We recently returned from a 10-day trip where we divided our time between our extended families in L.A. and Vancouver, Washington.  We went from Dallas to L.A. where we attended my husband’s cousin’s wedding.  After a few days there, we flew into Portland where all my cousins were meeting up for a cousins’ reunion.  (One of my cousins lives in Vancouver, Washington and Portland International Airport (PDX) is the closest airport to her.)  And what airline did most of us take?  You guessed it – Southwest Airlines!  Here are 10 reasons why it’s my favorite airline for family, and domestic travel.

1 – Two Free Checked Bags: Do I really need to say more?  Considering we were flying from one city to another, this perk came in real handy.  South Asian weddings have multiple events leading up to the big day, so we had a suitcase for the five of us just of wedding attire.  We always aim to travel light with a backpack and one carry-on luggage per person.  But this trip, we obviously had more luggage than usual.

2 – Open Seating: I personally don’t mind this.  My family generally always gets to sit together; if anything, the older two kids can sit separately if need be.  I’ve made reservations in advance with other airlines where my minor children have had to sit separately.  We always make it work!

3 – Companion Pass: I think this perk speaks for itself!  As a family of 5, the ability for one of us to fly free every trip (after earning the 135k qualifying points or 100 one-way flights) just can’t be beat!  Remember, taxes and fees still apply on your companion traveler.

4 – A-List Status: This status offers priority boarding, 25% earning bonus, same-day changes, separate dedicated lanes at check-in counters, and the ability to be added to a same-day standby list.

5 – Family Boarding: This is offered to those traveling with children 6 years or younger, and you board right after the “A group,” but before “B group.”

6 – No Change Fees: Sometimes life happens, and you need to make changes.  This perk allows stress-free bookings as you know the option to make changes, penalty-free, is there.

7 – No Hidden Fees:  Taxes and fees shown at the time of booking are what you pay.  You don’t have to worry about additional charges being added on later.

8 – Great Customer Service:  I’ve generally always had good experiences, but I do know this hasn’t always been the case for many travelers.  The airline is very family-friendly and that’s important to us!

Last fall, we had a flight delay for about 7 hours on our return flight home from The Bahamas – we received $1,000 in LUV vouchers for the 5 of us.  In the moment it was definitely chaotic, but I came home and called customer service, and they handled it promptly!

9 – Flight Credits Don’t Expire:  This perk offers additional flexibility from the airline.  I know I’ll usually fly Southwest Airlines when traveling with the family, but it’s nice not having to worry about a deadline.  No more stress of having to use credits within a certain timeframe (as if finding lower fares and/or award availability for 5 isn’t hard enough!).

10 – Lower Fares: Southwest tends to have (generally) lower fares when compared with other airlines, not to mention – their award redemptions sometimes, just can’t be beat!

Couple things to note:

• I’m generally booking travel about 6-9 months out (sometimes less), and the best fares are found early on.  This means that I’ve already accumulated and earned the respective amount of points needed for a redemption, prior to booking.
• I live in Dallas, Texas – a Southwest hub – so I have more options for flights going in and out of the city.
• Even if one of us doesn’t have any status with Southwest Airlines, we get to board early on (and sit together) because we have a child that is under the age of 6.

 

Picture: Ontario, California – July 2023