The Ultimate Guide to Southwest Airlines Fares for Business Travel

As a business traveler you need flexibility and reliability when flying. Nearly 20% of business trips change, so you can't afford to be slowed down by fares that make changing your itinerary expensive, hard or even impossible. And you need an airline that's been around for a while and flies coast-to-coast with many flights throughout the day.

One airline that fits this bill perfectly is Southwest Airlines, which just celebrated its 50th birthday this year!

Southwest Airlines Wanna Get Away, Anytime and Business Select are great options for business travelers who need flexibility when traveling for work. As Southwest proudly tells you, bags always fly free and change fees don't fly with Southwest -- that's what they call Transfarency. 

Let's take a look at Southwest's fare options and which work best for business travelers:

Wanna Get Away

Southwest Wanna Get Away is Southwest's lowest fare, great for both leisure travel and business travel. Wanna Get Away includes:

• two free carryon bags (one personal item like a purse or backpack and one carryon bag)
• two free checked bags (up to 50 lbs. each)
• free changes (only the difference in fare is charged, no change fees)
• free cancelations with the fare amount held as a credit towards future Southwest fare
• open seating aboard Southwest flights with the option to purchase EarlyBird Checkin for earlier boarding position
• earn six Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent
• once aboard the airplane you'll enjoy free snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, plus free live TV, streaming video, plus reasonably-priced wifi and alcoholic beverages

If you're traveling somewhere with a bag or two and are pretty sure that you're not going to change your travel plans, Southwest Wanna Get Away is a great option to save some money on business travel!

Anytime vs. Wanna Get Away

Southwest Anytime is Southwest's middle-tier fare, great for business travelers who need the benefits of Wanna Get Away plus some extra flexibility. Anytime includes all the benefits of Wanna Get Away, plus:

• Anytime fares are fully refundable in cash back to your original credit card (just cancel at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure!)
• earn ten Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent
• free same-day change (if a seat is open on your new flight) or same-day standby (if a seat isn't open on your new flight)

So if you're pretty sure you're traveling but need the flexibility to cancel your trip or switch to a different flight on your departure day, Southwest Anytime is the fare for you!

Business Select vs. Anytime

Business Select is Southwest's top-tier fare for business travelers who need flexibility plus the best choice of seats. Business Select includes all the benefits of Anytime and Wanna Get Away, plus:

• earn 12 Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent
• priority "Fly By" checkin and bag drop lanes
• priority "Fly By" security lanes (where available)
• priority boarding with an A1-A15 position

That last one is the big one -- don't worry about purchasing EarlyBird Check-In or checking in exactly 24 hours before departure, you're guaranteed to be one of the first 15 passengers to board the plane and get your choice of aisle or window seat. Plus you get the refundability and same-day change flexibility of Anytime, which makes Business Select a great option for busy business travelers who need flexibility.

Where can I find these Southwest fares?

AmTrav, of course! AmTrav always shows the best Southwest Wanna Get Away, Anytime and Business Select fares, plus EarlyBird Check-In, with full detail about each fare and its benefits right in the AmTrav booking tool:

AmTrav Travel Advisors are ready to help whenever you need help updating your travel plans whether it's in advance or in a pinch, and AmTrav automatically tracks any Southwest flight credits when you cancel a Wanna Get Away fare.

Ready to drive your productivity? Contact AmTrav today!