Southwest Airlines is famous for its low-cost model for flights within the U.S. Having a mostly bare-bones product, Southwest offers usually low-cost fares in conjunction with open seating on its aircraft, free checked bags, and no change fees.
Now, Southwest has introduced a new Wanna Get Away Plus fare product, designed to bridge the gap between cheap leisure travelers and those purchasing more expensive business fares.
What’s Changed?
Southwest had previously announced that it would be adding a new fare category to its fare lineup: Wanna Get Away Plus. While Southwest doesn’t offer first class or a true premium product, it does have 3 existing fares that include various different perks.
- Wanna Get Away is Southwest’s cheapest fare category. It includes free changes to tickets, but all tickets are nonrefundable.
- Anytime customers get a fully refundable ticket and the price is considerably more than Wanna Get Away tickets. Along with the flexibility, you can same-day standby or change flights at no additional charge.
- Business Select is the premium ticket on Southwest, and while you aren’t receiving a wider seat, you do get A1-15 boarding guaranteed, a complimentary drink, and expedited baggage handling.
Here are the main inclusions passengers will expect with the new Wanna Get Away Plus level:
- Same-day standby ability
- Same-day confirmed changes, which is helpful if you want to catch an earlier or later flight
- Ability to transfer your flight credit to another person, if you’re a Rapid Rewards member
- 8x the fare points earning
Southwest has added an additional fare category to the ticket purchase process. Image Credit: Southwest
Detailed Southwest Fare Class Comparison
Southwest has shared the differences between each of its fare products in this handy chart:
|
Business Select |
Anytime |
Wanna Get Away Plus |
Wanna Get Away |
| Rapid Rewards Earning Formula |
12x fare |
10x fare |
8x fare |
6x fare |
| 2 Bags Fly Free |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
| No Fees to Change or Cancel |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
| Flight Credit if You Cancel (For up to 12 Months) |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
| Transferable Flight Credit for Rapid Rewards Members |
✔ (New) |
✔ (New) |
✔ (New) |
N/A |
| Same-day Confirmed Change |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ (New) |
Fare difference may apply |
| Same-day Standby List |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ (New) |
Fare difference may apply |
| Refundable |
✔ |
✔ |
N/A |
N/A |
| Priority and Express Lanes |
✔ |
✔ (New) |
N/A |
N/A |
| Automatic Check-in |
A1-A15 Priority boarding |
(New) EarlyBird included |
$ |
$ |
| Premium Drink (On Flights 176 Miles or More) |
✔ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Why the Changes?
Southwest is moving to charging more fees for more services it provides, compensating for the fact that it doesn’t earn that revenue in other places. For example, most airlines charge for seat assignments, or, at the very least, better seat assignments. At Southwest, however, there is an open seating policy, and so the vast majority of seats are chosen without any sort of payment, except for passengers who choose an A1-15 boarding position, who are at least guaranteed a decent seat wherever they’d like.
As one of the only airlines that doesn’t charge for checked bags, Southwest sees that as a reason people go out of the way to book its fares. While the fares are sometimes lower, they aren’t always, and there are plenty of examples where they remain either competitive or more expensive over traditional legacy carriers.
Example Pricing
On a random search for mid-October 2022, on a typical Baltimore (BWI) to Los Angeles (LAX), Wanna Get Away Plus fares are approximately $30 higher than the lowest Wanna Get Away fare. Pricing isn’t too terribly high than the cheapest fares, so travelers will want to consider if the benefits are worth it.
Final Thoughts
Southwest’s new fare category is now live — the Wanna Get Away Plus category. This fare product will be great for travelers who need flexibility in their tickets with same-day standby and changes, and will also allow for more points to be earned.
Featured Image Credit:
Southwest Airlines
