For those who search on-line for flights on the likes of Expedia, you received’t discover Southwest Airways.
I’m undecided why, besides that maybe they don’t need to pay fee to 3rd celebration reserving websites, so it is advisable ebook direct on Southwest.com. However is Southwest Airways good?
This no-frills, low-cost provider is my go-to airline when in search of low-cost flights inside the USA. Right here’s why I like them…
Lately Southwest are including frills, but additionally nonetheless providing higher worth than the key airways like United, American Airways or Delta Air Traces when flying inside the US.
They began as a no-frills, low price airline providing home flights inside the USA, now they provide worldwide flights to a small variety of locations (like Mexico).
They’ve 4 worth classes together with Enterprise Choose, Anytime, Wanna Get Away Plus, Wanna Getaway. I’ve defined what you get in every class under below FAQs.
I’ve been flying Southwest for about 5 years however there are some issues it is advisable know earlier than taking a Southwest flight:
1. They don’t assign seats!
This may be fairly disconcerting, particularly in case you are a household wanting to sit down collectively. As an alternative they assign boarding numbers, which you get by checking in on-line.
Meaning once you get to the departure gate, your boarding move will merely have boarding group A, B, C and a quantity as much as 60 on it. That’s actually your boarding place and the place you stand in line, and file down the airbridge when the boarding course of begins.
You’ll be able to examine in on-line 24 hours earlier than your flight and you actually ought to set a cellphone alarm as your boarding quantity is essential! For those who purchase a Enterprise Choose ticket you’re robotically in zone A1-15.
2. They promote boarding upgrades to A1-15
You’ll be able to pay to get the next boarding quantity, and the worth modifications the nearer you get to the date of journey. I upgraded on the morning of my flight to this zone, after checking in on-line the day earlier than and seeing we had been assigned C5 for boarding.
The C-zone would have meant we’d doubtless be in a center seat, not collectively, with little probability of getting house in an overhead locker wherever close to us.
So I used the Southwest app and upgraded on the day of journey: US$40 per particular person.
We galloped onboard in positions 9 and 10, however didn’t select the entrance row, as I wish to have a pocket within the seat in entrance of me to place my issues: cellphone, kindle, M&Ms. As an alternative, for me the most effective seats are within the exit rows for extra leg room.
Professional tip: I upgraded my subsequent flight in every week’s time: $20 per particular person to be robotically checked within the second it opens. I shall report again what quantity we get.
3. They provide two free checked baggage!
That is just about unprecedented for US air carriers to cost no further charges for baggage, and definitely for low-cost airways. You’ll discover United Airways including about one other $50 for every bag.
So, as a result of you may take all the baggage you need, you may like my free final packing guidelines 🙂
You additionally get a free stick with it bag (which most travellers do, quite than examine their baggage, so there are only a few baggage being checked in today), plus a free laptop computer bag or purse.
The flight crew are additionally not above serving to you discover a house within the overhead bins and loading it in for you!
4. They don’t fly into numerous airports!
It’s possible you’ll not all the time discover a direct flight, however by no means concern, simply search for the closest airport and also you’ll discover it’s most likely cheaper and possibly even nearer to the town.
We simply visited Washington DC and flew from Houston to Reagan Nationwide Airport, which is nearer than Dulles anyway – see the Pentagon after we took off in my pic under. Then we flew again out of Reagan to Vegas so I might replace this submit on the good issues to do in Las Vegas.
You’ll additionally discover numerous flights that stopover half manner alongside. Generally you don’t even get off the airplane, typically you alter planes.
5. They supply free snacks, drinks and TV/motion pictures
Regardless of being a “no-frills” airline Southwest provides free drinks, snacks they usually come spherical twice on longer flights for no further cost.
In addition they have free dwell TV and free motion pictures to observe by yourself units as soon as logged into their onboard Wifi. For $8 you may have full Wifi to your flight.
6. They provide worth classes
You’ll see from the short search I simply did (under) for flights from Las Vegas to Houston, there are 4 reserving classes, and all provide low fares.
The most affordable “wanna get away” nonetheless permits for 2 free checked in baggage, and also you’ll nonetheless get the snacks and drinks on board.
The advantages are all about no change charges and your boarding precedence (which you’ll be able to improve for $20-$40 any time previous to flying – topic to availability).
Observe additionally that your flights may not be direct, though there’s one within the instance under, so weigh up worth vs time.
FAQs
What’s Enterprise Choose on Southwest? There is no such thing as a Enterprise Class on Southwest, no separate boarding space and even bigger seats. It is a low-cost provider in spite of everything! What you do get if you happen to ebook Enterprise Choose is precedence check-in (which means you’ll get an A place), precedence boarding and extra Fast Rewards air factors. You’ll additionally have the ability to make same-day modifications for no price and get a premium drink, and your tickets are absolutely refundable, not simply credit.
What’s Anytime on Southwest? This class will get you early chicken seat allocation (which price me an additional $20 on my cheaper fare). It’s additionally extra versatile than the cheaper choices if you wish to make modifications with free flight modifications even if you happen to cancel on the day of departure (doable fare distinction will apply), or full refunds. Plus you earn extra factors of their Fast Rewards program.
What’s Wanna Getaway Plus? It is a non-refundable ticket, however nonetheless eligible for a flight credit score for future use – even on similar day. Plus entry to same-day Standby record.
What’s Wanna Getaway? That is lowest price of the low price! For even cheaper flights, this ticket is non-refundable but nonetheless accessible for a flight credit score if you happen to cancel. You continue to get two baggage flying free. There aren’t any charges to alter your flight, however you earn about half the Fast Rewards factors as Enterprise Choose.
For extra data on the reserving courses, go to Southwest.com/airfare-types-benefits
For those who’re doing your individual flight bookings I’ve signed as much as an associates program that hyperlinks you to Southwest, and at no further price to you, if you are going to buy I’ll make a small fee. And for that I thanks!