ALABAMA (WHNT) — Southwest Airlines recently made some updates to its refund policy for customers who require more than one seat.
Southwest said it has had a long-standing policy designed to “meet the seating needs of Customers who require more than one seat,” which allows passengers to apply for a refund for the second seat fare after they travel.
Now, Southwest said it would still allow customers to apply for the refund, but it is restricting the conditions under which it will provide a reimbursement.
In a statement, the airline said beginning on January 27, 2026, the following conditions must be met for a refund to be approved:
- The flight(s) must depart with at least one open seat (or with Passengers traveling on space available passes).
- Both seats should be purchased in the same fare class (i.e., Choice, Choice Preferred, Choice Extra, or Basic).
- The refund request must be made within 90 days of your date of travel.
The previous policy still encouraged customers who needed the extra seat to purchase it, but provided fewer restrictions on when refunds could be provided. This policy update takes effect on the same day the company implements assigned seating on all its flights.
“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. The armrest is considered to be the definitive boundary between seats; you may review information about the width of Passenger seats,” the airline said.
What happens if you arrive at the airport and haven’t reserved the space you need?
The airline provided answers to this question below.
- Discuss your seating needs with the Customer Service Agent at the departure gate. If it’s determined that a second seat is needed, you’ll be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat if space is available on the flight.
- If the flight is full, we will rebook you on an alternate flight with available seats to your destination. To avoid the need for rebooking, we encourage you to purchase your second seat when you make your initial reservation.
- If we determine after boarding that you require a second seat, you will need to deplane so that we may update your reservation to include a second seat. As time is limited after boarding has commenced, you may be rebooked on an alternate flight that has two seats available. To avoid the need for rebooking, we encourage you to purchase your second seat in advance of travel.
Depending on the fare you purchase, Southwest said customers may be able to select their seats at the time of booking. If you are unable to select your seats at the time of booking, please contact the airline as soon as possible after booking so that they can help.
“Keep in mind the following:
- We will not assign a seat for any other members of your party if the fare you purchased does not include seat assignments.
- If adjacent seats are not available on your flight or in the fare class purchased at the time you contact us, we will attempt to rebook you on an alternate flight to your destination on which adjacent seats are available.
When you arrive at the gate for your flight(s), board in your assigned group. Once onboard, if necessary, please request a seatbelt extension from our Flight Attendant.
Customers may not purchase more than one seat for the sole purpose of keeping the seat next to the Customer empty.”
Southwest Airlines
You can read more about this policy update on Southwest’s website here.
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