Update, 5/20: Southwest has a Wanna Get Away sale through 5/22 with fares from $39. The airline is killing off Wanna Get Away fares in favor of basic economy next week, so this may be the last such sale.
Don’t forget to book Southwest flights by 5/27 to lock in current benefits, like 2 free checked bags, free standby, free changes, and non-expiring travel credit on all fares.
Originally posted on 4/28:
Southwest announced last month that it would commit brand suicide, killing off nearly 60 years of loyalty, company culture, and goodwill.
Time will tell if customers will prove Southwest’s feckless CEO Bob Jordan correct about losing market share if they made wholesale changes to their business model.
Today, Southwest announced new fare class names that will replace their existing fare classes. And just like that, decades of advertising Wanna Get Away go down the drain…
Southwest point earnings have already been slashed and redemptions have been devalued.
If you book by 5/27, you’ll be grandfathered into current benefits, like 2 free checked bags, free standby, and non-expiring travel credit on all fares.
Starting on 5/28, Wanna Get Away fares will be rebranded as Basic and those perks will go away.
In Q3, Wanna Get Away Plus becomes Choice, Anytime becomes Choice Preferred, and Business Select becomes Choice Extra.
Seats on the plane will be divided into Standard, Preferred, which are standard seats closer to the front, and Extra Legroom seats. Those should become available in Q1 next year.
Here’s what those fare classes will include:
| Choice Extra (Business Select) | Choice Preferred (Anytime) | Choice (Wanna Get Away Plus) | Basic (Wanna Get Away) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding | Early | Early General | General | Last |
| Checked Bags | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Points earned per dollar | 14 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Cancellation | Refundable | Refundable | Transferable flight credit valid 12 months from original purchsase | Non-transferable flight credit valid 6 months from original purchsase |
| Changes | Difference in fare | Difference in fare | Difference in fare | Upgrade in fare class required, plus difference in fare |
| Same-day change/standby | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Priority checkin and security | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Premium drink | Yes | No | No | No |
| Free WiFi | Yes | No | No | No |
We’re still missing details, but here is what elite status and credit card perks will look like. The good news is that everyone on your reservation will receive the same perks as you. You can have up to 9 people on a single Southwest reservation. However, authorized user cards won’t get any of these perks.
| Plus Cardholder | Premier Cardholder | Priority/Performance Cardholder | A-List Elite | A-List Preferred Elite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard seat on any fare | Free 48 hours prior to departure | Free 48 hours prior to departure | Free at booking | Free at booking | Free at booking |
| Preferred seat on any fare | No | Free 48 hours prior to departure | Free at booking | Free at booking | Free at booking |
| Extra Legroom seat on any fare | No | No | Free 48 hours prior to departure | Free 48 hours prior to departure | Free at booking |
| Early boarding | Yes, position TBD | Yes, position TBD | Yes, position TBD | Yes, position TBD | Yes, position TBD |
| Free Checked Baggage | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Flight earning bonus | No | No | No | 25% | 100% |
| Same-day standby | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Priority checkin and security | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated phone line | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free WiFi | No | No | Performance Business card has WiFi credit benefit | No | Yes |
| 2 free premium drinks | No | No | No | No | Yes |
What do you think of these changes? Will you switch your loyalty to another airline?
Leave a Reply
20 Comments On "[Final Wanna Get Away Sale? Last Week To Book Before Downgrades!] Southwest Unveils New Fare Class Names, Elite And Cardholder Benefits"
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
free carry-on bag still?
Yes. Even JetBlue and American relented on free carry-ons on basic fares.
Aside from ULCCs (Frontier/Spirit), United is the standout in not allowing them.
I am definitely changing loyalty. I have a Chase Southwest-branded card but will be canceling it. I will use the Chase Sapphire for travel benefits and centralized points to use for any airline. Southwast has not been the least expensive for a while now but with the other amenities it was worth sticking around. Now, I will check all airline and book bass on fare and flight.
Booking the taxes on miles with CC will give me the free bags ?
As of now, it doesn’t seem like you’ll need to pay for the flight on the card to get free bags.
Meaning all you have to do is show your card at baggage drop off and as long as your name matches you’ll be able to get free bags for up to nine on your reservation
No, I assume the benefit will be tied to your mileage number and automatic, as it is with most airlines.
Dan, if you book with Southwest points will you still be allowed free changes and free cancellation and get your points back?
Yes
Can you still change your flight for free if it’s booked on points?
I noticed in this chart and their email that there is nothing stated about Same day change for A-List or A-List Preferred. This currently is available for no additional fee. I see the no charge for Standby but that is different than actually making a confirmed change for free. Any thoughts? That was another major reason why I have chosen SWA in the past (that and the companion pass). You could book the lower fare at a time you don’t want and then same day change for free to the flight you actually want. That’s really only good when flying solo.
Do we know if flights booked with points are still going to be totally refundable without fees?
They will be
Dan,
Just to clarify, if I book flights for other family members and I’m a Priority card holder with a rapid rewards account, will the person I am booking for get all the benefits in your chart even if I am not flying with them?
Thanks so much!
No
I was a sworn lover of swa until they decided to become more expensive than any other airline. Too bad.
Loved Sw because they used to have great flights to Denver
Not so much lately, and now w all the perks going away time to switch my card usage to something else
I see another poster mentioning sapphire card
What other cards give me good general miles benefits that I can use on multiple airlines
Will my companion pass get a free bag? Technically companion pass is separate confirmation number
I am not sure how to suggest to post a new article:
Even though most of the changes for SW are hard to swallow for die-hard customers like me, there are one/two advantages while these changes were made. Until now, SW had it in its system that 14 days before the scheduled flight the prices soared. So SW has on most profiles a 20% coupon for flights within 14 days. Now the prices virtually stay the same even within 14 days of the flight. That is one advantage. The other advantage is that now those 20% coupons are very useful!
Will the cardholder benefits accrue to SW business card holders also, or only to those with personal cards?