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Do Southwest employees family fly free?

Employees have free, unlimited travel privileges for themselves and eligible dependents on Southwest Airlines.



Yes, Southwest Airlines is legendary for its generous "Space Available" (non-revenue) travel privileges. Southwest employees, their legal spouses (or committed partners), eligible dependent children under age 19 (or 24 if a full-time student), and the employee's parents are all eligible for free, unlimited travel on Southwest's network. In 2026, these benefits remain a core part of the company's culture, although "flying free" is subject to seat availability; if a flight is fully booked with paying passengers, non-revenue travelers must wait for the next available flight. Additionally, employees receive a 20% discount on any purchased (confirmed) flights for themselves and their eligible travelers. Beyond Southwest's own metal, the company has "pass agreements" with dozens of other global airlines, allowing employees and their families to fly across the world for a fraction of the standard ticket cost, often paying only the government taxes and fees.

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Employees have free, unlimited travel privileges for themselves and eligible dependents on Southwest Airlines. Eligible dependents include spouse or committed/registered partner, eligible dependent children under 19 years old (or up to 24 if a full-time student), and parents.

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Family members may fly free when space is available or at discounted rates. Flying stand-by is a common benefit, but it can be challenging when there is a group.

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Fly free after hiring. After 10 years you may retire with lifetime flight benefits!

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Travel Companions Can Now Board With Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred Members. Anyone on the SAME RESERVATION (that means you'll have the same confirmation number) on Southwest Airlines as someone who holds elite status with Southwest (called A-List or A-List Preferred) can now board with the elite status member.

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To keep flights orderly and boarding smooth, airlines calculate that it makes sense for small children to board early with a parent and get settled before the anxious masses wanting an on-time or early departure.

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Yes, airline employees typically get free flights and upgrades when they travel, although there is usually a certain system in place to obtain these perks. Generally, airline employees are able to book standby flights in advance and get priority access to upgrades, if any are available.

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FAQ » Careers, General FAQs » Do pilots fly for free? The short answer is yes – the majority of airlines offer free flights as an employee benefit for pilots and often for their immediate family members.

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Qualified American Airlines employees are allowed to fly for free, along with their registered guests and companions. Retirees who pass the 65-point plan (a minimum of 10 years of active service, and the retiree's age plus years of service must equal or exceed 65) also qualify for non-revenue travel.

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In addition, some airlines also offer flight benefits to the family and friends of flight attendants. Certain companies, for instance, allow parents and children of flight attendants to fly for free. Many allow the spouses of flight attendants to fly for free, as long as it is recreational travel and not a work trip.

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Friends fly when you do. Companion Pass is the benefit that allows you to choose one person to fly with you, free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) every time you purchase or redeem points for a flight.

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Flight Attendants are paid based on the flights they work each month. They can choose to be paid monthly, or bi-weekly. I hope that helps! Hi!

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Average Southwest Airlines hourly pay ranges from approximately $10.50 per hour for Barista to $50.32 per hour for Aircraft Mechanic. Salary information comes from 2,712 data points collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months.

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For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.

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People come first. We're a Company that takes care of its People and its communities, and our People take care of each other. (We're Cohearts, after all!) Our unique Southwest® Culture is woven into all aspects of our business, from we treat each other to how we provide Next-Level Hospitality to our Customers.

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Delta Airlines is one of the best airlines to work for in the US. They offer competitive salaries and benefits, excellent training programs, and a clear career progression path. Delta also has a strong safety record and a good reputation in the industry.

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Best U.S. Airlines
  • Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines offers unlimited nonrevenue, space-available travel for you and eligible dependents if you're working for them. ...
  • Delta Airlines. ...
  • Hawaiian Airlines. ...
  • Spirit Airlines. ...
  • Qatar Airways. ...
  • Etihad Airways. ...
  • British Airways. ...
  • Emirates Airlines.


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Depending on their ages and which airline you have chosen, some airlines invite families to board in front of everybody else, while others allow those with kids to slide in somewhere between elite passengers and regular coach-flying folk.

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