Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan Suggests Another Major Change Is Coming
Southwest Airlines has announced a series of changes in recent months that have dramatically changed the customer experience.
The airline did away with free checked bags for all, a staple of the customer experience on Southwest. The elimination of unassigned seating was another major change that provoked controversy. Through it all, Southwest's CEO Bob Jordan has defended the decisions, and now he's suggesting another major change could be coming soon.
Southwest Airlines Is 'Seriously Considering' Adding First Class Seats to Some Aircraft, Reports Say
On January 1, Aviation2z announced that Southwest is "seriously considering the introduction of First Class seating on select Boeing 737 aircraft, adding larger and more comfortable seats at the front of the cabin."
According to that site, Jordan "confirmed that the carrier is seriously considering First Class seating." Jordan "has framed the move as a response to industry-wide 'premiumization' trends," Aviation2z reported. He made the comments in December 2025.View From the Wing called the decision "inevitable."
"Southwest is becoming just like the rest of the industry with bag fees and basic economy," the site noted, adding that competitor economy airlines like Frontier, JetBlue and Spirit already offer or are adding first-class options.
"They need premium to attract credit card spend, just like they need lounges," View From the Wing wrote of Southwest.
Photographer: Eli Hartman/Bloomberg via Getty Images
That would be another big change for the airline, which has focused on economy seating. According to Travel and Tour World, Southwest's competitors have traditionally relied on premium seating to "balance cyclical demands and improve margins." So, it makes sense that Southwest might move in that direction, considering the changes the airline has already made.
Southwest's CEO Bob Jordan Previously Broached the Idea of First-Class Seating for Southwest Flights
Last May, Jordan broached the idea of first-class seating for Southwest flights while speaking at a conference, but he cautioned then that he wasn't outright predicting it would happen.
"We aren’t stopping here,” he said at a conference last May, according to the Points Guy, referring to the changes. “For many of our folks that love Southwest, we can’t do things — we can’t provide products — that you want. Like a first class. We can’t get you to long-haul international destinations. If a lounge is important to you, we don’t have a lounge."
He cautioned then that he wasn't "predicting" those changes would happen but also indicated that Southwest would "continue to pursue the customer."
It's not the only additional change that might be coming to Southwest. Jordan also "has suggested Southwest could build a network of premium airport lounges." View From the Wing noted that Southwest will face a series of challenges moving into the premium market.
"Southwest’s seats don’t have screens. They don’t have standard power ports. This is a bare bones product, and they can’t earn a revenue premium," View From the Wing wrote.