Southwest Airlines Just Made a Major Change to Its Extra Seat Policy – Here Are 5 Things You Need to Know
- The new policy allows customers to request a second seat for free at the time of booking, removing the need for a medical form or reimbursement process.
- Travelers can now use the “extra seat” option directly in the booking flow for any flight, with no advance approval required.
- Animal lovers, rejoice: the policy explicitly includes support for service animals and emotional support animals needing extra space.
- No more waiting for refunds—if you don’t end up needing the extra seat, you can cancel it for a full refund up to 10 minutes before departure.
- This update aims to reduce gate delays and seat disputes, with Southwest noting it’s already improving passenger satisfaction by 23% in trial markets.