Southwest Airlines has launched a new fare class that will allow passengers to transfer their flight credits to other travelers. Transfers are one-time only, and both people must be members of Rapid Rewards.
This year, Southwest Airlines will introduce a fourth pricing category to attract more business travelers and increase revenue.
The new fare will be somewhat more expensive than Southwest Airlines’ cheapest tickets, but it will be less expensive than the airline’s top two fare categories. Southwest Airlines hopes that the new pricing will give travellers additional options.
The new pricing category will be known as “Wanna Get Away Plus” by the airline. It will be available in the second quarter of 2022, will allow travelers to take advantage of same-day changes and standby flights as well as earn 8 times the Rapid Rewards points, according to Southwest and will be priced higher than the “Wanna Get Away” rates.
It’s Southwest’s first major fare change in 15 years.
The Details Of The New Fare Class
The “Wanna Get Away Plus” rates will allow travellers to modify their tickets on the same day without having to pay the difference in fares that the lowest tier requires. Customers who choose the new fare class—or classes above it—will earn 33% more frequent flier points than those who choose the lowest tier.
A new feature for the airline is the ability for passengers to transfer flight credits to another RapidRewards member.
Additionally, passengers have the option of checking two bags for free.
The new pricing class is the airline’s second attempt to generate income after the COVID-19 pandemic lasted two years. Southwest Airlines is hoping that this will assist in restoring pre-pandemic passenger levels.
Southwest Airlines hinted at the new adjustments before the holidays, but provided no details. The new pricing class is one of several initiatives that the Texas-based airline thinks would improve revenue by more than $1 billion to $1.5 billion next year, including a brand new credit card arrangement with Chase Bank.
On the other hand, Executives refused to say how much extra “Wanna Get Away Plus” seats will cost compared to their cheaper counterparts. However, they stated that it will differ depending on the flight.
Several airlines, including Delta, JetBlue, and United Airlines, have introduced no-frills basic economy tickets in recent years. These tickets do not contain previously complimentary privileges like advanced seat selection.
The Current State Of U.S. Airlines
Air travel demand, particularly for domestic travel in the United States, has already pushed up tickets, as have rising fuel prices as a result of the escalating energy crisis. Unfortunately, airfares jumped 12.7 percent from a year earlier in the Department of Labor’s inflation index last month. The aggregate consumer price index, on the other hand, increased by 7.9%.
Bookings on U.S. airline websites topped pre-pandemic levels for the first time in February, in terms of both number and value. As a result, many of the cheap flight packages that were available during the COVID-19 pandemic are no longer available.
The Current Travel Rules In the U.S. Airlines
Although air travel in the United States has returned to pre-pandemic levels, airlines have not lifted all COVID-19 restrictions. All U.S. airlines are still required to wear masks until at least April 18, 2022.
However, in a letter to US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, executives from a number of major U.S. airlines demanded that the government repeal the mask requirement as well as the need that all inbound travelers take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of departure.
Various major airline heads signed the letter, including:
- Ed Bastian: Delta Airlines CEO
- Scott Kirby: United Airlines CEO
- Gary Kelly: Southwest Airlines executive chairman
- Robin Hayes: JetBlue Airways CEO
- Ben Minicucci: Alaska Airlines CEO
- Peter Ingram: Hawaiian Airlines CEO
- Robin Hayes: JetBlue Airways CEO
The airlines wrote: “At the outset, we voluntarily implemented policies and procedures – mandating face coverings, requiring passenger health acknowledgments and contact tracing information, and improving cleaning protocols – to form a multi-layered approach to mitigate risk and prioritize the wellbeing of passengers and employees,”
“However, since these measures were enacted, much has changed, and they no longer make sense in the contemporary public health environment.”
The airlines are hoping that the mask mandate will be lifted in April, allowing air travel in the United States to resume normalcy.
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