From seat assignments for night flightsIt’s a time of big change at Southwest Airlines — and this week brings another one.
Travel search site Kayak will now display Southwest fares, the company announced Monday, allowing users to compare prices and travel options directly with other airlines.
This is a big change. Traditionally, Southwest has not allowed third-party companies to display its schedule and fare data.
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However, that has begun to change in recent months.
In the May, TPG reported Southwest fares start showing on Google FlightsEnhanced flight comparison options for users.
And on Monday, Kayak joined the short list of companies that can display Southwest data.
A quick flight search confirms the change: You can see Southwest options appearing in search results for October flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Southwest hub Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). It includes both the airline’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 taken to the airline’s website to book directly. This is part of what Southwest calls a pilot partnership.
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“This is a great development for travelers,” Kayak CEO Steve Hafner said in a statement Monday. “We first introduced Southwest in 2022 to Kayak for Business customers. We’re excited to extend that relationship to the millions of leisure travelers who use Kayak.”
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Big Changes in the Southwest
Allowing Kayak to display fare data is the latest in a series of recent moves that are seen as a transformation at Southwest, amid slowing financial performance in recent quarters.
During the company’s July 25 earnings call, chief commercial officer Andrew Watterson cited the company’s recent entry into Google Flights, one of “a number of our other customer engagement activities,” as key to trying to fill more planes with passengers.
That same day, Southwest announced additional efforts to boost revenue, including ditched its longstanding open seating arrangement and adding the option of more legroom. The airline also revealed it would increase the use of its jets through night flights.
In expanding to Kayak, the airline said it hopes to give customers “better visibility” into available fares and flight options.
“We are excited to continue to explore ways to introduce more customers to the appeal of our unique combination of value, friendly and flexible policies, and diverse travel offerings,” Southwest said in a statement to TPG on Monday.
The airline has given no indication whether it plans to allow third-party websites to display its flight information in the near future.
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Easier ways to search for flights
Southwest’s move to join Google Flights and Kayak is one of a few recent changes in the U.S. airline industry that makes it easier for customers to compare airfares across multiple airlines.
In recent months, low-cost airlines Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines have both announced changes to the way they display fares and additional fees. Each carrier now plans to offer four separate fare types, or bundles, at launch—with products ranging from basic and no bundle to premium.
This is a four-tier setup that appears similar to the pricing offered by larger airlines.
That, combined with Southwest fares being displayed in more places, will give travelers a better overview of flight options when deciding on the best airline and itinerary.
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