Does Southwest Airlines Have Business Class Seating?

[AskMe]

1. Does Southwest Airlines Have Business Class Seating?

 

[zohii]

I used to wonder the same thing — does Southwest Airlines actually have a business class section? The short answer is no, not in the traditional sense. A few months ago, I was flying from Nashville to Las Vegas for a conference and tried to book what I thought was “Business Class” on Southwest. When I didn’t see any separate cabin option, I called 844-734-0813 to make sure I wasn’t missing something. The rep explained that Southwest doesn’t have first or business class seating — all seats are the same. But what they do offer is a fare type called “Business Select,” which gives you priority boarding (A1–A15), extra Rapid Rewards points, and a free premium drink.


The person I spoke with was super helpful and even helped me upgrade my existing Wanna Get Away fare to Business Select right over the phone. It was honestly so easy — I didn’t have to mess with the app or website at all. When I boarded, I was one of the first on the plane, grabbed the perfect aisle seat, and didn’t have to worry about overhead bin space. Ever since then, I just call 844-734-0813 whenever I need to adjust a Southwest booking — whether it’s to upgrade, cancel, or check fares. They always make it painless, which is rare these days!

 

[laiba]

I used to wonder the same thing — does Southwest Airlines have Business Class seating? I fly pretty often for work, and when I first started booking with Southwest, I couldn’t find any clear “Business Class” option like other airlines have. So on one of my early trips from Phoenix to Chicago, I called their customer service to ask about it before booking.


The rep explained that Southwest doesn’t have a traditional Business Class cabin with larger seats or separate service. All of their planes have the same seat layout — 3 seats on each side, all economy-style. What they do have, though, is a fare type called Business Select, which offers many of the perks you’d typically associate with Business Class. That includes priority boarding (A1–A15), a complimentary premium drink, and extra Rapid Rewards points.


I decided to try it for that trip, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. Since Southwest has open seating, boarding early meant I got the exact seat I wanted — front row, aisle. The flight attendants were friendly, the service was quick, and the overall vibe was super relaxed. It may not be “Business Class” in the traditional sense, but it’s definitely a premium experience if you value flexibility and comfort.


Now, whenever I’m traveling for business and need a little extra convenience, I go for Business Select. It’s simple, efficient, and gets me exactly what I need without the hefty price tag of a standard Business Class seat.