4, or 5?
They already have 9 Boarding Groups. I don't see how this affects a "Cattle Call" since thats just an urban legend anyway...
Not a myth and not hyperbole. Southwest herds passengers into pens outside the gates prior to mass boarding them into the plane. No other airline does that. It is exactly like a cattle operation.
@Regis: You obviously don't fly United (as well as Southwest); otherwise at the United gate you would see the incredibly long Group 2 line that has started to form very early. AT a southwest gate you would see 2 short (no more than 30 passengers) at most boarding within a few minutes.
Bullsh-T
@Jamie the Flyer: great insight AND you are right on about the cattle call being an urban legend promoted by folks who have no idea what the current boarding system is.
@GBOAC- Agree fully. I would handily take a Southwest "cattle call" where everyone knows their exact place in line and so there's no incentive to line up early, than deal with the scrums that form a half hour before boarding a UA flight in EWR.
Despite having status (when I used to fly United more) that allowed me early boarding, my actual options were either 1) stand in line 30 minutes before boarding in order...
@GBOAC- Agree fully. I would handily take a Southwest "cattle call" where everyone knows their exact place in line and so there's no incentive to line up early, than deal with the scrums that form a half hour before boarding a UA flight in EWR.
Despite having status (when I used to fly United more) that allowed me early boarding, my actual options were either 1) stand in line 30 minutes before boarding in order to actually use my priority boarding or 2) push through crowds of people standing literally in front of the entrance to each lane "waiting" for their group to be called. Frequently I'd resign myself to just joining the scrum and boarding whenever the crowd slowly made its way to the gate. It was genuinely a pain in the butt and nothing premium about it.
In contrast, even in the worst Vegas flights full of drunk / hung over passengers, the Southwest boarding process was far more civil: everyone would wait until their group letter came up on the monitor, then leisurely started lining up. No need to push and shove, just show your number and passengers would easily accommodate you. By the time your letter was boarding, everyone was already in an orderly line and ready to go.
The idea that somehow Southwest is a cattle call while United (or American or Delta) is "civilized" is absurd. Even as an elite, I'd prefer Southwest's style of giving everyone a number and having them line up in order. And that's regardless of whether seating is assigned or random.
Southwest has a large presence in my home airport, and I always avoided them because of their feeding-frenzy seating process. I will start booking with them when they allow me to reserve extra legroom seats.
Proposed edit: Southwest is notorious for having a lot of pre-boarders in wheelchairs, and the airline believes the number of pre-boards will go down, when there’s no longer an incentive in terms of being able to pick your seat (along with your eight clown entourage, who all bought 'Wanna Get Away' fares).
Americans are notoriously slow at boarding. They walk on and faff about at their seat number (once they've found it) because that always appears to be a problem for many. Then it's deciding what they want out of their bags, or how and where to put it, including the bags. Then some are at the wrong seat, again, or can't figure out A,B,C,D,E and F seating.
Whether in F or Y, I am quick. I...
Americans are notoriously slow at boarding. They walk on and faff about at their seat number (once they've found it) because that always appears to be a problem for many. Then it's deciding what they want out of their bags, or how and where to put it, including the bags. Then some are at the wrong seat, again, or can't figure out A,B,C,D,E and F seating.
Whether in F or Y, I am quick. I know at the gate what I need inflight, and have packed accordingly. I get to my seat, pull out laptop and small seat bag with essentials. Case in the overhead and backpack under the seat (or overhead). 5-10 seconds max, and I do this inside the seat area, not in the aisle, except for placing bag into the overhead (2 seconds). With priority boarding, I have the luxury of a few more seconds if needed...while making sure I am not holding up anyone.
Americans - PREPARE at the gate, and be in your seat. Americans are selfish (we all know this) and they waddle and trundle on to the plane like it's a private jet and there is no one else.
Japanese boarding is a delight. I once flew JL SYD-NRT on a full 773. Flight departure was at 7:50 am. Boarding started at 7:30 and was complete by 7:40.
WN will need to schedule 2 hours for boarding and deplaning.
Wow, we are a lot alike. That's exactly how I board. I am READY.
Your description of how most Americans board is spot on.
I traveled to and within Japan a lot in a long ago job and was blown away the JAL could board an all Y DC-10 or 767 in 10-15 minutes. They simply walked on and sat down. No fuss no muss and stayed seated from Tokyo to Osaka or Nagoya...got up and got out in...10 minutes. Amazing
In the history of commercial aviation, there has never been a more degrading and humiliating experience than Southwest’s cattle call boarding.
As long as the number of "miracle flights" is reduced, I am happy.
I’m really struck by how Southwest’s move to assigned seating isn’t just about changing how we board—it feels like a shift in how the airline sees and treats its passengers. For years, open seating wasn’t just a logistical choice; it created this unspoken social contract where passengers had control and a sense of fairness. You checked in early, you got a better seat, and despite the chaos, there was a shared rhythm and community in...
I’m really struck by how Southwest’s move to assigned seating isn’t just about changing how we board—it feels like a shift in how the airline sees and treats its passengers. For years, open seating wasn’t just a logistical choice; it created this unspoken social contract where passengers had control and a sense of fairness. You checked in early, you got a better seat, and despite the chaos, there was a shared rhythm and community in that process. Now, by moving to assigned seats and all these boarding groups, it feels like Southwest is taking that autonomy away and turning passengers into data points sorted by fare class, loyalty tiers, and upsells. It’s a move from relationship-based loyalty to something more transactional. I worry this will make the experience feel more segmented and less personal. Sure, the efficiency improvements might be real, but I can’t help but think that focusing so much on measurable metrics misses the bigger picture. Boarding can get confusing and frustrating with so many groups, and that loss of simplicity and egalitarianism could quietly erode the loyalty Southwest has built for decades. What really hits me is that this change isn’t isolated — it’s part of a bigger trend in the airline industry where “efficiency” often becomes a cover for pushing more revenue out of customers, sometimes at the expense of how we feel about the brand. Southwest’s shift feels like a turning point where it’s moving away from being an airline people loved for its straightforwardness and community vibe, toward something more like the carriers it once stood apart from. For me, the big question is whether longtime fans of Southwest will accept this new way of doing things or start looking elsewhere. It’s more than just a boarding change — it’s a new social contract between the airline and its passengers, and I’m not sure how many will sign on without hesitation.
