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Southwest Airlines 4+

Flights, hotels, cars and more, southwest airlines co., designed for ipad.

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Book a flight in just a few easy steps Check in, change or cancel your flights. Plus, add extras like EarlyBird Check-In®. Super-Fast Shopping & Booking Book a trip in just a few quick taps. Use Face ID® to make booking even faster! You can also store your credit cards. Everything you need to Travel Get the information you need right at your fingertips on the home screen - gate information, boarding position, flight status, and more. Boarding Pass on the Go Get mobile boarding passes for all passengers on your trip 24 hours in advance. Southwest passes have rich color and bold font, which makes seeing your Gate and Boarding Position very clear. Find the details you need quickly: Flight Number, Confirmation Number, Boarding Time, Tier Status, and TSA Pre-Check. Don’t forget to add your Mobile Boarding Passes to Apple Wallet! Apple Pay® Apple Pay® is now available as a payment option in the iOS app! This is an additional option to our other available payment methods - PayPal® or Credit/Debit Cards. Travel Funds You can now use flight credits, Southwest LUV Vouchers, and gift cards when changing your flight in the app. Your unused Southwest® flight credit(s) will show in ‘My Account’, within ‘travel funds’ section. Inflight Entertainment Use the app to take you to our Inflight Entertainment Portal1 where you can watch free live TV2, listen to free music from iHeartRadio2, access free on-demand TV episodes, and view free movies. 1Available only on WiFi-enabled aircraft. Limited time offer. Where available. 2Due to licensing restrictions, on WiFi-enabled international flights free live TV and iHeartRadio may not be available for the full duration of flight. Live Chat Contact our Customer Representatives through Live Chat by scrolling down to Contact Us in the navigation drawer and then tap on “Chat.” Airport Pickup and Drop-off Thanks to our partnership with Lyft®, you can now use the app to help you request a Lyft®! You’ll know key information like estimated time of arrival and estimated price before booking. More of a rental car person? You can do that in the app, too. Cars, Hotels, and Vacations Use our app to quickly book all of your travel needs. Earn Rewards when you Travel Sign up for Rapid Rewards® and earn points on your flights. Did you forget to add your Rapid Rewards® number during booking? – No worries, add it after booking your flight and earn points. You can then use those points to purchase more flights!

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Flight Delays and Rebookings

My family and I were scheduled to fly out of Baltimore on Wednesday January 5, 2022 at 2:20pm heading to New Orleans to attend an event on Thursday at 7pm. My flight was initially rebooked to Thursday, January 6 at 8:30am with a different connection city. That flight was then delayed until 9:45am, then rebooked to a different 8:30am flight with a new connection that had me arrive in New Orleans by way of Austin, TX at 5:00pm. Upon arriving in Austin i was greeted with two more texts delaying the flight out of Austin by an additional 2 hours with a new arrival time of 7:06pm. The flight was then delayed further to 6pm and subsequently 7:30pm arriving in New Orleans at 9:15pm. I had to scramble a book my family on a different airline at additional cost to arrive in New Orleans on time. I initially spoke to an agent who attempted to tell me that there were weather issues in Baltimore (which there were not) and other cities which caused delays throughout the system and there was nothing he could do. After two more delays i called back and waited in queue for over 30 minutes and did not speak with anyone. What was supposed to be a two day trip for my family will end up being a trip of less than 24 hours if i cannot manage to change the return flight.

Developer Response ,

Our apologies for the travel challenges you encountered. Our Customer Relations team would Ike to know more so we can research this situation. When you have a moment could you please Email Us your flight details and circumstances of your trip cancellation. That way one of our Cohearts can see if there is anything else we may be able do for you. Look for the Email Us option under Contact Us in menu in the app. Or you can go here https://support.southwest.com/email-us/s/ My apologies again for this trip. We do hope we can make it up to you on your next Southwest flight. With LUV, Mark

Southwest my Goto Airline

Southwest is my Goto Airline! Southwest (SW) has been my Goto airlines for the past 14 years since my oldest daughter starting traveling for Debate competitions and my other children followed. SW’s customer service has always been on point, helpful, and quick service-faster than most. They are a passenger friendly service with luggage + carryon, airfare + exchanges! They still put the passenger/customer needs a part of the equation when you are PLANNING a trip! Keyword here “planning.” Most of us don’t always know what outcomes of our trips may be. Take a college student athlete graduating.. that student could have a date for you, so you purchase the tickets in advance in order to get the best pricing. Four weeks later the college changes the date of graduation, and you are left with only 2-3 wks before the new graduation date, having to change all your plans! SW, has always helped us with unexpected changes w/o penalizing with outrageous fees for things we couldn’t prevent or needed to change. Thanks Southwest for being our No.1, Goto Airline Service. I am grateful for all your service. I am grateful you service the needs of your customers where possible and being there to help. Denise

