Can you sit anywhere on Southwest?

Can you sit anywhere on Southwest? At Southwest, we let you sit where you like. We don't assign seats on our flights, so feel free to sit in any available seat once you board the plane. We have a quick, easy, and efficient boarding process. Look at your boarding pass to find your assigned boarding group (A, B, or C) and boarding position (1 - 60).

Why does Southwest have open seating?

The open-seating policy has been a Southwest hallmark since its first flight, and the benefits were immediately clear. Numerous studies showed that open seating enabled Southwest to get Customers on planes more quickly and efficiently than its competitors.

Do airlines try and seat you together?

We know that airlines do try to seat families together. But these days, paying customers pony up sometimes hundreds of bucks for their seats on full flights. In this scenario, the airlines sometimes cannot incentivize other travelers to change seats to accommodate a family.

What happens if you skip seat selection?

Skipping seat selection doesn't mean you won't get a seat on the flight. You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don't pay for one. Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the upgrade hack” below).

Can I just choose where I want to sit on my plane?

A seat selection fee allows you to reserve a seat in your class of service. Each airline ticket comes with a confirmed seat, but if you want to choose your seat location, most domestic airlines will charge an additional fee.

How can I sit together on a plane for free?

How strict is Southwest with family boarding?

Up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. There should be enough open seats to enable the child to sit next to at least one accompanying adult.

Can you save seats on Southwest?

Re: Saving Seats Unfortunately, there's no policy to enforce. Officially, Southwest has no policy for or against seat saving, and in practice actively allows it. Reps will even suggest that passengers save seats for later boarding companions.

Which seat number is best in flight?

Best seat for peace and quiet: A seat near the front. Best seat for legroom: A bulkhead or exit-row seat. Best seat for sleeping: A window seat in a bulkhead row. Best seat for extra space without a seatmate: A seat towards the back.

What airline lets you sit anywhere?

Like many other airlines, Southwest begins boarding about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. The similarities largely end there, though, because Southwest's boarding process is unlike any other airline thanks to its open seating policy, which means you can sit just about anywhere you want without assigned seats.

What is the middle seat trick?

A strategy that travelers have been trying for years to varying degrees of success is the middle seat trick — when checking in online, two people traveling together will each select the aisle and window seats in a three-seat row and hope that the middle seat remains open.

Where should you avoid sitting on a plane?

Is it worth paying for seat selection?

In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

Is Southwest a good airline to fly?

Can you ask to sit together on a plane?

Choose your family's seats when booking, whether it's included with your fare or you have to pay an additional fee. If you are unable to get your family's seats together at the time of booking, call the airline and speak with a reservations agent to determine the best course of action.

Does checking in early get you a better seat on Southwest?

Customers who purchase an Anytime fare will automatically be checked in to their flight 36 hours prior to scheduled departure—that's 12 hours before our traditional 24-hour check-in. You will receive an earlier boarding position, improved seat selection, and earlier access to overhead bins.