Travel Update: Southwest Airlines Assigned Seating Now in Effect
Effective today, January 27, 2026, Southwest Airlines has ended its open-seating policy and now utilizes assigned seating for all flights. To ensure compliance with university travel policies, please keep the following in mind when booking business travel:
- Fare Selection: VCU business travelers should book the Choice Fare (formerly Wanna Get Away Plus), which allows for Standard seat selection at the time of booking.
- Funding Restrictions: State and grant funds do not cover seating upgrades. Travelers must not use these funds for “Preferred” or “Extra Legroom” seating.
- Boarding Changes: Boarding is now organized by Groups 1 through 8 based on seat location and fare class, replacing the previous A/B/C lettered groups.
For more details on these service changes, visit the Southwest Airlines Customer Enhancements page.
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