Most importantly to travellers, Southwest usually flies from cheaper and smaller airports with less foot traffic, like Dallas Love Field versus Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. And the airline offers four different rates – Business Select, Anytime, Wanna Getaway+, and Wanna Getaway – all of which give customers two free checked bags, which is unheard of for most airlines, and particularly not budget ones. Ryanair, take note.
A (controversial) free for all
Southwest Airlines’ most notorious feature isn’t their budget prices, but the fact that they don’t have assigned seating.
Upon check-in, Southwest assigns each person a group letter (A, B, or C) and a position between one and 60. Assignments are determined by loyalty and/or credit card holder status and check in time. I’ve checked in right on the dot and got a prized position of A23. I’ve also checked in 10 minutes late and received a B30 position. Business Select is the only fare guaranteed an A1–A15 spot. The A1–30 group boards first, followed by A30–60, then B1–30, and so on.
Before boarding, travellers line up according to their group letter and number in the check-in lanes. It’s awkward to ask strangers their position numbers, which results in haphazard queues and some travellers sneaking their loved ones, who have lower positions, to their spot. On the plane, travellers choose their seats in an almost nightmare game of musical chairs full of wild ruses to prevent others from sitting next to them.