Southwest Airlines has been going through some things—operational meltdowns, backtracking on customer perks, scorching mockery on Saturday Night Live—but it wants you to believe everything is rosy and that you love it this way.
“We’re taking off to the land of MORE choice,” a new Southwest promotional video gushes.
The clip goes on to claim that soon, having to pay for advance seat assignments will give you “MORE control” and having to pay for “fare bundles” that grant you the slightest comforts and respect will give you “MORE ways to travel.”
It’s all marketing hooey, of course. We liked it better when we paid LESS and the airline got us there on time.
In an announcement this week, Southwest explained how it’s taking the things that used to be part of its core product and it’s making you pay extra for them: It will soon start accepting cash payments to create a class system on its flights, which Americans used to adore because they were so defiantly egalitarian.
Pretending that passengers have been demanding to pay for checked bags and a good seat is laughable. And Southwest clearly knows it, because the airline turned off the ability to comment on the video that announced the new system.
Anyway, Southwest Airlines, whose CEO has indicated publicly that he’s not happy that passengers are also legally allowed to request refunds for seriously delayed flights, is reorganizing itself to be a nickel-and-dime airline—whether it’s what consumers really demand or not.
Beginning in the third quarter of 2025 for flights in 2026, Southwest Airlines will cave to industry norms and it will only sell these classes of service, and it will rejigger its cabins to add more legroom to the most expensive seats.
All of the new fare bundle classes will still allow free carry-on bags.
The cheapest Southwest fare bundle is Basic.
With Basic, passengers won’t get a seat assignment until check-in, they board last, and they must pay to check luggage. (Although Southwest Airlines has announced that it will charge for checked bags for flights booked after May 28, 2025, it has not yet announced how much that will cost—we can’t wait to see how cheerful that announcement video is.)
All Basic passengers must sit in a Standard seat (marked in light blue, above).
Southwest’s Basic tickets also won’t allow you to change your flight or switch to another flight on the same day.
If you cancel a Basic flight on Southwest, you are not entitled to a refund, and you have to use your credit within 6 months.
Southwest begins selling this category on May 28, 2025; the rest of the fare bundle classes will go on sale later this year.
The next-cheapest Southwest fare bundle is Choice.
Passengers who book airfare under Southwest Airlines’ Choice bundle can choose a seat when they book their flight, they board with the main or “General” group (it’s called that even though general/open seating is no more on Southwest), and they must also pay to check luggage.
All Choice passengers must sit in a Standard seat (marked in light blue, above).
Choice is the cheapest Southwest fare class that allows you to change your flight plans; you’ll pay the fare difference from your new flight. Choice allows passengers to switch to another flight on the same day or go on standby.
If you cancel a Choice ticket on Southwest, it’s not refundable, but you get a year to use your credit, which is twice as long as the cheaper Basic ticket.
Southwest’s Choice Preferred fare bundle = earlier boarding.
Choice Preferred has the same set of privileges and restrictions as Choice except holders may board just before the General group in a group called Early General.
Choice Preferred passengers sit in a Preferred seat (marked in darker blue, above) or, if they want, a Standard seat.
Choice Preferred tickets are also refundable.
Southwest’s top fare bundle is Choice Extra.
Choice Extra unlocks all the privileges. You board first (in the “Early” group), you can switch to another flight on the same day (by paying the fare difference), and you qualify for refundable cancellations.
Only Choice Extra passengers may sit in an Extra Legroom seat (marked in darker blue with a yellow edge, above). Those will have “up to” 5 inches of additional space (the airline says it depends on the aircraft) and they’re located at the front of the plane and by the exit rows. Choice Extra purchasers may also opt for a lesser seat if that’s what they want.
In addition, Choice Extra is the only Southwest fare bundle class that comes with a “premium drink” and complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi, which the lower classes have to pay extra for.
