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Southwest Wanna Get Away fares are among the least costly of its four fare types — but should they really be your choice? While saving money, the tradeoff in not receiving all the perks offered by more costly classes might not necessarily justify saving that cash.
Here is all you need to know about Southwest Airlines Business Select deals, Wanna Get Away fares, and how they might fit into your travel plans.
Southwest Wanna Get Away fares may be less costly, but some drawbacks should be considered before choosing this type. Wanna Get Away tickets don’t refund directly; they receive travel credits (that never expire). Furthermore, these tickets come with lower earning potential with Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
What Is Wanna Get Away on Southwest Airlines?
Wanna Get Away is Southwest’s lowest fare class. Yet, unlike basic economy fares that don’t allow passengers to bring luggage for overhead storage space or issue any credits in case of flight cancellation, Wanna Get Away provides surprising consumer-friendliness.
Here is what to expect when traveling on a Wanna Get Away ticket:
✅ You’ll earn 6 Rapid Rewards points per $1 spent on airfare. However, airfare purchases only yield six Rapid Rewards points instead of eight to 12 compared to other Southwest fares, though you could potentially earn two, four, or six additional points per dollar spent (although we wouldn’t advise choosing more expensive fares just to earn extra Rapid Rewards points – there are far better strategies).
✅ You can cancel Wanna Get Away tickets without penalty: Wanna Get Away tickets can be canceled free of penalty up to 10 minutes before their scheduled departure time instead of receiving a full refund. However, flight credits won’t expire and can be applied toward future bookings.
✅ Wanna Get Away ticketed passengers aren’t eligible for same-day change or same-day standby benefits: Wanna Get Away ticket holders don’t qualify for same-day change and standby benefits; should their travel plans change mid-trip, they won’t receive another same-day flight seat (if available) nor be placed on an open waitlist for one – these benefits are available only with Anytime and Business Select tickets.
✅ As long as changes are made 10 minutes or more before their flight’s scheduled departure time, Southwest Airlines Business Select deals do not charge change fees on any fare type. Any price differences caused by purchasing new tickets would still need to be covered by you.
✅ You can bring two checked bags for free: Southwest offers customers who purchase one fare this special perk of free luggage allowance: two checked bags qualify!
How Southwest seating and boarding works
How Southwest Seating and Boarding Works When purchasing Southwest’s Wanna Get Away fare, you won’t receive a seat assignment. Instead, like other U.S. airlines, Southwest uses an unusual boarding system with no assigned seating, and passengers select their seats after boarding the plane.
Your boarding group (A, B, or C) and position (1-60) determine when and where you board a plane. They’re assigned at check-in – so the sooner you check in for your flight, the sooner your position can improve! You can register 24 hours in advance!
If waiting until later to board seems intimidating, why not purchase a Business Select fare? Doing so guarantees you an A1-A15 boarding position with Business Select fares on every flight.
If Business Select is outside your budget, another viable option would be Anytime, which offers EarlyBird Check-In, automatically checking you 36 hours before your flight’s departure time.
Alternately, EarlyBird Check-In can be purchased separately when booking Wanna Get Away fares – prices typically range between $15-25 per person for individual flights based on time of day and flight segment. Credit Card members receive two EarlyBird Check-Ins annually as an added benefit!
How Southwest Seating and Boarding Works (explained here).
Southwest’s Wanna Get Away fare does not come with seat assignments; unlike other U.S. airlines, Southwest Airlines Anytime deals utilizes an unconventional boarding system; there’s no assigned seating, and you cannot choose your seats before boarding; travelers select them when arriving onboard the plane.
Your boarding group (A, B, or C) and position (1-60) determine when and how soon you board the plane. Assigned at check-in, this information helps set when and how often people board. Checking in starts 24 hours before your departure time for optimal results!
If waiting later to board seems intimidating, consider purchasing a Business Select fare. Business Select gives you an A1 to A15 boarding position on each flight.
If Business Select is out of your price range, Anytime offers similar functionality – offering EarlyBird Check-In, which automatically checks you in 36 hours before departure time.
Alternatively, EarlyBird Check-In can be purchased separately with Wanna Get Away tickets; prices typically range from $15-25 per person depending on flight details and may also come as part of holding the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card or Premier Credit Card.
How to Book Southwest Wanna Get Away Fares (Wanna Get Away Fares)
Due to Southwest’s strict policy against online travel agencies and search tools like Google Flights showing ticket prices, searching on their website for tickets will be necessary.
After searching, prices will appear for all four fare types; pricing can be seen in dollars or points. Use filters to quickly locate nonstop flights at certain times of day, and use our low fare calendar to view our lowest available fares; select Wanna Get Away as a fare option, then complete checkout to buy tickets!
Are You Wondering If Wanna Get Away Is the Most Cost-Effective Solution?
Wanna Get Away fares can offer great value if you value finding deals while not necessitating exceptional amenities or upgrades. They often make for the best overall deal by getting you where you need to go at lower costs than competing fares do.
