However don't blame Google for that. The Dallas-based airline has lengthy opposed displaying or promoting fares via on-line journey companies and search aggregators. (One exception has been Southwest's relationship with Chase, which permits sure credit score cardholders to ebook flights via the Chase Journey portal.)
Nonetheless, Southwest is making a serious digital pivot with far-reaching implications throughout the airline business. As of Might 22, the airline's fares seem in Google Flights search outcomes, identical to all different main US airways.
Southwest mentioned in a press release that it’s “pursuing” a partnership with Google, making it “doable for Google Flights customers to match totally different fare choices and click on on to Southwest.com to ebook the chosen itinerary.”
Displaying outcomes on Google Flights is yet one more evolution for an airline that has constructed loyalty for many years, partly by marching to the beat of its drum. Final month, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan mentioned the airline is “very critically finding out” doable options to its long-standing open seating coverage. The airline additionally plans to ultimately introduce evening flights within the coming years.
What Southwest on Google Flights means for vacationers
In observe, vacationers can now simply evaluate flight costs between airways at a look. That's a boon for deal-hunters in all places, mentioned Kyle Potter, government editor of offers website Thrifty Traveler.
“I actually suppose that is momentous for Southwest, for Google Flights and for vacationers throughout the nation,” he mentioned. Southwest didn't make its fares on the market via Google or nearly anyplace else by design: It didn't need to put loyalty within the fingers of a intermediary.
Beforehand, the one choice to ebook Southwest flights was instantly on the airline's web site or app. Due to this fact, the largest influence will probably be suffered by vacationers who wouldn’t usually contemplate the airline.
“This offers Southwest rather more visibility amongst those that are simply beginning their flight search and didn't understand they wanted to verify Southwest.com individually,” Potter added.
In the meantime, Southwest loyalists can reap the benefits of a robust Google Flights worth monitoring device. With no change or cancellation charges, vacationers can toggle the “observe costs” button and obtain electronic mail alerts if charges drop, even after they've booked. When canceling and rebooking their Southwest flight, patrons can obtain a fare credit score towards the lowest-cost itinerary.
However don't anticipate the Google Flights information to point future plans: Southwest says it has no intention of betting on third-party journey web sites. “Google Flights shouldn’t be a reserving engine and this isn’t a transfer in the direction of on-line journey companies,” mentioned an airline spokesperson.