DALLAS — Travelers planning on booking a flight on Dallas-based Southwest Airlines will soon notice changes to the airline’s fare structure and flight credit policies.
Southwest says it will introduce a Basic fare tier beginning May 28, which will be the airline’s lowest price point and have less flexibility than other fare tiers, according to Southwest’s website.
The airline is also adding expiration dates to flight credits from tickets bought or changed on or after May 28, according to the airline’s website. Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits from tickets bought on or after that date will expire within a year.
“Flight credits issued on or before May 27, 2025, do not expire. However, if you apply the flight credit toward a new reservation booked and ticketed or changed on or after May 28, 2025, and later cancel the reservation, any flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit issued will have a specified expiration date,” Southwest’s website reads.
Last month, Southwest implemented changes to its Rapid Rewards earn rates, increasing points earned on Business Select fares and lowering them on Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, according to their website. The airline also began varying redemption rates across fare types based on travel demand.
The airline has implemented a slew of other major changes within the past year, including doing away with its longstanding open seating and “bags fly free” policies, as well as the more recent changes to its Rapid Rewards program for customers.
Earlier this year, Southwest also announced the first mass layoffs in the company’s 53-year history as part of an effort to reduce costs.