SOUTHWEST AIRLINES LAUNCHES WANNA GET AWAY PLUS, A NEW FARE INTRODUCING TRANSFERABLE FLIGHT CREDITS AND MORE FLEXIBILITY

Rhea-AI Summary

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has launched a new fare product, Wanna Get Away Plus, aimed at enhancing travel flexibility and customer rewards. Effective May 17, 2022, this fare allows same-day changes and adds transferable flight credits, providing more options for travelers. Customers can earn 8X Rapid Rewards points compared to the standard Wanna Get Away fares. Additionally, benefits have been improved for existing Anytime and Business Select fares, including new perks like EarlyBird Check-In. This launch comes as more customers return to air travel, seeking versatility.

Positive

• Introduction of Wanna Get Away Plus fare enhances flexibility and options for travelers.
• Customers can transfer unused flight credits, increasing fare attractiveness.
• Same-day confirmed change and standby options are now available.
• Enhanced earning potential with 8X Rapid Rewards points compared to standard fares.
• Existing Anytime and Business Select fares receive similar enhancements.

Negative

• None.

New fourth fare adds more flexibility and amplifies benefits of current fares  

DALLAS, May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today announces the launch of Wanna Get Away Plus™, a new fare product that adds more flexibility, options, and rewards to the carrier's fare lineup. Customers can now book a Wanna Get Away Plus fare for all travel on Southwest.com and the Southwest Airlines^® app.

"As travelers increasingly return to the sky, we know that added flexibility and greater choice is more important to our Customers than ever before," said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing, Loyalty, & Products for Southwest Airlines. "With Wanna Get Away Plus, we're thrilled to offer a new low-fare product that enhances Southwest's fare lineup and provides more options for our Customers, while maintaining all of the benefits our Customers know and love about our existing fares, and even adding some new ones."

More Flexibility
In addition to the benefits offered on all Southwest fares, including two free checked bags¹, no change fees², and free TV/movies/messaging³, Wanna Get Away Plus offers transferable flight credit, a new benefit that enables Customers to transfer an eligible unused flight credit to another traveler for future use.⁴

Wanna Get Away Plus provides more flexibility through same-day confirmed change and same-day standby⁵, allowing Customers to make same-day changes to a flight with no price difference in the base fare. Additionally, Customers have more earning power than Wanna Get Away fares with 8X Rapid Rewards^® points.

More Perks
Southwest is also enhancing benefits to its Anytime and Business Select^® fares. These fares now have the same transferable flight credit benefit as Wanna Get Away Plus, and Anytime fares now gain EarlyBird Check-In⁶, Priority Lane⁷, and Express Lane⁸ benefits. Tier Members (A-List /A-List Preferred Customers) now receive same-day confirmed change in addition to same-day standby⁹.

And that's not all. Customers who previously purchased tickets for travel on or after May 17, 2022, experience the new benefits too. This means all Business Select and Anytime tickets automatically receive these perks, and Wanna Get Away^® ticket holders can now upgrade to Wanna Get Away Plus¹⁰.

Check out Southwest's new fare lineup at Southwest.com/WannaGetAwayPlus.

1. Weight and size limits apply
2. Fare difference may apply
3. (Available only on WiFi-enabled aircraft. Limited-time offer. Where available. Only allows access to iMessage and WhatsApp (must be downloaded before the flight.  Due to licensing restrictions, on WiFi-enabled flights, Free Live TV and iHeartRadio may not be available for the full duration of the flight.)
4. Both must be Rapid Rewards Members and only one transfer is permitted. The expiration date is up to12 months from the date the ticket was booked. For bookings made through a Southwest™ Business channel, there is a limitation to transfer only between employees within the organization.
5. Same-day change/Same-day standby: For same-day changes, a confirmed seat, if there's an open seat on a different flight on the same day as your original flight and it's between the same cities, you can book a confirmed seat on the new flight free of airline charges. If there isn't an open seat, ask a Southwest Gate Agent to add you to the same-day standby list. If there are any government taxes and fees associated with these itinerary changes, you will be required to pay those. Your original boarding position is not guaranteed. For both the same-day change and same-day standby benefits, you must change your flight or request to be added to the same-day standby list at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your original flight or the no-show policy will apply.  
6. For Anytime fares purchased between 36 and 24 hours, the boarding position assignment process has begun so this may impact the boarding position assigned to you.  Benefit not available if flight departure is within 24 hours of your flight's scheduled departure.  In an irregular operation situation, the boarding position is not guaranteed.
7. Where available.
8. Where available
9. If there's an open seat on a different flight that departs on the same calendar day as your original flight and it's between the same cities, you can get a seat on the new flight free of airline charges. If there isn't an open seat on this different flight, you can ask a Southwest Gate Agent to add you to the same-day standby list for a flight between the same city pairs that departs on the same calendar day prior to your originally scheduled flight, and you will receive a message if you are cleared on the flight. For both the same-day change and same-day standby benefits, you must change your flight or request to be added to the same-day standby list at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your original flight or the no show policy will apply. Based on the flight status contact preference selected during booking, the message regarding your standby status will be an email or text message with a link to access the boarding pass via the Southwest App, mobile web, or you can visit a Southwest Gate Agent to print off the boarding pass. If there are any government taxes and fees associated with these itinerary changes, you will be required to pay those. Your original boarding position is not guaranteed. Important: These benefits are available only by seeing a Southwest Gate Agent or calling 1-800-FLY-SWA.  If you change your flight through any other channel or to a flight that does not meet the requirements outlined above, you will be responsible for the difference in price. If an A-List or A-List Preferred Member is traveling on a multiple-Passenger reservation, same-day standby and same-day change will not be provided for non-A-List or non-A-List Preferred Members in the same reservation. For A-List and A-List Preferred Members who have also qualified for a Companion Pass®, A-List and A-List Preferred benefits are not available to the Companion unless the Companion is also an A-List or A-List Preferred Member.
10. A fare difference will apply.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.  
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 121 airports across 11 countries. In its 50^th Anniversary in 2021, Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline¹. Based in Dallas and famous for an Employee-first corporate Culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its history. By empowering its nearly 59,000 ² People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among as many as 130 million Customers carried a year. That formula for success brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive years³ of profitability for Southwest Shareholders (NYSE: LUV). Southwest continues to develop tangible steps toward an environmental sustainability goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, including offering an opportunity for Customers to contribute toward helping Southwest offset its carbon emissions. For more information, please visit Southwest.com/wannaoffsetcarbon. Learn more at Southwest.com/citizenship about how Southwest Airlines leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world.   

1. U.S. Dept. of Transportation most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded  
2. fulltime-equivalent active Employees   
3. 1973-2019 annual profitability 

 

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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

FAQ

What is the new fare introduced by Southwest Airlines on May 17, 2022?

The new fare is called Wanna Get Away Plus, which offers enhanced flexibility and options for travelers.

How does Wanna Get Away Plus differ from the standard Wanna Get Away fare?

Wanna Get Away Plus includes features like transferable flight credits and allows same-day confirmed changes without fare differences.

What are the benefits of the Wanna Get Away Plus fare?

Customers can earn 8X Rapid Rewards points, enjoy transferable flight credits, and have access to same-day confirmed change and standby options.

Are existing ticket holders affected by the new fare changes?

Yes, customers who purchased Anytime and Business Select tickets will automatically receive new benefits, and Wanna Get Away ticket holders can upgrade to Wanna Get Away Plus.

What additional perks were added to other Southwest fares?

Anytime and Business Select fares now also feature transferable flight credits, EarlyBird Check-In, and priority lane benefits.