Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Southwest

Southwest definitely hasn’t done a great job at gaining the attention of new and existing customers over the past week, but I still have a strong love for them. While I definitely do NOT consider them the low cost carrier they used to be, they are still my #1 airline of choice.  So here are my top 10 reasons on why I love this airline and will continue to put them ahead of everyone else.

1. I’ve saved a ton of money with the Southwest Companion Pass

I’ve had the Southwest Companion Pass for about the past 8 or 9 years. Every year I figure out different methods and work hard to ensure I secure the pass for the year. This pass allows another person to fly with you for FREE (plus minimal taxes) an UNLIMITED number of times during the length of the pass. I’ve lost track how many times I’ve used this pass over the past 8+ years, but it has allowed my husband, my mom, my daughter, and a few friends to fly with me at no extra cost, which has been amazing. I assume I’ve saved somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000 by having this pass!

2. I can cancel my flights with no change fee

With most airlines, you pay an arm and a leg to change or cancel your flight. With Southwest, there are absolutely no change or cancellation fees! I usually only book my Southwest flights with points, and if I need to cancel all points used just goes straight back to my Rapid Rewards account. Even the taxes paid goes back to my credit card! The best part is that there is no timeframe after you book to cancel, you just need to do so 10+ minutes prior to the flights departure time! This has allowed me to book a ton of speculative flights!

3. If I flight goes down in price, I get the cheaper price

Since there are no change or cancellation fees, if I flight I’ve already booked goes down in points, I can re-price out my flight and get reimbursed the difference in points used. Again, no fee or timeframe to do this! For those that book on a paid fare, you can’ll get the difference back in a travel credit valid for one year from when the flight was originally booked (non-transferable). This allows to book early without wondering if a better price will come along later down the road.

4. Getting a seat for a lap infant is much easier

For my daughter, I did not pay for a seat until she turned 2. I also plan to do the same with my now 7 month old son. I personally did not/do not mind having them fly as a lap infant. Now thinking about it, all of our flights with my kids have been on Southwest (except our same day roundtrip on JetBlue due to the Virgin America match promo this past summer). Since Southwest does not have assigned seating, getting an extra seat for a lap infant is super easy. As long as the flight has at least one empty, I have always been able to bring my car seat. This is because you do not need to worry about the seat next to you being taken due to pre-assigned seats. And family boarding is right after Group A boarding so you’ll always find seats available for you and your family. The only time I’ve ever had a problem is during school vacation weeks.

5. My lap child travels for a lot less money on international flights when I use points

While Southwest doesn’t have a ton of international flights, they do fly to many Caribbean and Mexican destinations. Since I typically use points to redeem for my flights, the only extra cost are the taxes, which range anywhere between $50-$100 (approximately) roundtrip. When traveling with my son or daughter as a lap infant to one of these international destinations, they only pay the same exact prices as I am paying for my award flight. Many airlines charge an arm and a leg when traveling international with a lap child when the adult is on an award ticket. Typically, this fee is 10% of an adult fare and usually they price it based on the  full fare ticket price. This means that the 10% fee could possibly cost more then just paying an infant his/her own seat! With Southwest, there is no 10% rule which is awesome!

Overall…

While I am sure I can think of many more reasons why I love Southwest, the above are my top 5. What are some of the reasons you love Southwest?!