I've enjoyed the perks and efficiency of legacy Southwest open seating, as A-list preferred. I'm going to mourn the loss of open seats in 2026. It made Southwest unique.

I've been flying a lot of other airlines with assigned seats, especially in business class. The vibe is just a little different on Southwest, will miss that. After Southwest converts entirely to assigned seats, the benefit of A-list / AL+ will diminish significantly, especially as I sometimes get last minute flights and still can get a good seat on legacy Southwest, but no more.

Oh well, the only constant in life is change...will have to see how 2026 unfolds.