Southwest Airlines Community

As travelers continue returning to the sky, we know that flexibility and ease have become even more important to their travel journey. We announced our commitment in May to enhance our entire Customer Experience, from shopping and booking flights, to check-in, traveling onboard, and to the arrival at the destination. As part of this transformation, we are excited to announce that Customers will now be able to skip the line and go online to secure an Upgraded Boarding position!   What’s Changing? On Aug. 22, we launched Upgraded Boarding Self-Service. Customers now have the option to secure Upgraded Boarding through the Southwest Mobile App, and Southwest.com for all Customers traveling on our Anytime, Wanna Get Away ® , or Wanna Get Away Plus™ fares. Moreover, Customers still have the option to purchase Upgraded Boarding from a Customer Service Agent at the gate prior to their flight departure, pending availability.     Top Three Ways to Get a Better Boarding Position Have you ever had that moment where you forget to check in and end up with a “C” boarding position? Well, fret no more, as we have a few secrets to share that will allow you to be one of the first to secure your desired seat! Upgraded Boarding: Upgraded Boarding gives Customers the ability to upgrade their boarding position (now online and at the gate) to A1-A15 up to 24 hours before the flight depending on availability. This allows Customers the opportunity to be among the first to board the aircraft, pick their preferred available seat, and access the overhead bin space.   When available, Upgraded Boarding can easily be added to a reservation when checking in for a flight via the Southwest® app or Southwest.com.   Open the Southwest app and select the “Check-In” icon at the bottom of the screen. Enter the confirmation number and verify the flight information displayed is correct. When available, the Upgraded Boarding position option is located below “View Boarding Pass.” Once selected and as available, Upgraded Boarding can be added to one or more flight segments in the itinerary.   On Southwest.com, navigate to the “Check-In” window and enter the confirmation number. The Upgraded Boarding option is displayed below the flight’s itinerary.   Customers can also purchase Upgraded Boarding from a Customer Service Agent at the departure gate or ticket counter prior to their flight.   NOTE: Upgraded Boarding can only be purchased within 24 hours of the flight’s departure time, depending on availability. Upgraded Boarding sales will end 30 minutes before departure.   EarlyBird ® Check-In: EarlyBird Check-In offers automatic check-in before our traditional 24-hour check-in. Customers can add EarlyBird Check-In to their reservation up to 36 hours prior to a flight’s scheduled departure.   Got bags? We've got room. By boarding earlier, you'll get your pick of available overhead bin space.   NOTE: EarlyBird Check-In pricing starts at $15. Pricing may vary based on the popularity and length of each (one-way) flight.   Business Select ® : Business Select fares include automatic check-in and priority boarding (A1-A15), as well as many more benefits. Visit Southwest.com to purchase Business Select.     ... View more

Offering Legendary Customer Service and warm Hospitality is at the core of Southwest Airlines. As travelers continue returning to the sky, we’re thrilled to offer our Customers a new product that provides what they want—more choice and more flexibility.     Our new fourth fare, Wanna Get Away Plus, is a modest buy-up from Wanna Get Away and introduces transferable flight credit(s), a new benefit that enables Customers to transfer an eligible unused flight credit to another Rapid Rewards Member for future use. 1 Wanna Get Away Plus also provides more flexibility through same-day confirmed change and same-day standby 2 , allowing Customers to make same-day changes to a flight between the same cities with no price difference in the base fare. Customers have more earning power than Wanna Get Away fares with 8X Rapid Rewards® points. Additionally, we’re also enhancing benefits to our 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-In 3 , Priority Lane 4 , and Express Lane 5  benefits. Additionally, Tier Members (A-List /A-List Preferred Customers) now receive same-day confirmed change in addition to existing perks like same-day standby 6 .   We continue to maintain existing benefits offered on all Southwest fares, including two free checked bags 7 , no change fees 8 , and free TV/movies/messaging 9 .   Check out our full-fare lineup and benefits at  Southwest.com/WannaGetAwayPlus  .     Both must be Rapid Rewards Members and expiration dates apply.  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. 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.   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. Where available. Where available. 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. Weight and size limits apply Fare difference may apply. (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.) ... View more

