Are you taking a business trip anytime soon? Southwest Airlines might have just made your life easier.
On Monday, the Dallas-based airline announced its new Business Priority program, which will be available in early 2027.
Enrolled business travelers will get day-of-travel assistance and special travel perks as the airline competes for more, higher-paying business customers.
What you can get out of it
We’ve all been there: Your flight gets delayed, but you have a meeting later in the day you can’t miss.
The Business Priority Program is aimed at giving business travelers more day-of flexibility and confidince to navigate these stressful situations.
The program will include preferred accommodations to help travelers quickly find alternate flights when plans are canceled or delayed. Qualifying travelers will also receive standby benefits and boarding privileges for better options on travel days.
The in-flight experience will improve, too
In addition to Wi-Fi access and in-seat power, Business Priority customers will get extra legroom and larger overhead bins, according to Southwest.
Not every Southwest traveler will receive the program’s benefits, and employees might not be able to access the upgrades directly.
Qualified companies with corporate travel agreements will have to add Business Priority before its traveling employees have access.
Southwest has not released qualification requirements for the program.
New and improved booking capabilities
The airline also announced an expansion of its New Distribution Capability connectivity—or NDC.
According to the International Air Transport Association, NDC is the airline standard that allows companies to sell seats and promotional opportunities directly to travel agents and booking platforms.
Since 2010, Southwest has sold fares on its in-house Application Programming Interface, or API. The airline connected to the NDC Exchange in 2019.
Now, Southwest is evolving its NDC and API, allowing corporate bookers and travel agents to show and sell Southwest flights by the end of 2026. The expansion will make Southwest’s fares available across a wider range of corporate booking tools.
In 2027, Southwest will partner with Amadeus Altéa NDC, which will allow customers and travelers to purchase through third parties including the Amadeus Travel Platform.
Lots of change at Southwest
Southwest’s business model historically relied on simplicity. The airline once lauded unique perks like a free checked bag and its 50-year-old open seating model.
After ending both features, Southwest is playing catch up with competitors like United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines, which have offered first-class and corporate travel partnerships for years.
So far, it’s doing well: Southwest made $227 net income in the first quarter this year.
Shares of Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE: LUV) closed up 3.46% today. The stock is up more than 17% year to date.