Does Southwest airline have 1st class?

What does Southwest call first class? Southwest Airlines call their first class (premium fare) Business Select. It offers passengers a lot of similar benefits and amenities to what a standard first-class ticket would.



As of early 2026, Southwest Airlines does not have a traditional First Class cabin. Historically, the airline operated with a "single-class" open-seating model. However, on January 27, 2026, Southwest launched a historic transformation of its business model, introducing Assigned Seating and Extra Legroom Seats for the first time in its 55-year history. While there is no separate "curtained-off" cabin with different food or wider seats, the new "Choice Extra" fare (which replaced Business Select) now includes priority boarding and a seat in the front of the plane with 3 to 5 extra inches of legroom. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan has stated that while a "true" First Class is being considered for the future, the current 2026 focus is on the successful rollout of the new seating tiers. For now, the "Southwest First Class" experience is simply getting the most legroom and being the first off the plane, while still enjoying the "two free bags" policy that remains a staple of the brand.

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Air New Zealand, Malaysian Airlines, South African Airways, Asiana Airlines, Turkish Airlines and LATAM are just some that no longer offer the highest level of airline travel. Qantas offers first class only aboard its Airbus A380 superjumbo flights.

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Visit your My NerdWallet Settings page to see all the writers you're following. Southwest Airlines has a new, fourth fare class called Wanna Get Away Plus that was introduced in the spring 2022. The new fare class sits between Southwest's existing Wanna Get Away fare and the more-flexible Anytime fare.

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There are two elite status levels: A-List and A-List Preferred. A-List is earned by taking 25 one-way flights or earning 35,000 tier-qualifying points. A-List Preferred is earned by flying 50 one-way flights or earning 70,000 tier-qualifying points. How do you become an A-lister on Southwest?

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Southwest Is A Safe Airline
They are a favorite among travelers looking for cheap flights without having to compromise on comfort or security. According to the most recent list of the world's safest airlines, Southwest was ranked in the top 15 airlines in the world in 2021, even beating out Delta, American, and United.

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Southwest Airlines With a standard width of 17.5 inches, Southwest is one of the wider seats available in economy class but what really makes them favored amongst bigger passengers is their “person of size policy”.

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The following airlines have some seats with widths below 17 inches, making them among the smallest in the industry: Qatar Airways. China Southern. Caribbean Airlines.

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Last month, Qatar Airways grabbed headlines when it announced that it was doing away with first class seating on long-haul flights. It was a practical decision: The massive footprint of those big seats simply doesn't efficiently maximize revenue—especially when business class gives you many of the same perks.

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Another reason for the decline, aircraft fitted with first-class cabins are less flexible. If an aircraft configured with economy and business class seats is taken offline, substituting it with an aircraft with first-class seats is a loss maker for the airline since there's little demand for those seats.

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First, most airlines offer their employees (so not just pilots and flight attendants, but also gate agents, customer service agents, lawyers, programmers, etc.) free travel on the airline called “non-revenue tickets”.

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Re: Assigned Seating and First Class Southwest has 52+ years experience that shows that open seating is far more operationally efficient than than assigned seating. Operational efficiency = more flights/day per plane which in turn allows SW to keep fares low.

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Southwest follows an open seating style, meaning there are no assigned seats. You'll be assigned a boarding group (either A, B, or C) and position (1-60+) upon check-in, which determines your boarding order. Once on board, you choose your seat.

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On Southwest, your first two checked bags are free. Not having to worry about added fees is a reason why flying Southwest can make a lot of sense. And look at the fare classes. The Big Three airlines might seduce you with ultra-low ticket prices, but there's a good chance those fares are for basic economy.

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If you're choosing between Delta and Southwest When you factor in earnings rates, basic economy considerations, in-flight entertainment and pet friendliness, Southwest just edges out Delta.

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Customers who purchase an Anytime fare will automatically be checked in to their flight 36 hours prior to scheduled departure—that's 12 hours before our traditional 24-hour check-in. You will receive an earlier boarding position, improved seat selection, and earlier access to overhead bins.

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As such, we do not publish flight loads. If for any reason you're uncomfortable traveling in the current environment and would like to discuss the flight load of your upcoming flight, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our Customer Service Department via any of the options below. Email here.

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