Budget airline launches ‘futuristic’ new cabins with extra legroom,
The ‘world’s biggest budget airline’ has revealed the revamped interiors of its economy planes, complete with extra legroom and a ‘futuristic’ design.
Southwest Airlines has revealed the much-anticipated revamped interiors of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.
The US airline’s redesign was rolled out on October 16, marking a ‘major milestone’ in the cabin overhaul of the aircraft, which Southwest has used since 2017.
‘Each of these enhancements brings us closer to creating an elevated experience our customers told us they wanted,’ Southwest said in a statement.
These ‘elevated’ additions, which the budget carrier has been teasing for a year, include extra legroom rows, larger overhead bins and power outlets, along with spacious new seats.
The seats will feature a multi-adjustable headrest cushion, an integrated tablet and phone holder on the rear and a tray table with two cup holders
A refreshed lighting, an updated carpet, and a palette of cool blue tones round out the plane’s ‘futuristic’ reboot, according to the New York Post.
The plane will also debut an ‘Extra Legroom’ section, with more top-of-the-line snack options, complimentary premium beverages and earlier boarding positions once the airline starts offering premium and assigned seating on January 27, 2026.
More than half of the carrier’s planes have now been fitted with extra legroom as of mid-October 2025.
Extra legroom seats also come with two free checked bags, early boarding, premium drinks and snacks, and free Wi-Fi.
‘As we continue to enhance our onboard experience, in-flight WiFi is a key element in that journey and allows us to provide meaningful value to our loyal Customers,’ said the company.
Southwest Airlines has been struggling to find its footing after the COVID-19 pandemic.
To address this, the airline is changing policies like ending open seating and introducing fees for checked bags.
Critics claimed that ending these policies was the wrong move as they distinguished the airline from other carriers.
However, activist investor Elliott Management, which took an 11 per cent stake in Southwest in 2024 and pushed the carrier to do away with many of these hallmark policies, argued that the airline had long suffered from ‘poor execution’ and a ‘stubborn unwillingness’ to modernise.
It comes as a futuristic £14.5million plane with TV screens instead of windows has been unveiled.
The jet, called Phantom 3500, will use technology on the outside of the plane to provide immersive views. The creators, Otto Aerospace, plan to launch the aircraft in 2027.
It also features an ultra-smooth exterior, which enhances the laminar flow of the plane – significantly reducing drag and increasing fuel efficiency and performance.
Without windows dragging the aircraft down, it should provide economic fuel usage – around 60 per cent less than traditional planes – as well as improved range.
The system of state-of-the-art cameras will provide real-time views of the outside of the plane.
Passengers will find a two-metre high cabin which offers enough space for nine people to travel comfortably and inside the cockpit there will be cutting-edge technology and next-gen avionics for precision control.
Otto Aerospace said: ‘Passengers enjoy stunning, uninterrupted views of the sky and landscape, all while benefiting from the enhanced aerodynamics and efficiency that come with complete laminar flow design.’