Southwest Airline Customer Service

The service I experienced in the last 48-72 hours has been horrific. My daughter is a chronic asthma patient and her rescue pump is in our luggage. Our flights were canceled Christmas Eve in Chicago. I requested our luggage and made all management and staff aware of my daughters medical condition. We waited for 12 hours and was told come back Christmas Day. We had to stay at a hotel and Uber back and forth. I went to the airport 4 times on Christmas Day and was told to pick my luggage up Tuesday morning. Well Tuesday morning I’m being told my bags are in New York and they can fly them back but can’t guarantee when they will arrive because my baggage weight size. I asked to be flown to get my bags because my daughter has not had her lump since Christmas Eve at 6am. I was told it’s the weather fault and I will not be able to receive a travel voucher or anything I would be fully responsible to fly myself to retrieve my luggage. I had to book with multiple airlines just to possible retrieve my items. I have spoke to over 30 Southwest employees all told me something different and never offered any real solution. I’m a single parent and taking my daughter to New York for Christmas is something I saved for over the last few months. To having to exhaust our resources to attempt to retrieve her medication and Christmas gifts which are in our luggage. I haven’t even received a simple apology. Please do not check your luggage if you must fly southwest.

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If you're new around here, we're so happy to have you. Flying with us is easy and fun—this guide is your one-stop shop for doing things the Southwest way.

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Southwest is one of the most popular airlines to fly in the U.S., partially because it offers a generous cancellation and flight change policy. However, depending upon the ticket you buy, you may receive travel funds instead of a cash refund in the event your flight plans change.

Here's how to use Southwest travel funds.

How do you get Southwest travel funds?

Thanks to its no-fee change/cancellation policy, Southwest provides a full refund or issues travel funds to your account. To benefit from this generous policy, you must cancel your flight at least 10 minutes before departure.

Here’s how to determine what kind of refund you’ll get:

You get a full refund to your original payment method when you book Anytime or Business Select tickets.

You get travel funds when you book Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus tickets. If you use Rapid Rewards points, they will be returned to your Southwest account. Any refunded taxes will go to your travel funds.

Business Select and Anytime fares offer the most flexibility, but they also cost more than Wanna Get Away fares. Wanna Get Away fares, on the other hand, offer the lowest prices. But if you need to cancel or choose to rebook to a lower-priced flight , your only choice is to receive travel funds — cash refunds aren't on the table.

» Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards program: the complete guide

Where can you see your travel funds balance?

When you log in to your Rapid Rewards loyalty account, your travel funds appear at the top of the "My Account" screen.

This shows the total available travel funds that you have, but it does not provide the details. You need to click on "View Details" to see the balance of the individual travel fund reservations. Here, you find the expiration date and balance for each reservation. As of July 28, 2022, any unexpired funds and any funds created from there on out will no longer expire. Southwest is updating their system, so for the time being, an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2040, will be displayed in the expiration field. Eventually, that field will go away altogether.

If you don't have a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards account, booked a flight that didn't have your loyalty number attached to it or have travel funds from a special purchase ticket, then you'll need to track them manually. Signing up for a Rapid Rewards account is free to do.

Unfortunately, you cannot manually add travel funds to your profile. To track your travel funds manually, visit the " Check Travel Funds " page on Southwest's website. You'll need to provide the passenger's first and last name plus the confirmation number from the reservation. On this page, you can also check the balance of Southwest LUV vouchers and gift cards.

» Learn more: Don't just redeem miles — redeem them wisely. Here's how

What can I do if my travel funds have expired?

While unexpired funds and newly created funds no longer have an expiration date as of July 28, 2022, what if you have travel funds that expired just before this change in policy? According to the Southwest Community message boards, your one hope is to call customer service within six months of the expiration and ask them to reinstate your travel funds as a LUV voucher. The LUV voucher will be good for another six months from the date of your call. Southwest charges $100 for this one-time extension and it comes out of your travel funds.

