Southwest Airlines Changes Policy for Plus-Size Passengers

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Southwest Airlines At San Diego International Airport — Source: Kevin Carter / Getty

Southwest Airlines is changing up one of its most talked-about policies, and not everyone’s on board.

Starting January 27, 2026, plus-size passengers who need more than one seat will have to pay for that second seat up front, and then request a refund later. Under the old system, customers could ask for an extra seat at no cost if space was available on the flight.

Now, refunds will only be issued if certain boxes are checked: both seats must be in the same fare class, the request has to be made within 90 days, and the plane would’ve taken off with at least one empty seat anyway. If the flight was full but had non-paying “space available” passengers onboard (like employees flying standby) those cases also qualify for a refund.

Southwest says the shift is tied to its bigger move into assigned seating, which officially rolls out the same day.

But advocates for plus-size travelers say the change feels like a step backward. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance told The New York Times that Southwest had been a “beacon of hope” for many larger flyers. Travel influencer Jeff Jenkins, founder of Chubby Diaries, told USA Today the policy creates unnecessary stress since passengers won’t know ahead of time if a flight is technically full.

“It’s just more anxiety to an already high anxiety experience,” he said.

Southwest confirmed it doesn’t share flight load numbers with customers “for competitive reasons.”

On social media, opinions have been split.

Some argue it’s only fair, others feel the move unfairly targets larger passengers, or even just taller, broader travelers who don’t fit easily in shrinking airline seats.

Read the updated policy and statement here.