With four new fare bundles, Southwest Airlines believes it’s giving its customers more choice. One of the significant changes shared in an April 28 press release is that travelers can book the carrier’s new fare bundles for flights departing in early 2026, starting in the third quarter of 2025. The updated options are Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.
With a Basic plane ticket, Southwest assigns a seat at the back of the plane, which is assigned at check-in. Also, flyers with that fare type will be the last to board the plane. One tier above Basic is Choice, which also provides a standard seat in the back of the aircraft. However, with the latter option, travelers can select their seat when booking and have general boarding.
Choice Preferred offers “early general” boarding and a preferred or standard seat. “Preferred” seats have standard legroom but are located closer to the front of the plane.
The fourth new fare bundle is Southwest’s Choice Extra, which offers the most perks. Travelers with this type of ticket will board the plane first and have two free checked bags. They will also enjoy in-flight Wi-Fi and earn 14 times the ticket’s base fare in Rapid Rewards points (so a $100 base fare ticket would earn 1,400 points). Additionally, their seat will have extra legroom, offering more space in the front of the plane or exit rows. You’ll also have first dibs on overhead bin space, access to premium drinks, and other perks.
Choice Extra, Choice Preferred, Choice, and Basic will replace Southwest’s Business Select, Anytime, Wanna Get Away Plus, and Wanna Get Away fare classes. The Wanna Get Away to Basic switch will be from May 28 onward. The carrier’s four new fare bundles vary in terms of refundability, flight credit expiration, the number of Rapid Rewards points earned, and other key factors.
What Else Should Travelers Know About Southwest Airlines’ Updates?
Elsewhere in the press release, Southwest noted that it will offer more benefits to its cardholders, A-List, and A-List Preferred tier members. The updates align with several new and premium options the carrier has planned to introduce or roll out in 2025.
“These are big changes for Southwest and they really are just the beginning of us continuing to offer more reasons to choose Southwest – and more choices from Southwest,” said the carrier’s Executive Vice President of Customer & Brand, Tony Roach. “That’s what our customers want from us. And these are foundational pieces. And we’re really excited about what we can do with the things that we’re putting in place today. We think our customers are going to love it.”
