Last week, Southwest Airlines announced two positive changes, which passengers will no doubt appreciate. These improvements have now been implemented, which is positive news for customers.
In this post:
Southwest’s standby & Wi-Fi changes
As of August 16, 2023, Southwest has made two positive updates:
- Southwest has introduced free same-day standby on all fares, which can be requested through the Southwest Airlines website or app; previously this wasn’t allowed when booked on Southwest’s cheapest “Wanna Get Away” fares, but was only available on “Wanna Get Away Plus” fares and higher
- Southwest has introduced free Wi-Fi for Business Select fares, which are Southwest’s most premium fares, and you can use this perk on up to three devices; previously Wi-Fi cost $8 per device per flight, regardless of fare type
These changes follow some of Southwest’s fare changes last year, including the introduction of “Wanna Get Away Plus” fares, as well as eliminating the expiration date on flight credits.
My take on these Southwest changes
Both of these changes are logical enough, and I’m happy to see them implemented. I’m not surprised to see Southwest finally offering some form of expanded free inflight Wi-Fi, since it’s an area where the airline kind of lags the competition at this point. JetBlue has offered free Wi-Fi to all passengers for a decade, while Delta has offered free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members on many flights since early 2023.
Furthermore, American and United also at least have some partnerships with T-Mobile for free Wi-Fi. Meanwhile Southwest has just had consistent pricing of $8 per segment for Wi-Fi. There were only two ways to get free Wi-Fi on Southwest:
- By having A-List Preferred status, which comes with free Wi-Fi
- By having the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (review), as the card offers 365 Wi-Fi credits per year
Free standby on all fares is also a positive change. It’s funny, because Southwest has been known for years as being the airline with the fewest fees and most generous policies, ranging from checked bags, to carry-ons, and more. Yet the airline historically hasn’t offered free standby on all fares, instead allowing customers to rebook on flights by paying the fare difference.
It’s nice to see that Southwest is fully catching up with some other airlines when it comes to free same-day standby.
Bottom line
Southwest Airlines has rolled out free same-day standby for all passengers, and free Wi-Fi for Business Select passengers. These are both great changes that customers will no doubt appreciate.
What do you make of these Southwest Airlines changes?
Free WiFi with business fare kills the Performance card perk. Will they upgrade that card in some way?
What's the Southwest business class like? I always thought Southwest was similar to one of the discount airlines, but it seems like there are the very discount airlines such as Spirit and Frontier and then there are legacy airlines such as Delta and AA, but Southwest and Jetblue are increasingly similar to legacy in terms of their offerings and their fares are not so cheap
Regardless of airline, I've never understood why an airline would charge for (or in some cases prohibit) a standby for an earlier flight the same day as a booked flight.
A flight that leaves with an empty seat is revenue potentially lost. Why? If a standby passenger occupies an empty seat on that earlier flight, the now empty seat on the later flight can be sold to someone else later in the day. The revenue...
Regardless of airline, I've never understood why an airline would charge for (or in some cases prohibit) a standby for an earlier flight the same day as a booked flight.
A flight that leaves with an empty seat is revenue potentially lost. Why? If a standby passenger occupies an empty seat on that earlier flight, the now empty seat on the later flight can be sold to someone else later in the day. The revenue gained by a charge for standby access to an empty seat on an earlier flight on the same day typically never matches the revenue lost if the earlier flight leaves with an empty seat while a later flight loses the opportunity for sale of a vacated seat.
I recall explaining this to some airline agents years ago and they were so impressed, they immediately granted me free access to the earlier flight. Amazing how many of so called aviation experts don't really know their own business.
I also always wondered why that was the case.
However, I thought the reason an airline would do this is because most passengers want to take an earlier flight because they have a really long wait till their flight (since they got to the airport early), and the airline assumes the passenger is willing to pay to get home earlier and have to wait less in the airport. Maybe an airline would think that...
I also always wondered why that was the case.
However, I thought the reason an airline would do this is because most passengers want to take an earlier flight because they have a really long wait till their flight (since they got to the airport early), and the airline assumes the passenger is willing to pay to get home earlier and have to wait less in the airport. Maybe an airline would think that they can get more revenue from this rather than the amount of times a seat given up on a later flight will be resold (since a lot more people fall into the former category - that's my assumption). That is the only argument I can think of in support of change fees.
Do you think that the new policy devalues the A-List benefit of same day standby? Are A-list members given a priority on standby lists to prevent this devaluation?
Free standby catching up to other airlines: what other airlines offer free standby (no status) with lowest bookable fare?
United. Pretty easy to lounge up in the app
Worst part about southwest is no assigned seats.
Yep. Close second and third are the bothersome boarding bingo and the FAs using the PA as amateur hour.
Southwest has a business class seat? I thought they had all economy cabins.
Read again.
Currently if a companion pass holder buys a business select ticket the companion isn't checked in automatically. While I understand that the companion shouldn't get A1-15 boarding they should at least check in as A group. That'd be a nice change. There have been flights that I've purchased biz select and my companion has been in the C group
Given the point to point nature of SWA, it will be interesting to see if same day standby is allowed on connecting itineraries. Both in situations where you want to take an earlier flight #1 to either arrive at the transfer point earlier or get on an earlier flight #2 at the same transfer point. But also, would they allow standby for a different itinerary altogether from the same origin to the same destination with...
Given the point to point nature of SWA, it will be interesting to see if same day standby is allowed on connecting itineraries. Both in situations where you want to take an earlier flight #1 to either arrive at the transfer point earlier or get on an earlier flight #2 at the same transfer point. But also, would they allow standby for a different itinerary altogether from the same origin to the same destination with a new transfer city. Certainly a more complex question than just, "free someday standby."
One other factor to consider is how they will handle checked bags. Given that the two free bags are such a part of their identity, will SWA go to lengths to allow standby even with checked bags?
I do not see that happening.
Standbys with checked bags can delay flights so I don't see that happening.
I hope there’s more good news to come! Actually, there’s another way to get free wifi on Southwest… with A-List preferred status.
@ Garrett -- Great point, thank you! Updated the post to add that.