Southwest's Open Seating Is Over – Here's What Passengers Think Of Assigned Seats
January 28, 2026
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as posted by the channelSouthwest Airlines ended its open-seating policy that has set it apart from its competitors for more that five decades. It replaced it with assigned seats, making the one-time outlier among airlines more like its rivals as Southwest faces pressure from investors to increase revenue and profits. CNBC flew on the last-ever open-seating flight on Southwest, from Honolulu to Los Angeles, closing a chapter in U.S. aviation history.
Produced, Shot and Edited by Erin Black
Reporter Leslie Josephs
Animation Emily Park
Senior Producer Katie Tarasov
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Southwest Airlines Ended Its Decades Long Open-Seating Policy – Here's What Travelers Think
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