NEW
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.
*Flight credits unexpired on or created on or after July 28, 2022, do not expire and will show an expiration date until our systems are updated. See full details here.
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. New initiatives, including upgraded WiFi, in-seat power, and larger overhead bins, combined with recent enhancements, aim to transform your experience from booking to boarding and beyond.
Learn more about our plans for upgraded WiFi, in-seat USB-A and USB-C power ports, bigger overhead bins, and more.
Learn more ›Discover new and upcoming online enhancements including Upgraded Boarding.
Learn more ›Explore updates to My Account, payment options, and priority boarding with A-List and A-List Preferred status holders.
Learn more ›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:
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 aircraft beginning in 2023. Once installed, these aircraft will feature:
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. The larger overhead bins will be installed on aircraft deliveries beginning early next year.
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:
Get out of line and onto flights with these upcoming online self-service solutions, accessible on your mobile phone, app, or desktop.
Since 2019, our online self-service modifications gave 1.3 million Customers more flexibility after booking their travel. These updates included:
My Account is your one-stop-shop for managing your booked travel, especially after these recent updates that include:
Pay your way online or onboard with flexible payment options:
Flight credits
*Flight credits for non-refundable fares will be issued as long as the flight is cancelled more than 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. Flight credits unexpired on or created on or after July 28, 2022, do not expire and will show an expiration date of 12/31/2040 until our systems are updated. A flight credit with an expiration date on or before July 27, 2022, is expired in accordance with its existing expiration date. See My Account for flight credit expiration dates, if any.
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, profitsharing, and special items, in the low single digits range, and average annual capital spending of approximately $3.5 billion.
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.
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 Wanna Get Away Plus; (iv) the Company’s plans and expectations with respect to winning new Customers; (v) the Company's fleet plans with respect to updated WiFi, power ports, and bin space; (vi) the Company's expectations regarding Customer self-service capabilities and associated productivity benefits for Company Employees; (vii) the Company's expectations regarding its onboard menu and entertainment options; (viii) the Company's financial and operational outlook, expectations, and projected results of operations, including factors and assumptions underlying the Company's expectations and projections; and (ix) the Company’s plans and expectations related to capital spending. 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.