  Are you looking for a career with Heart? Southwest Airlines is hiring, and we want to meet you! Whether you’re actively searching for a job or passively keeping tabs on opportunities available to you, we want you to know us too. We asked Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President Marketing Loyalty & Products, to share why he loves his job, the People he works with, and Southwest! We hope his words inspire you and share insight into our Company’s Culture, Values, and goals.   It’s an exciting year at Southwest Airlines and I’m grateful for the work our Marketing Teams accomplish each day. I look forward to welcoming new Employees to our Marketing Department and the Southwest Family this year. In my 14 years at Southwest, we’ve grown our products, improved our programs, and fostered incredible relationships within the Marketing Loyalty & Products space. Adding new talent and preparing for future growth makes me reflect on my first career steps and the important lessons I learned along the way.   Long before I joined the Southwest Family, I started out as a grocery bagger. Whether grabbing the last ingredient to complete a recipe or shopping to stock your pantry, I greeted customers as the smiling face at the end of the register, ready to ask the age-old question— “Paper or plastic”? It’s there that I started to learn some of the lessons that I still use today:   Similar to an onion in the produce department, every career has layers. There’s a reason milk goes on the bottom of the grocery bag—it all starts with a sturdy foundation. At Southwest, our People supporting and rooting for each other is the foundation to our success. Efficiency and innovation are always on the “shopping list.” Without efficiency and innovation, there’s no growth, no forward momentum. My Team and I always try to stay a step ahead of our Customers and our competitors so we can continue providing the best Southwest Experience and the best industry experience. The voice of our People matters. Whether that’s someone giving feedback that their produce, in fact, shouldn’t go at the bottom of the bag, or someone on my Team sharing a new idea to improve one of our products, their opinions matter. Southwest is a maverick in the airline industry, and we’re proud of that difference and the voices that allow us to strive to be better than yesterday.   I’m thankful for my days bagging groceries and getting my start. I’m even more grateful that I can take those experiences and impact Southwest. We each bring a unique perspective and experience everywhere we go. The People of Southwest are some of the most innovative, driven, and brightest in the world. We’re searching for the best talent out there to join our Marketing Department, and we’d love to hear how your experiences can influence our Team. Visit our Marketing page to learn more and register to receive notifications as new opportunities to our join our Teams become available. I’m excited about our future and the new experiences to come for Southwest!   Sincerely, Jonathan Clarkson Vice President Marketing Loyalty & Products   P.S. Check out other Career Discussions featuring our Marketing Department: Why does this Southwest Leader love his Marketing job? by Bill Tierney, Vice President of Marketing & Digital Experience Join an award-winning Team and a Company that loves you back. by Megan Self, Senior Manager Digital Solutions Linked ... View more

Southwest Airlines is excited to announce that our Southwest ® Rapid Rewards ® Credit Cards, just got even better. The same great cards now come with more to love: more points, more benefits, and more possibilities. Starting today, new and existing Cardmembers can get even more out of their day-to-day purchases, on our Plus, Premier, Priority, and Business Credit Cards. Cardmembers now have even more rewards categories to earn Rapid Rewards points, new and enhanced benefits that provide an elevated travel experience, and inflight savings – all with no increase to your annual fees!     With these exclusive benefits , Customers can now earn on everyday spend categories such as select streaming services, local transit and commuting including rideshare. Southwest Plus and Premier Cardmembers now have the ability to enjoy two EarlyBird Check-In ® credits per year, and Premier and Priority Cardmembers have the ability to spend their way to A-List status. Cardmembers can enjoy these new perks in addition to their existing benefits , such as Anniversary Points, accelerated earn on Southwest purchases, and points on every purchase made with their card.   To celebrate the addition of the new benefits, new consumer Cardmembers can earn up to 100,000 Rapid Rewards points now through Dec. 7, 2021, for most channels – the best points offer ever for personal Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards:   New Cardmembers can earn 50,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $2,000 in the first three months of account opening, and an additional 50,000 points after spending $12,000 in the first twelve months from account opening   In addition, new business Cardmembers have the ability to earn up to 80,000 Rapid Rewards points:   New Performance Business Cardmembers can earn 80,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first three months New Premier Business Cardmembers can earn 60,000 Rapid Rewards® points after spending $3,000 in the first three months         Additionally, Cardmembers are always able to take advantage of our amazing existing benefits that come when flying Southwest, including:   Points that don’t expire No blackout dates or seat restrictions when you redeem with points Bags fly free ® (first and second checked bags, weight and size limits apply) No change fees (fare differences may apply) No cancellation fees (failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited travel funds) All points earned with a Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card count toward the coveted Companion Pass ® , which allows a traveler to select one person to fly with them for free (not including taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) every time they purchase or redeem points for a flight**   We’re thrilled to enhance our 25-year partnership with Chase by bringing more benefits than ever before to our award-winning Rapid Rewards Credit Card program, and continuing to offer the best travel products to our Cardmembers. With perks like EarlyBird Check-in, Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status, 25% back on inflight purchases, as well as expanded benefits to categories like local transit and commuting purchases, we’re giving Cardmembers more out of their everyday travel and spending for future adventures. To learn more about the new benefits or apply for a card, visit Chase.com/Southwest.   *Freddie Awards – Best Loyalty Credit Card for four consecutive years (2017-2020), 2020 USA Today 10Best List, among others.   **Companion Pass qualifying points are earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest ® , points earned on Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards, and base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners. Points earned during a billing cycle on a Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase are not available for redemption or qualification for Companion Pass status until they are posted on the billing statement and posted to the Member’s Rapid Rewards account. Only points posted on the billing statements and posted to the Member’s Rapid Rewards account during the same calendar year are available for qualification for Companion Pass status. The following does not count as Companion Pass qualifying points: purchased points; points transferred between Members; points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, e-Rewards ® , Valued Opinions, and Diners Club®; points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment; Tier bonus points; flight bonus points; and partner bonus points (with the exception of the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase). No points nor Tier or Companion Pass qualifying points will be awarded for flights taken by the Companion when flying on a Companion Pass reservation.   ... View more

