PLUS-SIZED passengers flying on Southwest will now need to pay double the fare of other customers due to the airline’s latest policy.
The airline announced that it will no longer reimburse “customers of size” for purchasing a second ticket if they require additional space.
Southwest will be changing its ‘customer of size’ policy[/caption]
The changes come as the airline begins to assign seats to customers[/caption]
Southwest’s original customer of size policy stated that “customers who encroached upon any part of the neighboring seats” were eligible for a complimentary adjacent seat.
“The armrest is considered to be the definitive boundary between seats; the width of the narrowest and widest passenger seats is available on our Flying Southwest page,” the policy says.
To receive the complimentary seat, passengers were encouraged to purchase two seats and then apply for a refund.
Customers weren’t required to purchase two seats during their initial reservation, but they were given the option to speak with an agent at the gate instead.
If the flight was full, then the customer had the chance to be rebooked on a new flight to accommodate their needs.
The company will then grant a refund once the travel is complete.
However, that refund policy is now changing.
Southwest announced that it will tighten its policy, placing additional restrictions on customers applying for refunds.
Any customer flying on a Southwest flight after January 27, 2026, will be required to purchase an additional seat and can pay any further fees at the airport.
“To avoid the need for purchasing a seat at the last minute or rebooking, we encourage you to purchase your second seat when you make your initial reservation,” the company wrote.
To qualify for the refund, passengers must now meet certain criteria.
Both seats must now be purchased within the same fare class, and the refund request must be submitted within 90 days of the travel date.
Seatbelt extensions will also be given to passengers who request them from the staff.
The new rules come as Southwest changes its boarding process.
Southwest policy changes
As of January 27, 2026, Southwest will refund an extra seat purchased, provided the following conditions apply:
- 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.
Southwest built its reputation on having open seating – allowing for a “first-come, first-served” type of seating process.
Passengers were not assigned seats before the flight and were allowed to choose their own seats once on board.
In January 2026, the airline will begin assigning seats for passengers and separating the seats based on fare class, which is why Southwest announced the changes to the “customers of size” policy.
The change to the two-seat policy is leaving some passengers worried about future flights on the airline.
“It seems like a sneaky add on from a policy that had been around for 20+ years without much hitting the bottom line,” Jeff Jenkins, founder of Chubby Diaries, told USA TODAY in a written statement.
“I just hope that consumers are aware of this change and I wonder if plus size people will skip out on flying with them at all because of them not knowing if the flight is sold out or not.
“It’s just more anxiety to an already high anxiety experience.”
Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