» Learn more: Southwest Airlines sweet spots

What can Southwest travel funds be used for?

Travel funds from Southwest can be used to book any available cash flight or to pay for the taxes and fees on award flights. They are treated like cash and can be used to pay for some or all of the amount owed. If you don't use all of the travel funds for the reservation, any remaining balance remains for future use.

» Learn more: Your guide to booking award flights on Southwest

Can I use Southwest travel fund for someone else?

Your travel funds can be transferred to someone else with a Rapid Rewards account if you bought a a Business Select , Anytime or Wanna Get Away Plus fare. That person would have to book their own flight using the travel fund, though. You won't be able to use your travel fund to book for someone else. Wanna Get Away fares are not eligible to transferred, so they can only be used by the ticketed passenger.

4 steps to book a flight with Southwest travel funds

Your travel funds can be used to book flights online, over the phone or at a Southwest Airlines ticket counter. For this illustration, we'll focus on booking a reservation online.

1. Have your original ticket confirmation number handy

Before booking a reservation, print out or write down the travel funds reservation number(s) that you'd like to use. Southwest's website does not allow you to choose from a list during booking.

2. Browse and select your flights

During the booking process, you'll select your travel dates, cities and times as normal.

3. Apply your travel funds

When you arrive at the "Passenger & Payment Info" page, click to expand the "Apply Travel Funds, LUV Vouchers and gift cards" section. Here is where you'll enter your travel funds' confirmation number and your first and last name before clicking "Apply funds." Then, continue the booking process as normal and pay any remaining balance owed with your preferred form of payment, such as the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card .

Again, you may use your travel funds for cash fares or to pay the taxes and fees on award tickets.

Remember, travel funds from other passengers may not be applied to your ticket.

4. Get confirmation

Now that you've filled out all of the necessary information and remitted payment with your travel fund, you should see a confirmation email pop up in your inbox.

» Learn more: Is a Southwest credit card worth it?

Using Southwest travel funds

Southwest travel funds are typically created when you cancel or change a Wanna Get Away reservation. They are automatically added to your account when you attach your Rapid Rewards number to the reservation before it is canceled. These funds can be used to book cash or award travel, and any unused amount from your new reservation can be used on a future flight.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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The Top 13 Destinations in the Southwestern US

Jamie Killin is a freelance contributor to TripSavvy. She began writing for the site in July 2020. She is an experienced cuisine and travel writer whose work has been published by national media outlets including Business Insider and Thrillist. 

The American Southwest, often known to the rest of the world more for its Old West history than its incredible natural sights, is a sprawling region from Arizona to Oklahoma that’s home to lakes, caves, meteor sites, canyons and one-of-a-kind rock formations unlike those found anywhere else on the planet.

The Grand Canyon alone boasts nearly five million visitors from across the globe every year, but there are several other notable sites yet to be discovered by ambitious travelers. From the avid adventurers to the casual explorers, most southwest destinations offer something for everyone – from strenuous hikes and gravity defying bridges to million-year-old histories.

Here are just a few of the top destinations the region has to offer.

Horseshoe Bend

TripSavvy / Kathleen Messmer 

The cliff above Horseshoe Bend near the northern border of Arizona offers a look at one of the most iconic views of the southwest where the Colorado River bends around a massive rock formation. It is accessible by a short, yet steep, hike. While most visitors hike up to view the thousand-foot drop, it is also possible to view the natural wonder with a 30-minute scenic flight or Colorado River rafting trip.

Grand Canyon

TripSavvy / Alisha McDarris

The Grand Canyon, housed in Arizona, is one of the most visited attractions in the United States. The canyon was formed by The Colorado River over the course of millions of years, creating a formation that is 277 miles long, and in some places up to 18 miles wide. The canyon offers tours for every interest and activity level, from helicopter tours, bus tours, and bike tours to raft trips and hikes. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is another extremely popular way to discover the canyon, offering a thrilling way to look down into the canyon through a glass walkway.

Monument Valley

TripSavvy / Lauren Breedlove 

Monument Valley on the Utah-Arizona border is home to some of the best-known rock formations in the Southwest, including the Mitten Buttes. The most popular way to experience the views is with the Valley Drive, a 17-mile dirt and gravel driving loop that can be self-driven without four-wheel drive. The other self-guided option is the Wildcat Trail hike, which is a 3.2-mile loop circling some of Monument Valley’s most popular buttes. There are also guided driving tours and hiking tours that explore less-traveled areas within Monument Valley.

