Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We haven't bought our September flight tickets yet. If we didn't have so many points plus actually be A-list Preferred (I think this is the first year my husband has made it to Preferred) we might have chosen Delta rather than SWA as we're flying back into the U.S. to Atlanta both of which have non-stop service to my home airport. That trip we won't have checked luggage so that point is moot but still.

Just to give an example of what I was speaking to about pricing and loyalty. Here's a price comparison of the 9/21 flight from Atlanta to KCI on both SWA and Delta. They both have many flights that day but to compare I'll use the non-stop option of which SWA only has one that day and Delta has many (it's their hub after all).

Delta non-stop at roughly the same time as the SWA flight would be


SWA non-stop


On the Business Select at the moment SWA would beat out first class but.....first class on Delta isn't the same as Business on SWA (even with the retrofitted seats that aren't on all airplanes yet) so we're not talking quite the same product there.

So to my earlier musings if you aren't loyal with SWA why would most people choose to fly them over Delta. The price difference overall between Basic (formerly WGA), WGA+, Anytime and Business select is minimal ($19 on Basic, $34 on Main, $19 on Comfort+ and $69 on First)

Now obviously routes and time of day can have a huge difference in the prices but I attempted to compare what a similar time would be, non-stop, etc.

To further drive this home SWA in the past had one of the most generous points structures out there where points went further. One of the reasons we don't fly Delta often is their points don't get us anywhere, the flight redemption is just too high (like I'm not paying 90,000 points for economy to get to Europe like it was back in 2023 so we chose Air France instead booked on Chase points converted to Air France) so here's a comparison of what it is for that same September flight

Delta


SWA



NOW all bets might be off with the devaluation of the points and if they keep going on that track. But again as you can see if you have loyalty with SWA in this case in the form of enough points you may choose to stick with SWA, but dollars-wise? Eh...you may be better off with paying cash on Delta.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

I fly out of PVD and there is Breeze and JetBlue who have direct flights. Pricing has been similar between JB and SW once bags are accounted for. Breeze is slightly lower. Once we have to pay for seating to ensure we sit together and baggage there will be no reason to book with SW unless they slash the base fare, which I don't see happening

We might be switching to Breeze for Orlando flights after these Southwest changes. Southwest had been the only airline I would choose. Only flew other airlines if traveling for work or traveling with a group and someone else chose the flight/airline.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The announcement said it would go into effect May 28th.

Thank you for catching that!!

 

[focusondisney]

We have SW & JB with nonstops from our airport. Generally speaking I fly whichever has the best times. I’m happy with the change to assigned seating. We’ve been booking Business Select for the last 2 years. I get too stressed not knowing where we’ll be sitting & when we’ll board. At least with BS, it’s been less stressful. I have a SW credit card, so the luggage fees won’t be an issue for me. We pay the luggage fees if we’ve on JB, but I’m considering their CC to cover those. The basis fare changes are unexpected for sure tho.

It hasn’t been mentioned but I also think the “families must sit together” issue has played a part in the assigned seating issue. So many families fly SW it has to be an issue with the open seating model.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We have SW & JB with nonstops from our airport. Generally speaking I fly whichever has the best times. I’m happy with the change to assigned seating. We’ve been booking Business Select for the last 2 years. I get too stressed not knowing where we’ll be sitting & when we’ll board. At least with BS, it’s been less stressful. I have a SW credit card, so the luggage fees won’t be an issue for me. We pay the luggage fees if we’ve on JB, but I’m considering their CC to cover those. The basis fare changes are unexpected for sure tho.

It hasn’t been mentioned but I also think the “families must sit together” issue has played a part in the assigned seating issue. So many families fly SW it has to be an issue with the open seating model.

One of my biggest concerns with assigned seating is flight changes. You have to constantly be on the look out for if your seat has changed due to an aircraft change or you got bumped or they cancelled your flight and put you on a new one.

Our Iberia flight in a few weeks booked a year in advance first had a flight time change for the flight back to the U.S. a few months after booking it, then an aircraft change which moved my seat from against the window to now the aisle. It's still in their Business class, still on the outer row by the window but now I won't be right up against the window anymore and I can't change that seat until 24 hours to the flight when I'll be on a ship with uncertain connection so we'll likely not mess with it.

Last month Iberia changed the aircraft on the flight to Europe (a month in advance of the flight) and completely removed our seat selections, no e-mail, no notification. It was sheer luck checking. Those seats we pre-selected were no longer available so now we had to select other seats though we were able to still get ones we wanted different rows other side of the plane but still against the window. This aircraft change BUMPED some people from Business Class as there were less of those seats now on the new plane.

Our Virgin Atlantic flight in September also had an aircraft change and flight changes.

Our British Airways flight in 2023 they technically cancelled our flight and put us on a new one thankfully it wasn't an aircraft change and our seat selection remained the same. That was done 8 months in advance.