We did it, together! This year, our loyalty program, Rapid Rewards®, conquered the Freddie Awards and won Program of the Year and Best Customer Service. We could not have done it without your votes, and we cannot thank you, our Members, enough. The Freddie Awards has grown to be one of the most respected industry awards because the votes come directly from you, the Members. We’ve known for years that we have the best Customers—in any industry—and others are starting to notice. Our Rapid Rewards Program is designed around a simple concept—make earning reward flights faster and easier. With Rapid Rewards, there are no blackout dates and every seat is a reward seat.  If we have an available seat, it’s yours. It’s that simple. Thank you, from each one of us at Southwest, for trusting us with your travel and voting for Rapid Rewards. ... View more

Your next trip just got easier AND more rewarding thanks to Rapid Rewards and Lyft. Who doesn’t love more Rapids Rewards points? Now, first-time Lyft Customers who are also Rapid Rewards Members will receive a total of 1,100 Rapid Rewards points on their first ride in the select Southwest markets. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport Dallas Love Field Los Angeles International Airport Louisville International Airport McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas) Nashville International Airport Oakland International Airport Reagan National Airport (Washington, DC) San Antonio International Airport San Diego International Airport Southwest is looking to give Customers a seamless connection to their destinations by encouraging travelers to take advantage of easy, hassle-free transportation to any destination in select cities. Like Southwest, Lyft, a phone application-based ridesharing program, is Customer-focused and seeks to offer excellent travel experiences. Not a Rapid Rewards member?  No worries! A separate offer is currently available to all Southwest Customers, offering $15 off a first-time ride with Lyft in the same Southwest markets. The offer took effect on Mar. 22 and runs through the end of 2016. The two offers cannot be combined. For more information about Lyft visit Lyft.com. ... View more

Let’s reminisce on 2011. What comes to mind? The Royal Wedding? Adele becoming a household name? Saying farewell to Harry, Ron, Hermione and everyone from Hogwarts? For us at Southwest, 2011 was a memorable year, but not because Rebecca Black forcefully reminded us how awesome “Friday” was. It was five years ago that Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards loyalty program was relaunched to what it is today;  the program was redesigned to offer newer, better, more competitive benefits. Our Rapid Rewards program has been pretty impressive the last few years, but if you’re a Rapid Rewards Member you know that. We’ve flown 14 million zero-fare passengers; that is more award passengers than American Airlines/US Airways, Alaska, and JetBlue combined! With such great benefits, naturally, our program is being recognized. No other airline has won more Freddie Awards since 2013. Moreover, The Wall Street Journal called our Companion Pass “The Best Perk in Travel” (WSJ, February 2016). In case those facts weren’t impressive enough, the number of Rapid Rewards Members has more than doubled since launching the new Program. In order words, it took us almost 25 years (1987-2011) to enroll the same number of Members that we have added in the last 5 years (2011-2015). Despite the great success, we are continuously looking to enhance the program to satisfy YOU--our loyal Customer. In December 2015, we launched the capability for our Rapid Rewards Members to donate their points to a select group of charities.  Since the launch, our charities have received more than five million Rapid Rewards Points directly from our Members. Thanks to our Rapid Rewards Members for five great years. We can’t wait to see what the future holds! For more information about the Rapid Rewards Program visit: www.southwest.com/rapidrewards and to vote for Rapid Rewards in the Freddie Awards visit www.vote.freddieawards.com. ... View more