Well yes. In a 2005 world people wouldn't fake a disability to game the system. Want a better seat. Get to the airport earlier. But social media has turned no small part of our population into animals.
You even see it in airline clubs for the people here that will call me "racists" and "hater of poor people." Even people in the alleged "professional class" and their out of control children act like something out of a 1980s trailer park.
I look forward to your review(s) ;)
Like with all airlines it will all depend upon how much control gate agents take of the boarding process. That means 1. Making announcements about the boarding process 2. Getting people out of the boarding lane before boarding 3. Controlling the preboard process so that only preboards are actually preboarding 4. Strictly enforcing group boarding 5. Having timely and accurate announcements on delays.
Otherwise, it becomes a total cluster.
I'd ride in a dog crate in the hold before I'd buy a seat on Southwest. But maybe it's fetish thing - some people like being humiliated.
WOOOF ! WOOOF !
My favorite part about the WN boarding process was that everyone knew where they were supposed to be. If you were A12 or C21, you knew which order you were getting on the plane. Now with the various groups it's gonna look like a DEN-ORD flight on UA Monday morning with 50% or more of the plane being in Group 1 and everyone will be lining up down the concourse 20 minutes before the boarding...
My favorite part about the WN boarding process was that everyone knew where they were supposed to be. If you were A12 or C21, you knew which order you were getting on the plane. Now with the various groups it's gonna look like a DEN-ORD flight on UA Monday morning with 50% or more of the plane being in Group 1 and everyone will be lining up down the concourse 20 minutes before the boarding door even opens to ensure they have room in the overhead.
Honestly I'm not sure how the VC firm in charge now thinks that this is going to equate to profit. Every unique thing about WN is being removed in favor of a traditional model, that if you asked anyone at the airport, would tell you pretty much sucks. Herb is rolling over in his grave.
No one is booking WN or any airline because of a "unique" model or any once cool features of Southwest. People book purely based on price and time and this has hurt WN the last few years. I dont get why this is so hard for people to understand. Southwest has been getting killed and needs to become more like everyone else because everyone else is making more money than they are. It is really simple.
Counterpoint: I flew Southwest over Delta specifically because of the free checked bags and being able to pick my seat without getting charged for it. I'd only fly Delta if Southwest was more expensive, or if Southwest's schedule was god-awful for where I was trying to get.
@John
I'll give you 2 hints.
1. They are not VC.
2. Look at TWA. Investment profits doesn't always come from operations. WN will be joining that cohort soon.
Eskimo, I'm not sure I understand your point about TWA. Carl Icahn killed the airline, between the asset stripping, the debt loading, and the right to sell lots of cheap TWA tickets himself. To boot, he screwed over St. Louis, which at the time had daily nonstops to London and Paris. The city only recently acquired several times weekly service from Lufthansa, but that's only because Bayer bought St. Louis-based Monsanto, and Bayer is a...
Eskimo, I'm not sure I understand your point about TWA. Carl Icahn killed the airline, between the asset stripping, the debt loading, and the right to sell lots of cheap TWA tickets himself. To boot, he screwed over St. Louis, which at the time had daily nonstops to London and Paris. The city only recently acquired several times weekly service from Lufthansa, but that's only because Bayer bought St. Louis-based Monsanto, and Bayer is a big Lufthansa customer.
By the way, if Southwest wanted to improve its non-flying profits, it could improve both its credit card offerings and frequent flyer program. Rapid Rewards is a joke; you can get your 1.2-1.3 cents per point, and that's it. You can do better even with Sky Pesos if you know where to look. Having reasonably valuable miles/points makes the credit cards a lot more attractive.
"Activist investor" is far too polite a term. We're looking at people wanting to make a quick buck with financial shenanigans who don't care who they hurt in the process.
A shame its ending. I do not think it will be as dire as some claim but know where near the fantastic experience the new Southwest management team proposes.
Whats ironic is all those delays happened 1 from old outdated software but from them being cheap. Southwest did not have environmentally enclosed buckets for their deicing machine. Others did. While others flew because their planes could be deiced Southwest could not it was to...
A shame its ending. I do not think it will be as dire as some claim but know where near the fantastic experience the new Southwest management team proposes.
Whats ironic is all those delays happened 1 from old outdated software but from them being cheap. Southwest did not have environmentally enclosed buckets for their deicing machine. Others did. While others flew because their planes could be deiced Southwest could not it was to cold for the workers who would of been exposed to the elements. Had Southwest had simply invested in more costly enclosed deicers well history would of been different. Then no serious delays, no software that could not handle it and no investment group sharks to deal with.
Amazing change of fate.
The issue that brought Elliot in was WN was financially under performing its legacy peers for years. Prior to Elliot the only ones making money at Southwest was management and pilots. The stock price was where it was a decade ago while the S&P grew multiple times it's value. No one has talked about that Southwest is more profitable now than before Elliot arrived.
Ben we need a trip report from you on Southwest before the cattle car ends!
Ben in Southwest? Hehe, heaven forbid! That would be something.