Comparing Wanna Get Away fare types against all three other Southwest fare types to determine which was optimal, we determined:
Southwest Wanna Get Away fares compare favorably with Wanna Get Away Plus tickets
Wanna Get Away Plus is Southwest Airlines Wanna Get Away new fare class and, while similar to Wanna Get Away, offers some benefits that may make it better if flexibility is important to you. Here is why Wanna Get Away Plus might work out better:
✅ Higher points earning: As a Rapid Rewards member, you will earn 6 points for every $1 spent on Wanna Get Away Plus tickets; Wanna Get Away Plus fares generate rewards at an increased rate of 8 points per dollar spent!
✅ Transferable flight credit: Imagine spending $100 with Southwest. According to NerdWallet’s valuation of one Southwest point at 1.5 cents, your spending would net approximately $8 in points if purchasing an Anytime ticket and approximately 11 if purchasing a Wanna Get Away Plus fare.
✅ Transferable flight credit: Assuming you and your travel buddy are both Southwest Rapid Rewards program members, any unutilized flight credit may be transferred to them for future use if neither plans to use Southwest flights again in their travels. This is particularly advantageous.
✅ Same-day confirmed changes and standby list: If there’s an open seat available on another flight on the same calendar day as your original one between cities close together and with a similar schedule, then booking it at no additional charge could be the solution for you — even if that flight costs more.
Southwest Wanna Get Away Fares are lower than Anytime Fares.
While the differences between Wanna Get Away and may seem minor, you start seeing some substantial shifts when upgrading to Anytime fare. Notable reasons why Anytime over Wanna Get Away would be advantageous include our findings that Wanna Get Away costs, on average, 31% less. However, this amount can differ based on destination and travel dates.
Although Wanna Get Away tickets may seem less costly than Anytime tickets, they present drawbacks that should be noticed. Here are the advantages of opting for Wanna Get Away fares instead.
✅ Higher points earning: As a Rapid Rewards member, you will earn 10 points for every $1 spent on Anytime tickets, while Wanna Get Away tickets will yield lower earnings of 6 points per dollar spent.
✅ Imagine spending $100 with Southwest and considering NerdWallet’s valuation of one Southwest point at 1.5 cents; your Anytime ticket purchase could net around $14 in points, while Wanna Get Away tickets would likely yield only $8 of points earned back.
✅ Make Your Payment in Cash Now: Southwest’s generosity goes well beyond their travel funds — Anytime fares make this even easier: as long as cancellation occurs at least 10 minutes before scheduled departure time, full payment reimbursement will return to its original form of payment.
Saving for future Southwest flights this way is more convenient than keeping all your funds locked into an account that can only be used when booking one of those future trips.
✅ Gain same-day list changes and standby access: If you wish to book an earlier flight going directly to your desired destination, standingby list booking can be done free of charge. Wanna Get Away flyers must pay any applicable fare differences for that privilege.
✅ EarlyBird Check-In: Are You Worried about Arriving 24 Hours before Departure and Hoping for that A Boarding Group (Only to find yourself inevitably landed in B or C Boarding Group?) Firebird Check-In is designed for just that situation – eliminating that worry from arriving 24 hours prior. Once purchase a fare at least 36 Hours Early, you are automatically checked in 36 Hours prior. Those traveling under Wanna Get Away fares, feel free to accept their C or D boardgroup (for Wanna Get Away tickets).
✅ Priority and Express Lane access: Customers can access memorable lines at check-in and security if their airport offers them. Priority Lanes enable customers to bypass lines when checking bags at Southwest counters; Express Lanes speed through security checkpoints quickly.
Southwest Wanna Get Away versus Southwest Business Select
Business Select fare is Southwest Airlines Wanna Get Away plus priciest fare; while no such cabin exists onboard the airline, its characteristics most resemble business or first-class cabin travel. Here’s what to expect when booking Business Select instead of Wanna Get Away:
✅ Business Select fares offer increased points accumulation: Customers traveling on Southwest can earn 12 points for every dollar spent!
✅ Returning to our example of spending $100 with Southwest and taking NerdWallet’s valuation of its points as 1.5 cents each, using that money towards purchasing a Business Select fare could yield over $17 in additional earnings (vs. just $8 on Wanna Get Away fare).
✅ Position for optimal boarding: Business Select tickets guarantee priority boarding positions between A1 and A15, providing you with the most excellent chance of securing either front window seating (or whatever other seat may appeal most) due to an airline’s open seating policy.
✅ Premium Drink: If the free Sprite or Diet Coke doesn’t quite cut it for you, Business Select provides an option wherein they provide one premium beverage at no charge (provided your flight exceeds 175 miles).
Conclusion
Wanna Get Away is only sometimes the optimal fare class; its selection depends on your flight route and travel preferences. Sometimes, an upgrade costs only $10 less; deciding requires careful thought and calculations when that difference increases by hundreds.
