- Southwest Airlines is renaming its fare categories and adding new benefits.
- Choice Preferred will replace Wanna Get Away Plus.
- Southwest Airlines has also expanded its benefits for cardholders, including the option to choose a seat and receive a complimentary checked bag.
The question “Wanna get away?” will no longer be posed to travelers. Popular low-cost airlines will no longer ask travelers “Wanna Get Away?”
Southwest Airlines announced it is refreshing its fare class offeringsIt will also introduce new benefits for members of its credit cards. In order to update its services, the airline will stop using “Wanna Get Away”, a branding used for low-cost tickets.
Southwest’s current structure for fares is familiar to travelers, including Business Select Plus, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime Plus, and Business Select. They will now be known as Choice Extra (also called Choice Preferred), Choice (also known as Choice), and Choice. Southwest’s basic fare will be the airline’s cheapest fare called Wanna Get away.
“Wanna Get Away displayed some personality, but this is just sad,” a traveler wrote in an online forum. Reddit Southwest Airlines forum
The new fare class takes into account the assigned seating policy that was announced recently and is a bit controversial. The Basic fare does not allow passengers to select their seat. It will be assigned upon check-in. The standard seat is included with the Choice level. It’s a standard spot at the back of the airplane, with standard legroom. Choice Preferred includes a preferred seat—which is a standard-legroom seat toward the front of the plane—or a standard seat, both of which are selected at the time of booking.
The new fare bundles, which were just announced, won’t be on sale until 2025. They will only apply to flights departing after 2026. Southwest did not give exact dates of launch for the new fares. However, customers can book Basic from May 28.
“With new options like seat selection or Extra Legroom, we offer enhanced fare bundles that let customers customize their trip and still enjoy Southwest’s industry-leading reliability.” Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President Customer & Brand Tony Roach said in a news release Obtaining by Travel + Leisure.
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Card holders will enjoy additional benefits, such as being able to choose a seat no matter what fare they purchased or the level of their card. The cardholders will also receive their first bag at no cost, in addition to the other benefits.
The airline made headlines earlier this year The airline has ended a 54-year old policy of giving passengers two free checked baggage. Southwest customers who were loyal to the airline said that they would not fly with them anymore after the major change.
