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Southwest Airlines Community

New fare class

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/12/08/southwest-airlines-introducing-new-far...

 

Okay, now I'm really curious. I'm not really sure what people get out of Anytime fares. What could they possibly have for a new fare class between WGA and Anytime fares without taking away from any other fare class???

8 REPLIES 8

Re: New fare class

floridaguy
Aviator C

I'd like unlimited preboarding.

Re: New fare class

bec102896
Aviator A

My first guess is extra points 

My second guess is an extra bag (in case 2 free isn't enough) maybe priority bag delivery would become a thing? 

Maybe EB check in included in some fashion (if that happened they would have to add that to the anytime fare as well) 

 

I just hope they don't end up taking benefits away or make it harder for A List folks to use benefits if they do add some form of auto check in perk or same day standby perk or any perk for that matter. 

 

I'm also curious how much higher that price will be from wanna get away to new fare cat. Compared to anytime 

 

-Blake

Re: New fare class

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Some companies require employees purchase the lowest refundable coach fare, ie. Anytime. Most won't allow Business Select under the misconception that it's a business-class seat. (When I was under that requirement for client-paid travel I would upgrade to BS at the airport, paying the difference myself in order to earn more points and board A1-15.)

 

I don't think Southwest will do anything to subvert what they are known for (no change fees, bags fly free, etc.). I'm suspecting WGA slightly loses benefits (maybe only 1 bag, less points earnings) while the "new" fare keeps the existing benefits, and also adds things like more flexible travel funds, higher points, and/or some other benefit. Essentially ending up with a new fare structure where the lowest retains WGA's prices and the new fare has an increased cost above WGA but below Anytime.

 

 

Re: New fare class

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

@chgoflyer (When I was under that requirement for client-paid travel I would upgrade to BS at the airport, paying the difference myself in order to earn more points and board A1-15.)

 

I like your style! 

 

-A List, Companion Pass holder

Re: New fare class

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@elijahbrantley wrote:

@chgoflyer (When I was under that requirement for client-paid travel I would upgrade to BS at the airport, paying the difference myself in order to earn more points and board A1-15.)

 

I like your style! 

 


Have totally done this as well even from a WGA fare if it was getting to the end of the year and I needed to make up some progress on points. Only the upgraded portion of the fee was refundable though in the more recent times, and I believe originally the whole fare would forfeit the refundability as a "change" into the BS fare class but I forget exactly. I know I changed a BS fare once instead of refund and rebook which was a mistake that ended up fine.

 

Anytime stinks for not much more money you get the 12x instead of 10x, plus the boarding position, plus back in the old days a Turkey and Ginger. 

 

Ironically as a follow up to that other thread though, your companion would get sequential boarding with you as Anytime but not as BS so I guess there is that right now with the new CP rules.

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: New fare class

jksobonya
Aviator A

Ooh interesting! Excited to learn more about this new fare option, this has been on the rumor mill for so long and it's finally happening!

 

--Jessica

Re: New fare class

aMomTo6
Adventurer B

This is all very interesting speculation. 

 

I am very curious to see where SWA is going with this. My guess is that it won't be something as simple as providing another free bag.  Two free bags is already far above competitors. 

 

After reading these ideas here I am thinking something more along the line of a ticket that included Early Bird Check In. That's probably the one defining line that they have with other airlines and the most stress inducing issue for infrequent SWA travelers.

 

And/or something that involves reimbursement of original form of payment instead of being reimbursed in travel funds. 

Re: New fare class

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

I found an interesting new data point. As stated in the article, the new fare will be slotted between WGA and Anytime, and it would not take anything away from any other fare class. Apparently, Southwest also says that they will be increasing the benefits tied to BS, Anytime, and WGA fares. Okay, now I'm truly stumped. If they had said "enhancing", I'd jokingly say that it was a euphemism, but the word used was "increasing".