Southwest Shows Off Updated Cabins That Begin Rolling Out October 16

Updated: October 14, 2025, 6:24pm CDT

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Table of Contents

First Plane With New Southwest Interior
A Year of Change for Southwest
Final Thoughts

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Southwest Airlines’ first aircraft with an updated interior is set to take to the skies this week. Ahead of the first flight, Southwest has released some photos of the new cabin.

Let’s take a look at what’s new.

First Plane With New Southwest Interior

Southwest’s first plane with an all-new interior is set to launch this week. The airline will fly the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft (tail number N8972S) starting October 16, 2025.

The jet features an updated cabin look with a striking blue-hued interior and carpet. The airline has introduced larger overhead bins, updated seatback designs, and USB-A and USB-C ports on each seatback.

Southwest New Cabin — Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

But the star of the show is the seats themselves. Southwest is using new RECARO R2 seats in a blue sunray design. Each seat features a personal electronic device holder and a tray table with 2 inset beverage holders.

Bottom Line:

Each new delivery Southwest receives from Boeing will feature RECARO seats installed, and the airline plans to retrofit some of its Boeing 737-800s with RECARO seats later this year.

A Year of Change for Southwest

It’s been an up-and-down year for Southwest, as the airline made some of the biggest changes in its 54-year history.

Some of the changes have been positive, such as the new option to select an Extra Legroom Seat. These include up to 5 additional inches of extra legroom, as well as perks such as boarding in groups 1 or 2, complimentary premium beverages, and enhanced snack options. Free, unlimited Wi-Fi will also be available to all Rapid Rewards members starting October 24, 2025.

However, longtime Southwest loyalists were shocked when the airline announced plans to implement a new boarding process, charge most passengers for checked bags, switch to assigned seating, and introduce a new “basic” fare class.

Beginning January 27, 2026, Southwest will transition away from its current boarding process, which uses 3 groups (A, B, and C), to a new system with 8 groups. This aligns Southwest more closely with other legacy carriers, such as Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. The airline also introduced dynamic award pricing on its award tickets, a move several legacy carriers have already adopted.

Final Thoughts

Southwest is rolling out a beautiful new cabin on one of its planes this week, with plans to introduce it on other jets in the future. The most exciting feature is the seats, some of which offer extra legroom. Additionally, there are other passenger-friendly updates, such as in-seat power and larger overhead bins.