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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Battle of the airlines: Why I think Southwest Airlines is the best
Benét, known as the Aviation Queen, is a former senior editor at TPG who is best known for being an aviation journalist for 25-plus years. Her love affair with travel and aviation began at age 6, when her Air Force family moved from California to a military base outside of London. The family flew from JFK to London on a pretty new Pan Am 747. She was amazed when, in 1992, she got her first aviation journalism job.
February 17, 2021 • 7 min read
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Editorial note: /strong> It's no surprise that TPG writers and editors have favorite airlines. So we decided to do a battle that covers the top four U.S. carriers. Check out the Sept. 9 episode of the "Miles Away" podcast to hear us defend our airlines. And click on the links below to read which airlines we chose and why.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article presents a case for why one major U.S. airline stands out among competitors, highlighting its customer-friendly policies and reliable service.
Key features include two free checked bags, flexible change and cancellation policies, and a straightforward boarding process without assigned seats.
The airline offers affordable Wi-Fi, free in-flight entertainment, and a reputation for friendly, humorous crews.
Award seat availability is strong, though the loyalty program is limited by a lack of partner airlines.
What to consider
Some offers and promotions discussed in the article are no longer available.
The airline's loyalty points can be redeemed for any available seat but are generally most valuable when used within its own network, per TPG's valuations as of November 2020.
Same-day flight changes may incur a fare difference, and the airline's fleet lacks power outlets at seats.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of how this airline's unique policies and onboard experience stack up against other major U.S. carriers.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Editor's note: It's no surprise that TPG writers and editors have favorite airlines. So we decided to do a battle that covers the top four U.S. carriers. Check out the Sept. 9 episode of the "Miles Away" podcast to hear us defend our airlines. And click on the links below to read which airlines we chose and why.
TPG Senior Credit Cards Editor Benét J. Wilson makes the case for why Southwest Airlines is the best, after taking years of 'abuse' -- especially from TPG staffers -- for showing the love to her favorite carrier.
A Southwest Boeing 737 at Baltimore/Washington Airport after arriving from Houston. (Image by Edward Russell/TPG)
The "crazy" boarding process. The absence of assigned seats (even in a pandemic). No business class or airport lounges. The wisecracking and occasionally singing flight attendants. The pre-boarding cattle call. I've heard it all, people, and I don't care — Southwest is my favorite airline, hands down.
I need an airline that gets me from Point A to Point B at a good fare, on time and safely — and Southwest does that. Call me crazy, but I also want to fly on an airline that makes me feel that they really appreciate my business. Southwest does that too. And then there are these four magic words — two free checked bags.
Although the airline’s on-time performance isn’t what it used to be in the 1990s when it was winning all those triple-crown awards for on-time performance, best baggage handling and fewest customer complaints, 86% of its flights still arrived on time as of November 2020, according to the Southwest.
Southwest offers Wi-Fi at a very reasonable $8 a day and its Wi-Fi is much more reliable than it used to be. If you fly out of Baltimore in the morning for a work trip to Boston and fly home in the afternoon, you won't have to pay for Wi-Fi again. Plus there's free access to text messages via iMessenger or WhatsApp.
If you don't need to surf online, you can just bring your device of choice — smartphone, tablet or laptop — to watch live and recorded television along with the latest movies — all for free. I use my frequent Southwest flights to catch up on all the movies I've missed. Just remember to either charge your device fully before boarding or carry your own charger.
I cannot remember the last time I flew with a crew that wasn’t courteous and fun — plus, I like those attempts at humor, no matter how corny they are. Can you imagine most other airlines' flight attendants doing that? No.
Flexibility
(Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
I don’t usually check bags unless I’m traveling with my teenage daughter (who made Southwest A-List status at the tender age of 16 months), but it’s nice that I don’t have to worry about adding $60 in bag fees on top of my very reasonable airfares.
I sometimes need to make changes on my flights and I can do it easily online without worrying about paying those pesky change fees (although there is sometimes a fare difference). If I have to cancel a flight, I receive a credit and I typically have one year to rebook — again, with no pesky change fees. And these aren't new-fangled pandemic-era temporary flexibilities -- it's just always how Southwest operates.
Flight options
I’m normally based in Baltimore, and Southwest has plenty of flights to all the places I go, including nonstops to San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Antonio, Boston and Atlanta. I’ve also taken advantage of the carrier’s international flights to the Bahamas, Havana, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Montego Bay.
Bahamas (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Because I have A-List status, I’m allowed to stand by on flights earlier or later the same day if seats are available. That has saved me money, since Southwest Airlines does charge the fare difference if you want to get on another same-day flight. And those same-day fare differences can be pricey.
Even if I make a change and lose my prized A boarding pass, I don't have to worry about receiving the dreaded C boarding pass, since my A-List status allows me to board right after the A boarding group. There are usually still plenty of my beloved aisle seats plus overhead bin space, which is a big plus.
When I had my Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, I used it to charge all my flights, along with the airline’s hotel and car-rental partners. I signed up for the Southwest shopping plug-in and joined the dining program to further build up my Rapid Rewards points. I also looked forward to earning my 6,000 annual bonus Rapid Rewards points.
If I were to ever go back to a Southwest credit card, I would definitely switch to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card, since, thanks to a $75 annual Southwest credit, its effective annual fee is actually lower than the Premier card ($149 minus the value of the travel credit). Plus it comes with better perks, including 7,500 points every card anniversary, and a 25% statement credit on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi purchased with the card.
Right now, new cardholders can earn 50,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.
While Rapid Rewards has extremely good award seat availability (if a seat is open for sale with cash, it’s yours with points) and simple redemption options, you are tied to Southwest's network as there aren't partners to speak of, unlike with many other U.S. carriers.
However, if you have your heart set on seeing the Eiffel Tower, you do have the option to use your Rapid Rewards points to book that flight to Paris via the More Rewards section on the Southwest Airlines website. However, be warned that the redemption rate is well below what you'd get by just staying within the Southwest route network.
If I were to nitpick, I wish Southwest’s Wi-Fi were a little more robust. I also wish that its fleet of Boeing 737s had outlets to charge electronics so I wouldn’t have to carry my heavy-duty brick charger to keep my iPad and iPhone charged for longer flights. But in the end, there’s far more for me to like than not like with Southwest Airlines and they are unquestionably my favorite airline.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
