Southwest flights now appear on Kayak. Here's why that's a big deal

From assigned seats to red-eye flights, it's a time of big changes at Southwest Airlines — and this week has brought another.

Travel search site Kayak now displays Southwest fares, the company announced Monday. This allows users to compare prices and itinerary options directly with those of other airlines.

It's a major shift. Historically, Southwest has not allowed third-party companies to display its schedule and fare data.

That has started to change in recent months, though.

In May, TPG reported Southwest fares began displaying on Google Flights, boosting flight comparison options for users.

And on Monday, Kayak joined the short list of companies that can display Southwest's data.

A quick flight search confirms the change: You can see Southwest options pop up in search results for an October flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Southwest hub Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). It includes both the carrier's Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares.

You can't book directly on Kayak's website. Once you find the Southwest itinerary you want, you can click and be transferred to the carrier's website for a direct booking. This is part of what Southwest is calling a pilot partnership.

"This is a great development for travelers," Kayak CEO Steve Hafner said in a statement Monday. "We first started showing Southwest in 2022 to Kayak for Business customers. We're thrilled to expand that relationship to the millions of leisure travelers who use Kayak."

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Major changes at Southwest

Allowing Kayak to display its fare data is the latest in a series of recent moves that amount to something of a transformation at Southwest, amid lagging financial performance in recent quarters.

On the company's July 25 earnings call, chief commercial officer Andrew Watterson cited its recent entry onto Google Flights, among "some of our other customer acquisition activities," as key in trying to fill more of its aircraft with passengers.

That same day, Southwest announced additional efforts to boost revenue, including ditching its longtime open-seating setup and adding extra-legroom options. It also revealed it would boost utilization of its jets through red-eye flights.

Of the expansion to Kayak, the airline said that it's hoping to offer customers "enhanced visibility" into its available fares and flight options.

"We're excited to continue finding ways to expose more consumers to the appeal of our unique combination of value, friendly and flexible policies, and breadth of flight service," Southwest said in a statement to TPG Monday.

The airline did not give any indication as to whether it plans to let additional third-party sites display its flight information in the near future.

Read more: The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare in 2024

Easier ways to search for flights

Southwest joining Google Flights and Kayak is among the handful of recent changes in the U.S. airline industry that are making it simpler for customers to compare flight prices across a wide range of airlines.

In recent months, budget airlines Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines have both announced shifts in how they display fares and add-on charges. Each now plans to offer four distinct ticket types, or bundles, upfront — with product offerings ranging from basic and unbundled to premium.

It's a four-tiered setup that's ostensibly far more similar to the pricing buckets offered by the larger network airlines.

That, plus Southwest's fares showing up in more places, should give travelers a better apples-to-apples glimpse at their flight options when deciding on the best airline and itinerary.

Related reading:

• Your complete guide to maximizing Southwest Rapid Rewards
• The best Southwest Airlines credit cards
• How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
• What is Southwest Airlines elite status worth?
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• How to change or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight