Enter Southwest Airlines Dates

Southwest Airlines Overview:

Southwest Airlines has earned a sterling reputation as a very customer friendly airline with service to destinations all around the world. While flights at Southwest may cost a little more than some other airlines, the airline is the only company that doesn t charge fees to check bags. That more than makes up for the slightly higher flight costs.

Southwest Airlines is based in Dallas, TX and was started in 1971 with service between the cities of Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. It has grown into a large company, with a fleet of large aircraft, that travels to over 100 U.S. destinations all over the county and Puerto Rico. The Southwest fleet currently consists of 698 Boeing Jets that make nearly 3,500 trips daily. Atlanta is a major hub for Southwest and connects the Airline to destinations all over the East coast like Miami, Washington D.C, Baltimore, New York, Pittsburgh and Boston. Other popular Southwest destinations include San Diego, Houston, Denver, Detroit, Seattle, Chicago and Minneapolis.

One of the things that makes Southwest so popular is the amount of flights they offer customers of every budget constraint. Southwest regularly runs specials to their major destinations with great deals on the flights. Flights to many Southern cities can cost customers as low as $89 with Southwest s fun fares as long as the fights are booked at least 14 days in advance.

Another feature customers enjoy is the ability to check-in 24 hours prior to their flight. Customers with an internet connection can check-in for their flight 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time and print out their boarding passes at home. This cuts down on the amount of time spend at the airport. Those customers that print their boarding passes at home are also able to use Southwest s easy curbside bag check-in process. The entire process usually takes around ten minutes, which beats waiting in the check-in line with other airlines.

An advantage to being able to check-in for a flight online is being able to get a lower boarding number. Southwest doesn t use assigned seat but instead assigns groups of customers a boarding class. That customers enter the plane when their boarding class is called and find available seats. Therefore, if a customer checks in early enough, they will be able to select the seat of their choice.

In place of first class, Southwest offers business class seating to its customers. This class of customers pays a little more and is seated in the front of the plane in seats that provide more room that the coach seats. After business class is boarded, the boarding classes go in alphabetical order from A to D.

The in-flight experience is what Southwest is known for with exceptional customer service. The attendants are very nice and serve assorted beverages and snacks during the flight. Also, pending on the length of the flight, entertainment features are offered. A new popular addition to many flights is the ability to have WiFi internet access during the flight. For a small fee, customers can stay connected to the world while flying 3,000 feet above.

All of these features have made Southwest the most popular airline choice in the country. The company continues to grow, taking in over $178 million dollars in net income last year. The company looks to continue to grow in the future, adding new planes and destinations each year.