How do I request an extra free seat on Southwest Airlines?

If you prefer not to purchase an additional seat in advance, discuss your seating needs with the Customer Service Agent at the departure gate. If it's determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, you'll receive a complimentary additional seat(s).



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Southwest-operated flights have open seating. Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carryon items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. When can I check in and receive my boarding pass?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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In order for you to try and succeed in this clever move, you and your travel partner should try and book an aisle and a window seat respectively, leaving the middle seat empty. The thought behind it is that the probability that another traveler will want to seat in between two people is, in fact, low.

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Southwest Airlines has long argued that its unassigned seating policy is popular with passengers and facilitates speedier boarding. That means planes spend less time at the gate and more time in the air generating Southwest money. Over the years, the airline has tinkered with the no-system boarding system.

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Allowing people to choose their own seats reduces Soutwest Airlines' (SWA) boarding time and puts the plane in the air sooner, which translates into more flights, greater utilization of aircraft and personnel, and ultimately lower costs.

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As of March 2023, only three airlines offer fee-free family seating -- Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines. American and Frontier both announced their new guarantees shortly after President Joe Biden excoriated airlines for junk fees during his State of the Union Address in early February.

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Airlines will let those seats go empty before allowing people to move into first class for free. Some cookies or snacks for the attendants might get you a free drink or an extra blanket, but if you want to sit in first class you are going to have to pay for the upgrade.

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"For overnight flights where I need to get some sleep, the window seat is the clear winner," he says. "You get something to rest your head or pillow on, and you're guaranteed fewer interruptions from other passengers.

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In window seats no one climbs over you Conversely, if you're in the aisle seat you do need to “worry” about other passengers bothering you to get up when they need to use the bathroom. And if you fall asleep, your seatmate will wake you up when they need to use the bathroom.

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One disadvantage is certainly that many people have poor time management and arrive too late at the airport if they check in online. For some, this can lead to unwanted time pressure. On the other hand, those who still have to check in at the airport itself usually arrive early enough and are therefore over-punctual.

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Table of contents
  1. Regularly Check the Seat map.
  2. Changing Seats in Flight.
  3. Make use of the Emergency Exit Rules.
  4. Ask the Gate Staff to Change Your Seat.
  5. Reserving Window and Aisle Seats.
  6. Sitting Further Back.
  7. Seat Blocking for Frequent Flyers.
  8. Most Important: Select Empty Flights.


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So here are the 10 best ways to avoid the middle seat on your next flight.
  1. Book your flight early.
  2. Pick a better airline.
  3. Watch where you buy your ticket.
  4. Avoid basic economy.
  5. Check in early for your flight.
  6. Upgrade your seat (for cheap)
  7. Check the seat map often in the last 24 hours.
  8. Ask an agent.


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During the booking, each customer can individually select the number of passengers and the corresponding number of free middle seats. The free middle seat is therefore assigned to only one passenger by means of the booking code (PNR), even if both passengers are seated next to the same free middle seat in the aircraft.

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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.

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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.

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As such, we do not publish flight loads. If for any reason you're uncomfortable traveling in the current environment and would like to discuss the flight load of your upcoming flight, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our Customer Service Department via any of the options below. Email here.

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