Southwest Airlines flight prices are now visible on Google Flights for the first time, a historic move as the low-cost carrier is notorious for only displaying travel costs on its own website and app. This increased price transparency makes it significantly easier to compare flight options on a single platform.
CHICAGO – APRIL 3: A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Midway Airport in Chicago on April 3, 2008. … [+]
View Southwest Airlines flights on Google Flights
Previously, you could only see flight times for Southwest flights, and to check fares you had to go to southwest.com or the Southwest mobile app. The search experience will remain the same except for one important update: if you want to compare Southwest and non-Southwest flights, you'll need to use Google Flights exclusively.
Southwest's CEO also hinted at other changes in the coming quarters that could make the low-cost carrier more attractive and boost loyalty benefits for Rapid Rewards members.
Southwest flight prices are now displayed like other airlines, with easy-to-see pricing for the various fare classes (Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, Business Select).
It's important to note, however, that while you can view and compare these prices on Google Flights, you'll need to book your flight through Southwest's platform. This is because, unlike certain other airlines that are covered by price protection, Google Flights doesn't offer a direct booking option for Southwest flights.
If you're not ready to book right now, you can also enable the price tracking feature. The flight search tool will send you price alerts when fares drop. Plus, the platform will look at your past flight costs to suggest the right purchase price to avoid overpaying.
The platform also offers customizable filters to make it easier for you to find the best flight for your travel needs.
It's important to note that real-time Southwest pricing isn't yet available on other online travel agencies or flight booking sites. Flight times are only available when searching for flights on Skyscanner and other metasearch sites that use detailed data to customize your flight options. The only exception is Chase Ultimate Rewards for some travel credit card customers.
Final thoughts
Frequent flyers have been waiting a long time for this day to come, and it's finally here. Being able to see Southwest Airlines flight prices directly on Google Flights is a huge time saver, and Google Flights continues to be the go-to search platform for many travelers who want convenience and handy price comparison information.
