We're transforming your Customer Experience.
We have a plan to bring the next generation of Customer Experience in travel through more than two billion dollars in planned investments. Why? Because we’re the airline with Heart. In addition to the initiatives we launched in 2022, we’re continuing to increase your self-service options, launching the ability for you to track your bags, and implementing more real-time, day-of-travel communication. We’re always looking for new ways to transform your experience from booking to baggage claim and beyond.
From booking to baggage claim and beyond
Day-of-travel experience
Learn more about upgraded WiFi, in-seat power, bigger overhead bins, inflight entertainment, and more.
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From in line to online
See how our new and upcoming self-service solutions can streamline the way you travel.
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Flexibility on the fly
Enjoy even more flexibility when you fly Southwest® with flight credits that don’t expire, updates to My Account, and new ways to pay online and onboard.
Learn more ›Enhancing your day-of-travel experience
WiFi: Commitment to connectivity
We’re investing in our inflight WiFi connectivity and bandwidth to improve your ability to stay connected in the air to what’s important and accessible to you on the ground. Here’s how:
Leaping to the latest in-seat power
Whether you’re keeping the kids entertained or working to complete an important presentation, you could use more power. That is why we plan to bring the convenience of in-seat power onboard new aircraft deliveries beginning in summer of 2023. We will make power a standard feature for new aircraft, and these aircraft will feature:
Bin here, bin there—now with larger overhead bins
We want to help you keep your carryon bags closer. That’s why, alongside our famous bags fly free®1 promise that provides every Customer onboard a Southwest® flight the option to check two bags for free1, we’re making room in the cabin for carryon items with larger overhead bins that also bring easier access to store and retrieve luggage onboard. Aircraft with larger overhead bins have already been received from Boeing, and we will continue to install them on future aircraft deliveries.
Onboard offerings
From boardrooms to beaches and everywhere in between, no matter your reason for flying, we aim to provide an enjoyable inflight experience. To help make your flight a great one, we’re focusing on:
Food and beverage2
• Improved beverage options: In September 2022, we enhanced our offerings even further by adding hard seltzer, rosé, and more to our alcohol selection3, and in July 2023, we added AHA Sparkling Water and Sprite to our non-alcoholic beverage selection.
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Inflight entertainment
• Double the movies: This summer we’ve doubled the selection4 and now have over 100 movies available in our inflight portal’s free-to-watch movie library.
• Improved movie discovery: We updated our inflight movie page to help you discover more great content to watch.
Airport Experience
New • Easier wayfinding in our airport lobbies: We’re making it easier to navigate the airport lobbies with our new airport signage that will direct you exactly where you need to go. We began our launch in June 2023 and will continue to roll out these signs throughout the year.
From in line to online
On the horizon
Get out of line and onto flights with these upcoming online self-service solutions, accessible on your mobile phone, app, or desktop.
Latest arrivals
Over the last year, we’ve worked hard to put more functionality in your hands with new digital capabilities.
Flexibility on the fly
Flexible flight credits
Flight credits don’t expire: Wanna get away®, but you’re not sure when? We’re making expiring flight credits a thing of the past. Now flight credits are just like Rapid Rewards® points: they don’t expire. Your flight credits are yours to keep.
Transferable Flight Credits™6: Select fares now include Transferable Flight Credits, allowing you to make a one-time transfer to another Rapid Rewards Member. Look for this benefit on our Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime, or Business Select® fares. Transferable Flight Credits don't expire.
Updates to change and cancel
We get it - sometimes plans change. We’re making it easier to go with the flow with updates to our change and cancel process. These include:
Updates to My Account
My Account is your one-stop-shop for managing your booked travel:
Payment flexibility
Pay your way online or onboard with flexible payment options:
The aforementioned investments were included in the Company’s five-year annual targets through 2026 for operating costs and capital spending provided at its Investor Day in December 2021—annual inflation in operating expenses per available seat mile (CASM, or unit costs), excluding fuel, profit-sharing, and special items, in the low single digits range, and average annual capital spending of approximately $3.5 billion.
All Rapid Rewards® rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.
1First and second checked bags. Weight and size limits apply.
2On flights less than 175 miles, food and beverage service will be limited to water only.
3Must be 21 or older to consume alcoholic beverages.
4As of May 2022, there are 56 movies in our library.
5iOS Customers only, branded by Apple as “Preview Flight”
6Transferable Flight Credit™ allows you to transfer your flight credit to someone else. Both must be Rapid Rewards® Members and only one transfer is permitted. For bookings made through a Southwest® Business channel, there is a limitation to transfer only between employees within the organization.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to (i) the Company's expectations with respect to enhanced WiFi and other Customer Experience enhancement initiatives; (ii) the Company's expectations regarding expenditures in connection with Customer Experience enhancement initiatives; (iii) the Company's expectations with respect to its new fare category; (iv) the Company's expectations with respect to investments in its workforce; (v) the Company's expectations with respect to travel recovery; (vi) the Company's fleet plans with respect to updated WiFi, power ports, and bin space; (vii) the Company's expectations with respect to Starlink; (viii) the Company's expectations regarding Customer self-service capabilities; and (ix) the Company's expectations regarding its onboard menu. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current estimates, intentions, beliefs, expectations, goals, strategies, and projections for the future and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) the Company’s dependence on third parties with respect to the Company’s initiatives, strategies, expectations, and goals, and the impact on the Company's operations and results of operations of any third party delays or non-performance; (ii) any negative developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, for example, with respect to the duration, spread, severity, or any recurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic or any new variant strains of the underlying virus; the effectiveness, availability, and usage of COVID-19 vaccines; the impact of government mandates, directives, orders, regulations, and other governmental actions related to COVID-19 on the Company's business plans and its ability to retain key Employees; and the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on overall demand for air travel and the Company's related business plans and decisions; (iii) the Company’s dependence on its workforce, including its ability to employ sufficient numbers of qualified Employees to effectively and efficiently maintain its operations; (iv) the impact of fears or actual outbreaks of other diseases, extreme or severe weather and natural disasters, actions of competitors, fuel prices, consumer perception, economic conditions, fears of terrorism or war, socio-demographic trends, and other factors beyond the Company's control, on consumer behavior and the Company's results of operations and business decisions, plans, strategies, and results; (v) the Company's ability to timely and effectively implement, transition, and maintain the necessary information technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and initiatives; (vi) the impact of governmental regulations and other governmental actions on the Company's business plans and operations; and (vii) other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
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