Airline trust profile
Southwest Airlines WN
Independent · Hub: Dallas Love Field
At a glance
Key facts about this carrier
Southwest Airlines is a major US low-cost carrier operating an all-Boeing 737 fleet on domestic and near-international routes with no hub-and-spoke model.
- Largest domestic US carrier by passengers, operating point-to-point rather than hub-and-spoke.
- All-Boeing 737 fleet with no first or business class; no change fees, though free checked bags ended in May 2025.
- Independent carrier with no alliance membership and no interline agreements with other airlines.
- Sold only direct at southwest.com, so it isn't ticketed on AirTreks multi-carrier itineraries. We list it here as a reference for the domestic US legs you might add yourself.
Why this tier
Southwest Airlines carried the most domestic US passengers in 2025 and ranked #1 in the Wall Street Journal's Best U.S. Airlines 2025 ranking, with the fewest cancellations and mishandled bags of any domestic carrier. On-time performance ranged from 73-80% across 2025, with October 2025 reaching 89.8%.
Strengths
- #1 in Wall Street Journal Best U.S. Airlines 2025 for overall reliability and customer value
- Fewest cancellations and mishandled bags of any major US domestic airline
- No change fees - still a differentiator among US carriers
Watch-outs
- Domestic US-only network with no international long-haul or intercontinental service
- No alliance membership, interline ticketing, or baggage transfer agreements
- Decades of open seating ended January 2026; the assigned-seating transition is still bedding in
Best used for
- Short regional hops
- Budget economy
Consultant intelligence
Operational notes
Hub and Connections
No hub-and-spoke system. Point-to-point network. Major focus cities include DAL (Dallas Love Field), MDW (Chicago Midway), DEN, LAS, BWI, PHX, OAK, HOU (Houston Hobby). Serves 100+ US destinations plus limited international (Mexico, Caribbean, Central America). No alliance membership. No codeshares. No interline agreements. Each flight is independent. No minimum connection time concept since WN does not sell connections, though passengers can self-connect.
Baggage and Interline
Free checked bags ended in May 2025; standard bag fees now apply on most fares. No interline baggage agreements with any carrier. Bags never check through to other airlines. On multi-segment WN itineraries, bags transfer automatically. No codeshare or interline ticketing.
Terminal Notes
Often operates from secondary airports or dedicated terminals. DAL (Love Field) instead of DFW. MDW instead of ORD. HOU (Hobby) instead of IAH. At LAX, operates from Terminal 1. At DEN, operates from Concourse C. No proprietary lounges. Assigned seating was introduced in 2025 and took effect in January 2026, ending the longtime open-boarding system.
Operational Notes
All-737 fleet (737-700, 737-800, 737 MAX 8). No first or business class cabin. Transitioning to assigned seating and premium cabin offerings starting 2026. Not bookable through most GDS systems (limited GDS presence via Travelport). Must book via southwest.com or direct. Free changes and no change fees on all fares. Wanna Get Away fares are non-refundable but provide travel credit.
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