Meteor Crater

Meteor Crater is the world’s best-preserved meteorite impact site, giving visitors an up-close look at the 550-foot deep and nearly mile-wide hole left by a meteor crash approximately 50,000 years ago. Guests visiting the Arizona attraction can explore the crater on their own or learn the extensive history of the unique attraction through an interactive guided tour.

Cathedral Rock

Cathedral Rock is a 5,000-foot red rock formation in Sedona, Arizona, that has become one of the nation’s most photographed sites thanks to its majestic view and vibrant red coloring. The best way to experience the rock formation is by taking the short, moderately difficult 1.2-mile Cathedral Rock Trail hike.

Turner Falls

Turner Falls is Oklahoma’s largest waterfall offering stunning views, hiking trails, swimming areas, and even camping. While it’s most popular for summer recreation trips, it’s open during the winter months as well. You don’t need a tour of the falls to enjoy the incredible views, however there is a per-person, per-day cost to enter.

Royal Gorge

The Royal Gorge in central Colorado is a stunning, 1,200-foot deep and 10-mile long canyon naturally formed by the Arkansas River, that in recent years has been turned into a family-friendly amusement park. Visitors can immerse themselves in the gorge’s natural splendor thanks to a nearly 100-year-old bridge, as well as the peaceful aerial gondolas, a rollercoaster dubbed the “World’s Scariest Skycoaster,” and the thrilling Cloud Scraper Zipline positioned 1,200 feet above ground.

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake within Glenwood Canyon is one of Colorado’s many natural wonders, known for its picturesque waterfalls flowing into an astonishingly clear lake formed by travertine to create a beautiful and geologically rare sight. Due to the fragility of the lake’s ecosystem, a permit is required to hike. The hike is short at about a mile, but not particularly easy due to the canyon’s steep and rocky terrain.

Caddo Lake on the eastern border of Texas is known for its unique and majestic views, amplified by its surrounding bald cypress trees draped with Spanish moss. Visitors can come for the day, set up camp, or rent a historic cabin to enjoy the variety of activities offered by the 26-thousand-acre lake. From easy hikes, to fishing and boat tours, there’s a lot to do around Caddo Lake, which is also known for its extensive wildlife.

Carlsbad Caverns

The Carlsbad Caverns in southern New Mexico comprise more than 119 underground caves naturally formed by dissolved limestone. The awe-inspiring caves feature several areas to explore, with one of the most memorable being dubbed ‘Big Room’ which is 4,000 feet long and more than 600 feet wide. It is currently known as the fifth largest chamber in North America. To explore the 46,000 plus acres of caves, visitors can opt for self-guided access, audio guides or ranger-guided tours.

Jacob’s Well

Jacob’s Well is an approximately 13-foot-wide and 140-foot-deep underground cave in Hays County Texas, known for its dangerous diving conditions and breathtaking beauty. The almost perfectly circular natural well serves as a great place for tourists and native Texans alike to cool off in the 68-degree water and enjoy the outdoors during the summer. Entrance to the 81-acre natural area is free but expect to pay a swimming fee to fully enjoy the well during peak season. During the winter months, morning guided tours are available.

Valles Caldera

Valles Caldera in northern New Mexico is a 13-mile wide, circular depression caused by a volcanic eruption more than a million years ago. Today, it’s known for its seemingly endless meadows, winding streams and extensive wildlife. The area offers several hikes as well as biking, camping, fishing, horseback riding, and hunting. To learn more about the history of Valles Caldera, visitors can enjoy park ranger-led tours, or opt for a tour offered by one of the area’s outside agencies.

Antelope Canyon

TripSavvy / Lauren Breedlove

Antelope Canyon on the border of Utah and Arizona is one of the world’s most photographed natural wonders, known for its wave-like rock formations created by millions of years of water erosion. It is only possible to visit Antelope Canyon with a guided tour from one of the several authorized tour operators. Visitors can opt for the upper or lower canyon tours, either regular guided tours or photography tours. The lower canyon tours are generally less popular, as they are longer and provide fewer light beams. For the best views at either canyon, it’s recommended to visit during the summer months.

