Southwest Airlines Co., typically referred to as Southwest, is one of the major airlines of the United States and the world’s largest low-cost carrier. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. As of 2018, Southwest carried more domestic passengers than any other United States airline.
The airline was established on March 15, 1967, by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Co. and adopted its current name, Southwest Airlines Co., in 1971, when it began operating as an intrastate airline wholly within the state of Texas, first flying between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.It began regional interstate service in 1979, expanding nationwide in the following decades. Southwest currently serves airports in 42 states and multiple Central American destinations.
Destinations:
As of 2022, Southwest scheduled flights to over 100 destinations in 42 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Southwest does not use the traditional hub and spoke system of other major airlines, preferring a point-to-point system combined with a rolling hub model in its base cities.
Fleet:
As of February 2022, Southwest Airlines operates 735 aircraft.[1] In its history, Southwest Airlines has operated only Boeing 737 jetliners, except from 1979 to 1980 and 1983 to 1985 when it leased and operated a few Boeing 727-200s. Southwest is the largest operator of the Boeing 737 worldwide. Using a single basic aircraft type allows Southwest pilots and flight attendants to crew any aircraft in the fleet without restrictions.
Rapid Rewards:
Southwest first began to offer a frequent-flyer program on June 18, 1987, calling it The Company Club. The program credited for trips flown regardless of distance. Southwest Airlines renamed its frequent flyer program Rapid Rewards on April 25, 1996.
The original Rapid Rewards program offered one credit per one-way flight from an origin to a destination including any stops or connections on Southwest Airlines. When 16 credits were accumulated in a 24-month period, Southwest awarded one free round-trip ticket that was valid for 12 months.
On March 1, 2011, Rapid Rewards changed to a points system based on ticket cost. Members earn and redeem points based on a three-tier fare scale multiplier and the cost of the ticket. Changes also included no blackout dates, seat restrictions, or expiring credits. Since October 18, 2019, Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as the member is alive. It also adds more options to use points
In-flight entertainment:
All Southwest Airlines aircraft are equipped with Wi-Fi, along with free of charge streaming live television, movies, streaming music, and app messaging. After completing a testing phase that began in February 2009, Southwest announced on August 21, 2009, that it would begin rolling out in-flight Wi-Fi Internet connectivity via Global Eagle Entertainment’s satellite-broadband based product. Southwest began adding Wi-Fi to its aircraft in the first quarter of 2010. The airline began testing streaming live television in the summer of 2012 and video on demand in January 2013.As of November 1, 2018, live in-flight TV, movies, messaging (iMessage and WhatsApp) and real-time flight tracking information via Wi-Fi became available to passengers, with full Internet access available at a fee for regular passengers
If you’ve ever flown Southwest Airlines, you’ve seen that the carrier doesn’t differentiate its seats between first class, premium economy or economy. With the exception of bulkhead rows and emergency-exit rows that offer extra legroom, all seats look the same.
However, when you go online to book a Southwest ticket, you might notice three different fare types being sold:
- Business Select.
- Anytime.
- Wanna Get Away.
If all the fares put you in the same type of seat, what’s the difference?
The main differences between Wanna Get Away and Anytime fares is refundability and points earning rates. While Wanna Get Away fares can be refunded as future travel funds, Anytime fares are refunded as cash back. Anytime fares also earn 10x points per dollar, 4x higher than Wanna Get Away fares. Business Select offers even higher points returns, as well as priority boarding and more perks.
Wanna Get Away fares offer travelers the best value, while Business Select fares offer the most flexibility. The fares in the middle, called Anytime fares, fall somewhere in between.
What are Anytime fares on Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Anytime fares offer the best ratio of flexibility to cost. Although this ticket type costs more, it comes with tangible perks, such as higher rewards earning rates on the cost of your flight as well as a flexible change and cancellation policy.
Here’s what you can expect from booking a Southwest Anytime fare:
- Earn 10x Rapid Rewards points per dollar.
- A full refund to your original form of payment as long as you cancel your flight at least 10 minutes before departure.
- Free same-day flight changes as long as there’s an open seat on a flight going to the same destination as your original ticket.
- Up to two free checked bags per person listed on the reservation — included with all fare types.
- Free in-flight entertainment on your personal device — included with all fare types.
What’s the difference among the three Southwest fare types?
Each of the three fare types offers something unique to Southwest passengers — be it low cost, change and cancellation flexibility, or priority boarding. Your preference depends on your travel style.
Southwest Wanna Get Away fare vs. Anytime fare
As a Rapid Rewards program member, you earn 10 points per dollar spent on your Anytime ticket. Wanna Get Away fares earn rewards at a lower rate of 6 points per dollar.
Anytime fares are also eligible for same-day confirmed and standby changes. Want to fly on an earlier flight going to the same destination? Get on a list at no extra cost. Wanna Get Away flyers must pay the fare difference for the privilege.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the two fare types is that Southwest Anytime fares are refundable and Wanna Get Away fares are not.
Although you can cancel a Wanna Get Away fare without paying fees, the ticket value is issued in the form of a flight credit to your Southwest account, which you can apply toward a future flight. The voucher also expires a year after you book the ticket. Anytime fares are fully refundable, and your cash isn’t stuck in an airline account.
Southwest Business Select fare vs. Anytime fare:
Southwest Business Select fares don’t actually mean you get to fly in business class. Southwest doesn’t offer a business class cabin on its flights, so instead of cushy seats and extra legroom, the special treatment is measured in terms of extra benefits.
First of all, at 12 points per dollar, Business Select fares earn the most points per dollar spent on tickets.
Additionally, by booking a Business Select fare on Southwest Airlines, you’re guaranteed a priority boarding position between A1 and A15. This boarding position gives you a better chance of having a preferred seat onboard because of the airline’s open seating policy.
Anytime fares don’t automatically include priority boarding, but you can add Early Bird Check-In by paying $15 to $25 per passenger per flight. This benefit improves your seat selection options by checking you in automatically 36 hours before flight time — a full 12 hours before general check-in starts.
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