Southwest Airlines' plus-size passengers must buy 2 seats in 2026? Truth behind viral claim

Southwest Airlines said it had a long-standing policy designed to meet the seating needs of passengers who require more than one seat

Southwest Airlines does not have any new rules making it mandatory for plus-size passengers to buy two seats in 2026, contrary to claims on X that the Dallas-based carrier is bringing about this change. The company, on its support page, notes it has had “a long-standing policy designed to meet the seating needs of Customers who require more than one seat.”

Southwest Airlines is changing the refund policy for flyers who end up buying two seats.(AFP)

Now, it is changing the refund policy for flyers who end up buying two seats. Earlier, Southwest would refund the second fare for the travel, which they will still do, but with tighter rules. The company says for flyers traveling on or before January 26, 2026, “Southwest will refund the extra seat purchased upon request once travel is complete.”

Southwest Airlines extra seat new refund rules

The company announced that there would be new rules regarding the refund starting January 27, 2026, when the assigned seating kicks in for Southwest.

“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 airline said. The armrest is the definitive boundary between seats.

The new conditions that have to be met, to claim the extra seat refunds, include -

• 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.

Thus, there is no new rule that makes it mandatory for Southwest's plus-sized flyers to have to buy two tickets from 2026, though the airline has had a long-standing policy to aid plus-size passengers. The airline has always advised customers to ‘proactively’ purchase the needed number of seats.

However, the airline has made it clear that if a customer is traveling on an itinerary which includes a partner carrier, then if the flyer cannot be safely accommodated in a single seat, they must buy an extra, non-refundable seat. Among Southwest's carrier partners are Icelandair and China Airlines.