Sedona and Grand Canyon One and Two Day Tours

How to Travel From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by Car, Plane, and Helicopter

The Best National Parks Near Las Vegas

Grand Canyon National Park: The Complete Guide

Best of the West: Top Tourist Destinations

The 10 Best Hikes in Arizona

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Arizona's Hidden and Secret Canyons

How to Travel from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by Car, Bus, Helicopter, or Plane

19 Top Natural Attractions in the United States

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: The Complete Guide

13 Amazing Trips to Take Before You Turn 40

The Best Beach in Every State

Nathan Yan / Stocksy United

The Southwest

Rugged. Beautiful. And fun. The Southwest is the ultimate playground, luring adventurers with red-rock canyons, Wild West legends and the kicky delights of green chile stew.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Owned by the eponymous Hollywood studio, the MGM Grand casino and hotel liberally borrows Tinsel Town's themes. Flashing LED screens and computerized…

Chapel of the Holy Cross

If you glance east when driving Sedona’s Red Rock Scenic Byway, a slender structure seemingly welded into the sandstone might catch your eye. Towering…

The STRAT Hotel, Casino and SkyPod

Vegas has many buildings more than 20 storeys tall, but only Stratosphere (now officially The STRAT Hotel, Casino and SkyPod, but still 'the Strat' to…

Mandalay Bay

Angular and glittering gold, massive Mandalay Bay flanks the far south end of the Strip. It's the first resort many visitors lay eyes on as they roll into…

LINQ Promenade

Running between The LINQ Hotel & Casino and the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, the LINQ Promenade is a partially-covered outdoor pedestrian walkway…

The myth and mystique of mobsters from Bugsy Siegel to Al Capone get the museum treatment inside a hulking Downtown courthouse where real gangsters sat…

Saguaro National Park

Saguaros (sah-wah-ros) are icons of the American Southwest, and an entire cactus army of these majestic, ribbed sentinels is protected in this desert…

Goblin Valley State Park

Southeastern Utah

A Salvador Dalí–esque melted-rock fantasy, a valley of giant stone mushrooms, an otherworldly alien landscape or the results of a cosmological acid trip?…

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Getting a Prime Seat Assignment on Southwest Just Got More Expensive

The popular airline just increased prices for early check-in and boarding.

Courtesy of Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines has increased the cost of its early check-in and upgraded boarding services, making it a bit pricier for travelers to guarantee the seat they want.

The airline will now charge customers $15 to $99 each way per passenger for EarlyBird Check-in, according to the airline’s optional charges chart , and $30 to $149 per segment, per passenger for Upgraded Boarding. The cost will still vary based on the flight length and demand, a representative for Southwest confirmed to Travel + Leisure.

The new price is significantly higher than the previous cost of $15 to $25 for early check-in and $30 to $80 for upgraded boarding, airline site One Mile at a Time reported .

A representative for Southwest told T+L the decision to increase prices was part of the airline’s regular evaluation of pricing for ancillary products based on market trends and customer demand.

Southwest first started limiting the popular EarlyBird Check-In feature last year as part of a number of changes it implemented in an effort to “modernize” the customer experience. As part of that policy, the airline limited the number of EarlyBird Check-In spots available to purchase on certain flights, routes, or days.

Travelers who do purchase the service are automatically checked in for their flight before the airline’s typical 24-hour check-in period. This ensures a more desirable boarding slot since Southwest doesn’t assign seats and instead offers "open seating," assigning travelers a boarding group (A, B, or C) and a position (1 through 60 or more) when they check in.

Travelers who pay for Upgraded Boarding — a service Southwest first introduced in 2022 — have the option to improve their boarding number when checking in. Passengers who take advantage of this feature receive a boarding assignment position from A1 to A15, becoming the first customers to board and receive first dibs on the seat they want along with the chance at coveted overhead bin space.

The decision to increase the cost of these extra perks came as Southwest made its flights available to view on Google Flights . Travelers must still book on the airline’s website.

The airline has also been kicking around the idea of changing its open seat policy in general with CEO Bob Jordan previously saying the carrier was “looking at new initiatives, the way we seat and the way we board our aircraft.”

Related Articles

Southwest Airlines flights face numerous delays from 'brief' power outage

Southwest Airlines experienced a short computer outage Wednesday afternoon amid severe weather affecting the central and eastern U.S. that resulted in numerous flight delays, according to the carrier.

The airline said it "resolved a brief technology issue that was caused by a power outage at one of our data centers in the Dallas area this afternoon" in an email statement to USA TODAY.

"While we were able to continue overall operations, some flights across the system were delayed while our teams addressed the outage and restarted systems," the airline continued.