This stress and worry is so much worse to me personally. Domestically I think Delta was/is the notorious airline for swapping seats all around and flight changes (though normally it seems minimal sometimes it's greater). But I know the stress of not knowing where you'll sit can be of great concern to people, my biggest is what happens AFTER I've booked the flight. At least with SWA I didn't have to worry much at all, only in the last several years has there been a huge flight schedule shakeup that made everyone wary, but not like I've had to worry about with other airlines.

 

[Mr_Woodchuck]

We have SW & JB with nonstops from our airport. Generally speaking I fly whichever has the best times

We haven't flown JB in about ten years, been mostly flying SWA. How do the seats and flights compare? we might need to start using JB after this latest change, since they have a lot of overlap in our area.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Man, this stinks! Our family has CPs for 2025-26, so we're committed to SW for a little while at least. Might have to keep one of the credit cards for the second year if it means keeping checked bags.

I'm really curious how the credit card and A list checked bag benefits will carry to CPs. With other airline credit cards, the checked bag benefit generally includes others on the same reservation. But, CPs technically get their own confirmation number with SW. So, will the checked bag benefit (or lack of benefit) carry over to the companion or not? Only time will tell, I suppose. Glad the schedule for November is opening in March. I'll be able to get all of my flights for this year on the old rules.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What if I have 2 southwest CC's. Do I get 2 bags free?? LOL

Exactly! I don't know how that is all going to work. SWA has long since said that people have well utilized the included checked bags.

I really wish, because I anticipated it eventually to occur, that they had started with reducing the amount from 2 included to 1 rather than go for the jugular and axe it all together for every customer unless you have xyz.

And if this is profit driven, which yeah yeah they've said that, if too many people qualify for an included bag or too many qualify for more than one (if they allow stacking) is that going to drive enough people who don't qualify to say get their CCs? I guess maybe that's a path they think could work.

 

[Tink3815]

Am I reading the below correctly? If you have a flight booked prior to 5-28 with non expiring credits and the flight goes down in points and you get the difference credited back into your account, does that flight now change to a flight like it was booked after 5-28. I am referring to the below in red.

Also I have a Southwest CC. If you book with points a round trip, will you be allowed 1 free checked bag for each flight? I see alot of gate check carry ons for those that board later in the flight.

Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits created from tickets purchased or changed on or after May 28, 2025, will have a specified expiration date of one year or less depending on the fare purchased. All travel booked with a flight credit or Transferable Flight CreditTM that expires must be completed by that expiration date.

If I choose to receive a flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit <strong>TM</strong> when canceling a reservation or if I purchased a nonrefundable fare, when will my flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit TM expire?

For tickets purchased on or before May 27, 2025, and not changed/exchanged, flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit TM issued following a cancellation will not expire.

I have a flight credit that I received prior to May 28, 2025. Does it now expire?

No. Flight credits issued on or before May 27, 2025 do not expire. However, if you apply the flight credit toward a new reservation booked or changed on or after May 28, 2025, and later cancel the reservation, any flight credit or Transferable Flight CreditTM issued will have a specified expiration date.

 

[EACarlson]

Am I reading the below correctly? If you have a flight booked prior to 5-28 with non expiring credits and the flight goes down in points and you get the difference credited back into your account, does that flight now change to a flight like it was booked after 5-28. I am referring to the below in red.

Also I have a Southwest CC. If you book with points a round trip, will you be allowed 1 free checked bag for each flight? I see alot of gate check carry ons for those that board later in the flight.

Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits created from tickets purchased or changed on or after May 28, 2025, will have a specified expiration date of one year or less depending on the fare purchased. All travel booked with a flight credit or Transferable Flight CreditTM that expires must be completed by that expiration date.

If I choose to receive a flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit <strong>TM</strong> when canceling a reservation or if I purchased a nonrefundable fare, when will my flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit TM expire?

For tickets purchased on or before May 27, 2025, and not changed/exchanged, flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit TM issued following a cancellation will not expire.

I have a flight credit that I received prior to May 28, 2025. Does it now expire?

No. Flight credits issued on or before May 27, 2025 do not expire. However, if you apply the flight credit toward a new reservation booked or changed on or after May 28, 2025, and later cancel the reservation, any flight credit or Transferable Flight CreditTM issued will have a specified expiration date.

Yes, you are reading it correctly.
With other airlines, the CC baggage benefit is independent of how the flight was purchased. I hold CCs for American and Delta, if I book either with points, or even if someone else pays for my flights, I still get a free bag on each of them. I don't think SW has specified, but that is how I would expect it to work.

 

[Craig Larson]

Am I reading the below correctly? If you have a flight booked prior to 5-28 with non expiring credits and the flight goes down in points and you get the difference credited back into your account, does that flight now change to a flight like it was booked after 5-28. I am referring to the below in red.

Also I have a Southwest CC. If you book with points a round trip, will you be allowed 1 free checked bag for each flight? I see alot of gate check carry ons for those that board later in the flight.

Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits created from tickets purchased or changed on or after May 28, 2025, will have a specified expiration date of one year or less depending on the fare purchased. All travel booked with a flight credit or Transferable Flight CreditTM that expires must be completed by that expiration date.

If I choose to receive a flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit <strong>TM</strong> when canceling a reservation or if I purchased a nonrefundable fare, when will my flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit TM expire?

For tickets purchased on or before May 27, 2025, and not changed/exchanged, flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit TM issued following a cancellation will not expire.

I have a flight credit that I received prior to May 28, 2025. Does it now expire?

No. Flight credits issued on or before May 27, 2025 do not expire. However, if you apply the flight credit toward a new reservation booked or changed on or after May 28, 2025, and later cancel the reservation, any flight credit or Transferable Flight CreditTM issued will have a specified expiration date.

That reads if you have a flight currently booked, and make a change after 5/27 those credits will now have an expiration. Basically, any credit created after 5/27 will have an expiration. Making changes prior to the change will have the same existing non-expiring credit.

 

[Tink3815]

That reads if you have a flight currently booked, and make a change after 5/27 those credits will now have an expiration. Basically, any credit created after 5/27 will have an expiration. Making changes prior to the change will have the same existing non-expiring credit.

This makes checking daily for point reductions seem almost useless, as they need to be used with in the year. You can wait for a sale to book, but with assigned seating begins will you get the seats you want. Doyou think just the credit amount or whole amount of new flight will have new expiring date.
Flying WN just alot more difficult and expensive.

 

[eticketplease]

This makes checking daily for point reductions seem almost useless, as they need to be used with in the year. You can wait for a sale to book, but with assigned seating begins will you get the seats you want. Doyou think just the credit amount or whole amount of new flight will have new expiring date.
Flying WN just alot more difficult and expensive.

I don't think so.
Points shouldn't be a problem as they are simply points going back to your account.
If you paid with cash or flight credit then that is what is going to change.

 

[han22735]

I don't think so.
Points shouldn't be a problem as they are simply points going back to your account.
If you paid with cash or flight credit then that is what is going to change.

I agree with you in this scenario. But the more I compare the old WGA rules vs new Basic...I'm leaning more and more to even if booked on points unless you booked WGA+ you're stuck with the points you paid and can't make changes to get point drops back but we shall see after 5/28.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I agree with you in this scenario. But the more I compare the old WGA rules vs new Basic...I'm leaning more and more to even if booked on points unless you booked WGA+ you're stuck with the points you paid and can't make changes to get point drops back but we shall see after 5/28.

But points have never been subject to any sort of credits or expirations for returns. Even in the beforetimes of expiring travel credits, points just credited back to your account ASAP. That's also the way it works for other major airlines that have much more restrictive change/cancel policies than SW.

I would expect that points will continue to just refund back to the account for cancellations/changes.

 

[han22735]

But points have never been subject to any sort of credits or expirations for returns. Even in the beforetimes of expiring travel credits, points just credited back to your account ASAP. That's also the way it works for other major airlines that have much more restrictive change/cancel policies than SW.

I would expect that points will continue to just refund back to the account for cancellations/changes.

I hope you are right as I check for point drops a daily. I guess we wait to see if the basic fare will allow changes at all for points or do we need to use points to book a WGA+ fare. Based on what's been stated changes are not at all allowed anymore for the cheapest fare.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I hope you are right as I check for point drops a daily. I guess we wait to see if the basic fare will allow changes at all for points or do we need to use points to book a WGA+ fare. Based on what's been stated changes are not at all allowed anymore for the cheapest fare.

For the Basic fare, my guess is that you'd have to cancel and rebook instead of changing. (Which would be a total hassle but that's already the way it works with legacy airlines if you want to take advantage of a points drop.)

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

View From the Wing also theorizes that SW points will have varying values....depending on the time of year. In the release it says

"We will also begin to vary our redemption rates across our fare products on some high- and low-demand travel periods."

To me that translates to any high demand travel time will now get less value of points towards the flights. I could see Xmas/T'giving and the such getting to basically one cent per point in value on already high fares.

https://viewfromthewing.com/southwe...th-even-less-exactly-when-you-need-them-most/

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Sad day they were our preferred airline, flying direct from RDU to MCO. This’ll change how we do things.

Same here, we also fly RDU-MCO pretty frequently. Sometimes Delta when SW doesn't have direct flights on slower months/weeks.

 

[Craig Larson]

For the Basic fare, my guess is that you'd have to cancel and rebook instead of changing. (Which would be a total hassle but that's already the way it works with legacy airlines if you want to take advantage of a points drop.)

Also keep in mind, while it's open seating, cancelling would lose your early bird check-in if you paid for it and is not given as a credit when cancelled. I wonder if on the basic fare with assigned seating you will also lose that purchase if they go the route of no choosing seats unless you purchase separately like all other airlines on basic airfare.