Southwest to Introduce New Fare Category in 2022

Southwest Airlines in 2022 will introduce a new fare category, potentially as early as the second quarter, the company announced this week in an Investor Day presentation.

Southwest did not provide many details about its fourth fare category, other than that it would be “somewhere above” the Wanna Get Away product and would appeal to both leisure and business travelers, said EVP and chief commercial officer Andrew Watterson. It also would “enhance the overall product offering for customers while increasing benefits” tied to the existing three categories, which also include Anytime and Business Select, according to the presentation.

The company also said that it expects to be profitable in the fourth quarter, with leisure bookings continuing to come in above expectations, while managed business revenues are expected to be down between 55 percent and 60 percent in December compared with December 2019 levels, according to the presentation.

Southwest last month announced it planned to launch a self-service travel portal in mid-2022 for its Southwest Business program.

Donna M. Airoldi  www.businesstravelnews.com