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The ever-growing number of airlines offering their services all over the US has helped the travel experience immensely, there’s no doubt about that.
We can now get better deals, find flights that seem tailored to our schedule, and even pick and choose based on the perks or amenities we value most – in short, increased competition has helped travelers find the exact type of service they want from their carrier and also at lower prices.
Sounds like a win-win, right?
Well, with the extra choices comes the added responsibility of filtering the noise and figuring out which airlines are really worth their money.
However, it would be almost impossible to figure it all out on your own, so today we rely on the experiences and opinions of thousands of other seasoned travelers.
USA today sent out a survey to its readers asking them to vote for their favorite airline, and while we expected one of the usual favorites like Delta to take the top spot, the winner was actually a discount airline which surprised us a bit.
Southwest is a low-cost airline
Think about it: when someone asks you to name your favorite thing, you’re thinking about more than just quality or price; you take into account the overall value, and that’s exactly what Southwest promises and actually delivers.
If you’re a traveler, you’re probably already aware of the carrier’s now-famous perks.
First, and in my opinion most importantly, Southwest wins a lot of points with its “Bags fly free” policy, which means each traveler is allowed to bring not one, but two free checked bags on board – this is basically unheard of on other budget airlines, most of which charge anywhere from $40 to $70 per bag to cover the low ticket costs to be compensated.
Another important, and I mean big, benefit you get when you fly Southwest is the “Companion pass”, which, surprisingly, is exactly what it sounds like.
Once you’ve collected enough points, you can take a second person with you on all your trips for free for a year, as often as you like. That alone can save you thousands of dollars.
Plus, changes and cancellations are free, giving you a lot of flexibility when planning your next trip.
Sure, ticket prices may not be as low as those you’ll find on some newer, even more budget-friendly airlines, but when you add in all the add-ons, it’s not as simple as just choosing the airline you want. has the cheaper tickets.
Quick Tip: Make sure you create a Southwest account. They have a pretty good sale every few weeks (think one-way tickets for just $39) and alert you via email so you don’t want to miss it.
Southwest is constantly expanding its network
You know how sometimes it can happen that you can’t find the exact route you’re looking for?
With Southwest, that’s unlikely.
The airline is currently undergoing a massive network expansion, adding to its already impressive reach.
Just take a look at the new route additions from the past year and see if anything piques your interest (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
New improvements to look forward to
Another great thing about Southwest is that they actively listen to customer feedback and introduce new improvements while leaving beloved benefits and policies untouched – and that’s more than what can be said about most of their competitors.
Here are some of the major changes announced last season:
- Improved WiFi
- Assigned seating
- Red-eye flights
- More premium benefits
- Improved support and services on their online platform
The rest of the most loved carriers in the US right now
Whether you’re not a fan of Southwest or the carrier just doesn’t offer the kind of service you’re looking for, don’t worry.
These five other US-based airlines were also voted among the best in the linked survey above, so take your pick:
- Delta Airlines
- US airlines
- United Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
- JetBlue
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
