According to Southwest Airlines, travelers flying on flights departing in the New Year may face new fees. That’s because Southwest is changing a policy that will directly impact plus-size travelers, much to the dismay of passengers.
The changes are set to happen in mid-January, meaning those most affected by the news won’t have much time to prepare. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming changes at Southwest Airlines.
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Southwest Airlines seat cancellation refund policy
In the past, plus-size passengers could get refunds for extra seats purchased as part of an airline policy that required travelers of a certain size to buy seats on either side to ensure they had enough room during the flight. However, by January 27, 2026, this will become more difficult.
According to a statement on Southwest’s website, the airline will only issue refunds if the following conditions are met:
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The flight must have at least one empty seat
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Additional seats purchased must belong to the same cabin class
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Refund requests must be made within 90 days of flight departure
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People are deeply impressed by Southwest Airlines’ new policy changes
People seem to have different opinions on whether the news is good or bad for passengers, with some sharing their thoughts on TikTok.
One of the most popular comments abc news The story about this change is consistent with the policy. “I mean, if you take up two seats, it’s only fair that you pay for both seats (don’t come to me),” the TikToker wrote.
Another joked that this might work in favor of smaller people, asking if skinny travelers could get half-price tickets if they only occupied half a seat. However, several weary plus-size travelers said they were fine with paying for the extra seats as long as they could actually use them.
“I’m a big boy, 6’5″ and 290m, and have no problem purchasing extra seats,” one man wrote. “Now the problem I have is if they oversell tickets and try to seat someone in the extra seats I purchased. I will definitely have problems.”
Another woman had a similar sentiment, writing: “As a bigger girl, I totally agree. But if someone pays for a second seat… they better get a second seat. Don’t force people to squeeze in next to them so they can make more money.”
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However, the biggest takeaway from the news appears not to be the details of the policy change itself, but how many people will be forced to grab extra seats as airlines shrink seat sizes. “It’s reasonable, but the seat size is ridiculous,” one woman wrote, noting that while she considered herself fairly petite, she still had to squeeze across the aisle to get to her seat.
This article was originally published by TravelHost on December 3, 2025 and first appeared in the Airlines section. Click here to add TravelHost as your preferred source.