Everything You Need to Know About Southwest Airlines' Newest Fare Class

Southwest Airlines just unveiled the details behind its new fare class, and we have good news: the new fare class, called "Wanna Get Away Plus," promises to be an excellent option for budget travelers craving more flexibility and rewards when they fly.

Joining Business Select, Anytime, and Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus allows ticket holders to earn eight Rapid Rewards points for each dollar spent. It also allows them to change same-day flights and get on the same-day standby list for no extra charge from the airline.

Like the Wanna Get Away fares—Southwest's version of basic economy—tickets are non-refundable. However, the Dallas-based airline will also be introducing transferable flight credits, meaning that Repaid Rewards Members who've booked a Business Select, Anytime, or Wanna Get Away plus ticket can transfer their flight credit to another Rapid Rewards Member; they will then have up to a year from when the flight was first booked to use it.

"The airline industry, in our perspective, is a repeat purchase business. And a positive experience with a quality product brings customers back for the next flight," said Andrew Watterson, Southwest's executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "The desired outcome here is to have four quality fare products with reasonable sell-ups in between and let the customer choose what fits their needs. But all the fare products are sufficient for travel."

In addition to the new fare class, Anytime ticket holders will also enjoy Priority Lane and Express Lane benefits—previously only available to Business Select passengers—and take advantage of EarlyBird Check-In, which is included in the cost of their ticket.

Those interested in booking a Wanna Get Away Plus ticket will soon be able to do so, with the fare class set to debut in the next few months.