"We apologize to our customers and appreciate their patience as we work to get them to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible."

As of 6:30 p.m., 32%, or 1,311 of Southwest's flights were delayed on Wednesday, according to FlightAware .

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Flight delayed or canceled? What you're owed if your flight is affected by weather.

Why is this getting attention?

Southwest’s technology has been under a microscope for years because of a previous meltdown. Over the winter holidays in 2022-2023, weather delays and backend technology issues conspired to cause a true meltdown for the airline. During a 10-day period in December 2022, the airline canceled nearly 17,000 flights, stranding  passengers and baggage  all around the country.

Since then, Southwest’s leadership has  promised  technology upgrades and other improvements to the airline’s operating procedures to prevent a similar issue from happening again, but any time the words “Southwest Airlines” and “technology” appear together on social media, it leads the internet to speculate if another meltdown is happening.

For its part, the airline said it was able to maintain its overall operations after this outage and is working to get flights that were affected back on track. 

At long last, Southwest is now part of Google Flights

Southwest said it is “piloting” a partnership with Google.

At last, there’s more to “luv” with Google Flights: Southwest Airlines is now part of the search engine.

While Google’s flight search engine is one of the most powerful tools to shop for airfare, historically, it has been hampered by a lack of Southwest flights. This prevented users from having complete view of airfares to their desired destination.

But don’t blame Google for that. The Dallas-based carrier has long held out on displaying or selling fares through online travel agencies and search aggregators. (One exception has been Southwest’s relationship with Chase, allowing select credit cardholders to book flights through the Chase Travel portal.)

However, Southwest is now making a major digital pivot with far-reaching implications across the airline industry. As of May 22, the airline’s fares display on Google Flights search results, just like all the other major U.S. carriers.

Southwest said in a statement that it is “piloting” a partnership with Google, making it “possible for Google Flights users to compare different fare options and click directly into Southwest.com to book their selected itinerary.”

Displaying results on Google Flights is yet another evolution for an airline that has built loyalty for decades in part by marching to the beat of its drum. Last month, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said the carrier is “very seriously studying” potential alternatives to its long-standing open seat policy. The airline also plans to finally introduce red-eye flights in the coming years.

What Southwest on Google Flights means for travelers

In practice, travelers can now easily compare flight pricing across carriers in one glance. That’s a boon for deal seekers everywhere, said Kyle Potter, executive editor at deals site Thrifty Traveler .

“I really think this is seismic for Southwest, for Google Flights and for travelers nationwide,” he said. Southwest didn’t list its fares for sale through Google or almost any other site by design: It didn’t want to put loyalty in the hands of an intermediary.

Previously, the only option to book Southwest flights was directly on the airline’s website or app. Therefore, the biggest impact will be on travelers who didn’t usually consider the carrier.

“This gives Southwest much more visibility with those who are just starting their search for flights and didn’t realize they needed to check Southwest.com separately,” added Potter.

Meanwhile, Southwest loyalists can leverage a powerful Google Flights price-tracking tool . With no change or cancellation fees, fliers can toggle the “track prices” button and be alerted by email if fares drop, even after they’ve booked. By canceling and rebooking their Southwest flight, shoppers can receive a fare credit for the cheaper itinerary.

But don’t expect the Google Flights news to signal future plans: Southwest says it doesn’t intend to go all in on third-party travel websites. “Google Flights is not a booking engine and this isn’t a move into or toward online travel agencies,” a carrier spokesperson conveyed.

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.

How Southwest Business Is Simplifying Corporate Air Travel Management

Southwest Business + Skift

May 29th, 2024 at 10:00 AM EDT

As business travel approaches pre-pandemic levels, Southwest Business is streamlining corporate air travel management. By enhancing booking systems, introducing a self-service portal, and maintaining dedicated support, Southwest aims to ensure flexibility and efficiency for travel managers and travelers alike.

Southwest Business

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Business travel is back — well, almost. According to Skift Research , business travel will reach 95 percent of its pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024. This resurgence marks a significant recovery for corporate travel, which had been lagging behind leisure travel. 

In this resurgent landscape, travel managers have become more critical than ever in streamlining the air booking process, ensuring it aligns with company policies while seeking solutions that simplify management tasks and maintain compliance. 

