Southwest’s New Premium Cabin is Here: Take a Look Inside

Southwest Airlines this week will fly jets with a brand new interior, marking another chapter in Southwest’s ongoing evolution.

The new interiors are part of this ongoing evolution of Southwest as the airline, which had once defined the low-cost carrier segment, is trying to capture a more premium traveler. That evolution has included, so far, the end of open seating (officially stops for flights starting in January), the end of its ‘Bags Fly Free‘ promise, new international destinations, and, partly, the launch of free Wi-Fi.

The first jet with the new interior, a Boeing MAX 8, will enter service tomorrow. Each new delivery from Boeing to Southwest after tomorrow will also include the new interiors.

A lot of it is cosmetic—a new lighting passage, updated carpet onboard, and some new colors—but there are some significant passenger upgrades included in the redesign that revolve around new seats made by RECARO.

Each of Southwest’s seatbacks will now offer a USB-A and USB-C port for flyers to charge their devices. There will still be no seatback screen, but each seatback will have a personal device holder above the tray table so they’ll be able to place their tablet or phone and watch entertainment hands free.

As part of the redesign, the cabins will also feature Southwest’s new Extra Legroom (ELR) seats, a major part of its move toward a more premium audience. Those seats will be sold differently starting in January, with ELR guests boarding early, and getting complimentary premium beverages and snacks.

ELR guests will also get first access to the overhead bins, which will be larger as part of the cabin redesign, but will still be limited.

Aside from the new additions, Southwest is planning on redesigning more than half of its Boeing 737-700s by adding in-seat power. That work is expected to begin in the second half of 2026 and is aimed to be completed by mid-2027.