Southwest Has Another Policy Change Coming

The version of Southwest Airlines that existed before 2025 is rapidly being transformed by a series of policy changes, the most notable of which was the airline’s decision to do away with free checked bags. That isn’t the only substantial change afoot at the airline, though, and this week came the news of another shift, this one in how Southwest Airlines treats overweight passengers.

Writing at The New York Times, Nia Decaille reported that the airline plans to change its policy for what it describes as “customers of size” beginning in January of 2026. The airline’s website reveals that the new policy is going into effect on January 27, 2026, and will affect how the airline handles refunding additional seat purchases once a traveler’s itinerary is complete.

For travelers traveling both before and after January 27, 2026, Southwest’s advice is the same: “Customers who encroach upon the neighboring seat(s) should proactively purchase the needed number of seats prior to travel to ensure the additional, adjacent seat is available.” It’s how Southwest plans to issue refunds that things get more contentious.

Currently, travelers who buy an extra seat can request a refund after their flight lands. The airline’s new policy will limit the conditions under which a traveler can request a refund for their extra seat. Notably, Southwest states that “[t]he flight(s) must depart with at least one open seat (or with Passengers traveling on space available passes).” Travelers must also purchase additional seats in the same fare class as their primary seat.

Southwest’s CEO Explained Why It’s Shaking Up Its Policies

Will it make the airline more successful in the long run?

As the Times report, Southwest’s policy has seen some pushback from advocacy groups, though one of the experts cited — Tigress Osborn of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance — told the Times that Southwest’s new policy still allowed for the possibility of a refund, which put them ahead of several of their competitors. Earlier this summer, Southwest’s CEO did hint that more changes were on the way for the airline; now what that meant is coming into focus.

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…