Southwest Airlines has continued to expand its services within the business travel sector to help travel managers achieve their goals, offering enhanced capabilities to book, modify, and manage flights through multiple distribution channels, including global distribution systems (GDS), direct connect application programming interfaces (API), and its own proprietary booking platform, SWABIZ. 

“Anticipating the growth in business travel this year allowed us to move forward with many key enhancements to enable travel managers to manage their Southwest travel programs better,” said Ryan Green, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Southwest Business. “Our goal is to make business travel simple and easy for everyone involved — and for travel managers, that starts by offering flexible self-service options, customizable programs, and robust tools to simplify program management.”

A Flexible and User-Friendly Self-Service Portal 

Leaning into flexibility led Southwest Business to create a self-service portal in 2022, Southwest Business Assist , which enables travel managers to manage travel more autonomously, reducing friction and improving the customer experience. The unified portal is a “one-stop shop” for travel managers to oversee travel agreements, handle requests, track funds and credits, and stay updated with promotional content. 

“With the rise of hybrid work environments and blended travel scenarios, our priority for Southwest Business Assist is to remove friction and provide as much flexibility for travel managers as possible,” Green said. “Since launching the portal, we have continually added new functionality, including improved reporting, more in-depth dashboards, sustainability tracking, and the ability to contract and book travel for meetings and events.”

As unique corporate travel opportunities emerge, Southwest Business Assist provides actionable insights and user-friendly tools that support travel managers in managing complex travel programs and situations, extensive reporting requirements, and duty-of-care responsibilities. 

“Southwest Business Assist is a valuable tool in my travel manager toolkit,” said Sabrina Kronk, travel manager of a university that works with Southwest Business. “It gives me a near real-time overview of all that’s happening in my travel program. Every day, there’s a plot twist or multiple plot twists, so having partners that support me when something unexpected happens is essential.”

Simple Contracts and Multichannel Distribution 

According to Green, another key differentiator for Southwest Business is its emphasis on simple, straightforward, and easy-to-understand contract terms, reflecting a move away from complex agreements and restrictive policies. 

“We put customers first in every aspect of the travel experience, and this extends to everything a corporate travel program entails, including contract simplicity and offering diverse channel options,” Green said. “Our goal is to continue differentiating ourselves by removing friction in this space while bringing flexible, unique offerings to the marketplace to meet those needs and make it easier to do business.” 

Kronk appreciates the flexible terms outlined in her contract with Southwest Business, which allows refunds on non-refundable tickets if necessary and lets her change the name on a ticket to allow a different person within her organization to travel if the original attendee cannot.

“These may seem like simple tasks, but having the ability to leverage these options within our contracts is incredibly valuable,” Kronk said. “We also appreciate that Southwest offers multiple booking channels — having all those flights in the GDS is incredibly important for us because it keeps everyone in compliance.” 

Dedicated Support for Travel Managers

At a time when some airlines are scaling back or even eliminating their sales teams, Southwest Business remains committed to offering dedicated account manager support for travel managers. 

“Our team of trusted advisors significantly contributes to creating a more efficient and supportive environment for corporate travel managers,” Green said. “Team members are readily available to help travel managers address any issues or concerns that may arise before, during, or after travel occurs.” 

In addition to the human hospitality found within those support teams, the digital tools offered by Southwest Business Assist provide comprehensive insight and analytics in near real-time, so travel managers can make necessary data-driven decisions and manage their travel programs more effectively. 

“By streamlining those administrative tasks and offering robust reporting options, these tools alleviate the burden on travel managers and allow them to focus on their more important duty-of-care responsibilities,” Green said.

What’s Next for Southwest Business? 

With more business travelers getting back on the road this year, Southwest Business continues to develop additional tools, capabilities, and enhancements designed to meet the ever-evolving needs of those managing their company’s travel.

“Before we take on any initiative or pursue new capabilities, we seek feedback from customers to better understand their needs,” Green said. “For example, we’re working on a revamped tool to make booking groups easier and more manageable. Enterprise-wide, we’re hard at work adding in-seat power and larger overhead bins, and improving our digital hospitality for customers with new features on our app, including tracking bags and listing to fly standby on earlier flights. These combined investments support our goal to be trusted travel partners for businesses across the country as we work to design flexible solutions that fit their needs.” 

To learn more about which business travel offerings are right for you, click here .

This content was created collaboratively by Southwest Business and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX .

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: airlines , business travel , SkiftX Creative Studio , SkiftX Showcase: Technology , southwest business , travel managers