I flew Southwest Airlines for the second time in my life in October.Courtesy of Southwest Airlines
- I flew Southwest Airlines for the second time in my life as I traveled from New York City to St. Louis in October.
- I came away satisfied with my flight and more likely to use Southwest in the future.
- The plane’s cleanliness and entertainment options, as well as the ability to check my suitcase for free, were the biggest highlights.
As airplane seats get smaller and fees get larger, what once seemed like small comforts take on greater importance.
In October, I flew Southwest Airlines for the second time in my life as I traveled from New York City to St. Louis, six months after a passenger on a Southwest flight died following a mid-flight engine failure. The flight was like most others I’ve taken but had a few notable differences from United and Delta, the airlines I most frequently use. Some of the differences were cosmetic and others were more substantive, but overall, my flight left me with a positive impression of Southwest and increased the odds I’ll use it again.
The first time I flew Southwest, I was startled by its lack of seating assignments and unconventional boarding process. This time, I knew what to expect and was more attuned to some of the details I’d previously missed. While the plane’s legroom and seat width were average and below average, respectively (according to SeatGuru), there were a few parts of my travel experience that impressed me.
Being able to check my bag for free was a significant perk, and the seats were cleaner and seemed to be made of more comfortable material than what I’m used to when flying economy on other airlines. Southwest’s entertainment options were the biggest surprise, as the airline’s website offered a wide range of films, music stations, and television shows, many of which were free, without requiring me to download an app.
Here’s what I thought of my second experience with Southwest.
I was happy to find that checking my suitcase was free.
Mark Matousek / Business Insider
My trip was about three-and-a-half days in total, which would have made it difficult to fit everything I needed in a carry-on bag. My suitcase is too big to qualify as a carry-on item, so Southwest’s policy allowing customers to check two bags for free (so long as they’re under 50 pounds and don’t exceed 62 inches in any direction) saved me a total of $60 for the trip, compared to United, American, or Delta.
In theory, Southwest’s boarding system sounds like an upgrade over those used by other airlines, but in practice, it benefits some passengers and hurts others.
Mark Matousek / Business Insider
I generally use a backpack or small duffel bag as my carry-on item, so I’m usually not concerned about boarding early since I don’t need overhead bin space. That means I tend to avoid lining up before my group begins boarding, which often results in me being one of the last people to board my flight.
Southwest’s system provides people with my boarding preferences the opportunity to board earlier than we would have otherwise. But since your boarding position determines your seating options, boarding position is more important than on other airlines. If Southwest used a more traditional boarding system, it would be chaotic.
And for those customers who like to line up early to secure overhead bin space, Southwest’s boarding system might seem unfair, as it doesn’t reward their willingness to trade extra time standing in line for a higher chance of being able to put their carry-on items in the overhead bin.
Overall, I came away satisfied with my flight.
Scott Olson / Getty Images
Nothing on or before my flight was noticeably worse than what I’ve experienced with United and Delta, and in some areas, like bag check fees, cleanliness, and entertainment options, Southwest excelled. While my standards for air travel aren’t terribly high, Southwest exceeded them and increased the likelihood that I will use the airline in the future.