A beautiful beach and an even more renowned golf link: Southwest Airlines hosted its Rapid Rewards Visa Signature by Chase Cardmembers for a golf getaway at The Lodge at Pebble Beach in Pebble Beach, California.  Our Cardmembers received the opportunity to tee off with Professional Golfer Peter Jacobsen at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy.   ... View more

Southwest is proud to announce our newest Rapid Rewards partner, ScoreBig™. As a Rapid Rewards Member, you can now earn points on ticket purchases for the hottest games and shows nationwide. ScoreBig allows Rapid Rewards Members to buy great tickets to their favorite sports, concerts, or Broadway shows, and earn points that can be used to book their next vacation. Members earn between 3-22 points per dollar spent on purchases made through scorebig.com/southwest. And to celebrate the launch of our partnership, a 1,000 point bonus will be awarded to Members after their first purchase with ScoreBig through June 30, 2015. Following the launch, Members will receive a 500 point bonus with their first purchase. This is the latest partnership announcement for a program that continues to grow. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards frequent flier program offers a unique combination of Every Seat is an Award Seat, No Blackout Dates, points that don’t expire, and a route map that reaches more than 90 different destinations in the U.S. and beyond, making us the largest domestic carrier in the U.S. We offer unique differentiators that other airlines don’t so not only is it easy to redeem points, but we hope that will leave you encouraged to come back for more of what you can’t get anywhere else, including no change fees and bags fly free. For more information on our partnership with ScoreBig, or to become a Rapid Rewards member, visit Southwest.com. ... View more

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards took home Freddie Awards for Best Redemption Ability, Best Airline Customer Service and Best Loyalty Credit Card at InsideFlyer magazine’s 27 th annual Freddie Awards ceremony in Atlanta on April 30. The Freddie Awards, which began as a small recognition program in 1988, has now evolved into the most prestigious member-generated awards program in the travel loyalty industry. Each year, nearly three million frequent travelers cast their vote for the loyalty program they feel offered the best combination of benefits, awards, and returns on loyalty. Our Customers choose Rapid Rewards year after year as their favorite program and prove they are just as loyal to us as we are to them. Check out our past wins: 2014 – Best Customer Service, Best Affinity Card 2013 – Best Customer Service, Best Affinity Card 2009 – Best Award Redemption 2008 – Best Award, Best Award Redemption 2007 – Best Award Redemption 2006 – Best Award, Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Website, Program of the Year 2005 – Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Customer Service 2004 – Best Award, Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Customer Service, Best Website 2003 – Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Customer Service 2002 – Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Customer Service, Program of the Year 2001 – Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion 2000 – Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Customer Service 1999 – Best Award Redemption, Best Bonus Promotion If you voted for Rapid Rewards this year, thank you! And if you haven’t flown Southwest yet but are thinking about it, please join us!  Head to our homepage for all of your traveling needs and while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out Rapid Rewards for more information on how you can become a Member. We’re an airline that knows how to have fun and we strive to keep our Customers coming back for more. To read the news release, visit www.swamedia.com. ... View more

Imagine a frequent flier program where blackout dates are nonexistent, where every seat is an award seat, and you can use your points to fly to any of 93 destinations in the U.S. and Caribbean on the largest domestic airline in America. Sound too good to be true?  Welcome to Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, one of the most decorated frequent flier programs in the industry—but you don’t have to take just our word for it.  Today, U.S. News & World Report's 2014 rankings of the Best Airline Rewards Programs recognized Rapid Rewards as one of the best programs in the country. This recognition is not given lightly.  The Airline Rewards Programs ranking methodology considers several components, such as airline quality ratings, geographic coverage, free flight options, added benefits, and ease of earning a free round-trip flight.  Ten of the strongest airline rewards programs were considered, and in the end, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards emerged near the top as one of the very best. While this is an honor for our Company and Employees, we also think it’s a special victory for you, our Customers.  We are dedicated to taking our Legendary Customer Service to new heights and new destinations, and we can’t—and wouldn’t want to—grow without you! Not a member of our Rapid Rewards Family yet? Sign up today! ... View more