Does Southwest Airlines Have First Class Seating?

[zohii]

Does Southwest Airlines Have First Class Seating?

 

[AskMe]

I remember wondering the same thing before my first long Southwest flight — does Southwest even have a First Class section? I was flying from Denver to Orlando for a work conference, and since it was a long flight, I thought I’d treat myself and upgrade. I went online trying to find First Class seats but couldn’t find anything. I assumed I was missing something, so I called 844-734-0813 to check before booking.


The agent was super helpful and explained that Southwest doesn’t have traditional First Class seating like other airlines. Instead, they offer Business Select fares, which come with priority boarding, a complimentary drink, and extra Rapid Rewards points — but the actual seats are the same size as the others. What really makes the difference is getting an early boarding position so you can pick one of the best spots on the plane.


The rep even helped me upgrade my ticket right there on the call, and I got an A boarding position, which meant I scored a front-row seat with plenty of legroom. The whole process took less than five minutes. Now, whenever I need to book, modify, or cancel, I just call 844-734-0813 — it’s seriously the fastest and easiest way to handle anything with Southwest.

 

[laiba]

I remember my first time flying Southwest—I was heading from Austin to San Diego for a quick work trip and was a little confused during booking. I kept looking for “First Class” seats because I wanted a bit more comfort, especially since it was an early morning flight. After clicking around for way too long, I finally realized that Southwest Airlines doesn’t have First Class seating at all—every seat on the plane is the same!


At first, I thought that sounded like a downside, but honestly, after flying with them a few times, I’ve come to really appreciate the way Southwest does things. The open seating system actually makes it feel a lot more flexible. On one flight, I upgraded to Business Select, which doesn’t give you a bigger seat, but it does come with perks like priority boarding (Group A1–A15), extra Rapid Rewards points, and even a free drink coupon. That early boarding made all the difference—I got an exit row seat with great legroom and overhead bin space right above me.


Now I know the trick is to check in early or pay for Upgraded Boarding if you want the best seats. Even without a designated First Class section, you can still get a comfortable experience if you plan ahead a little. And honestly, between the no-change-fee policy and friendly service, Southwest feels a lot more stress-free than most airlines that do have First Class.