When Southwest announced it was rolling out a new Basic fare to replace Wanna Get Away, my first thought was, “Well, there goes the last ‘simple’ airline.”
On paper, Basic looks pretty rough: no early seat selection, last to board, bag fees for most people, and limited flexibility.
But we finally booked a Basic fare to see what it was like in the real world. For our particular trip, the experience was almost identical to the old Wanna Get Away fares — and we even saved a few bucks.
The twist is why it felt the same for us, and why that won’t necessarily be true once Southwest flips to assigned seating and a new boarding process on January 27, 2026.
How Southwest Basic Replaces Wanna Get Away
For years, Wanna Get Away was Southwest’s cheapest “normal” fare. You still got:
- Open seating
- Two free checked bags for everyone
- No change fees (you’d just pay any fare difference)
That branding is gone. The new system is Basic / Choice / Choice Preferred / Choice Extra, and Basic is now the rock-bottom, most-restricted option. You can see all the current details on Southwest’s own chart here: Southwest Airfare Types & Benefits.
Here’s what Basic looks like now, based on that chart:
- 2x Rapid Rewards points per dollar on paid flights
- Nonrefundable and generally non-changeable, unless you pay to upgrade to a higher fare.
- If you cancel a paid ticket at least 10 minutes before departure, you receive a non-refundable flight credit with limited validity
- Not eligible for free same-day change or standby (those start at the Choice level)
- Bag fees apply to Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred on newer bookings, with two free checked bags only bundled automatically with higher fare types or elite status
And for flights on or after January 27, 2026, there are a few more “fun” upgrades:
- Your seat is assigned at check-in (unless you qualify for card/status exceptions)
- You have the lowest boarding priority of the fare types
That’s a very different animal from the old days of “book Wanna Get Away, show up, pick whatever seat is left, and your bags fly free.”
Why Basic Didn’t Really Hurt Us (This Time)
Given all that, you’d think flying Basic would have felt like a big step down. It didn’t.
For this trip, our experience felt almost exactly like any other Southwest flight we’ve taken over the years. Here’s why.
We booked with points, not cash
The “short-lived flight credit” rule only applies to paid Basic fares. With Southwest, if you book with points and cancel, your points go back into your Rapid Rewards account (as long as you cancel at least 10 minutes before departure).
We were flying on points + Companion Pass
Basic only earns extra points on paid tickets. You don’t earn Rapid Rewards points on award flights, and you don’t earn points for a Companion Pass ticket either.
Since our tickets were booked with points, and the second traveler was on a Companion Pass, we weren’t earning Rapid Rewards points on this trip anyway. That made the “2x vs. higher multipliers” angle irrelevant for this itinerary.
Our Southwest co-brand card gave us a free checked bag
Technically, Basic doesn’t include checked bags, but Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cardholders receive the first checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
That meant the new “bag fees apply to Basic” rule didn’t actually cost us anything — our card took care of it.
Assigned seating and “last to board” haven’t started yet
Through January 26, 2026, Southwest is still using its familiar open seating with A/B/C boarding groups.
For this flight, the routine was exactly the same as always: check in, line up by boarding position, get on the plane, and grab whatever open seats you like. No assigned seats, no “you’re Basic, enjoy the last row” moment.
We used Upgraded Boarding credits while we still had them
Because we currently have the Southwest Priority credit card, we were able to use our Upgraded Boarding credit one more time before that perk goes away. That moved us even further up in the boarding order despite being on a Basic fare.
Put all that together and it explains why Basic felt like old-school Wanna Get Away for us. Our particular combo — points booking, Companion Pass, a co-brand card, and Upgraded Boarding — quietly neutralized almost every downside.
What Changes In January 2026: Basic In An Assigned-Seating World
Where this really gets interesting is what happens on or after January 27, 2026, when Southwest flips from open seating to assigned seats and a new boarding order.
Here’s what “plain vanilla” Basic will look like for those flights if you don’t have any status or card benefits helping you out:
- Seat assigned at check-in
For Basic fares, Southwest assigns you a Standard seat at check-in, not at booking. - Extra Legroom and Preferred seats cost extra
Basic passengers can still buy Extra Legroom or Preferred seats if they’re available, but they’re not included in the fare. - Last to board
The new boarding process is built around seat location and fare type, and Basic is explicitly listed as the lowest boarding priority. - Bag fees and tight credits still apply
You’re dealing with bag fees on most Basic tickets, and if you cancel a paid Basic fare, your flight credit is only valid for a limited time. You also don’t get the free same-day change or standby options the higher fares offer.
So after January 2026, you’re not just buying a “cheaper Wanna Get Away.” You’re agreeing to:
- Let Southwest assign your seat at check-in
- Board after almost everyone else
- Accept more restrictions if your plans change
How A Southwest Credit Card Softens Basic (Especially In 2026)
The bright spot in all of this is that Southwest’s credit cards are increasingly designed to “patch” the worst parts of Basic.
All three of the major personal cards — including the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card — share some core perks, such as:
- First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to eight passengers on the same reservation
- Group 5 boarding for the cardmember and up to eight passengers on the same reservation
- Up to 25% back on inflight purchases (like drinks and Wi-Fi)
- Anniversary points and a flight discount code, with the exact amounts depending on the specific card
Those shared benefits alone go a long way toward fixing Basic:
- Bag fees? Covered for your first checked bag.
- Worst boarding group? Group 5 is a lot better than “dead last on the plane.”
But the biggest differences between the cards show up once assigned seating starts.
If We Keep The Southwest Priority Card
Right now, we still have the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority card. Once assigned seating kicks in, that card becomes all about seat control.
According to Chase’s benefit descriptions for flights with assigned seating in 2026 and beyond, the Priority card adds:
- Complimentary Preferred seat at booking
We can select a Preferred or Standard seat at the time of booking, at no additional charge, when available. - Extra Legroom seat upgrades within 48 hours
We can upgrade to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours of departure at no additional charge, when available, for ourselves and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
Layer that on top of the shared perks:
- First checked bag free
- Group 5 boarding
- Companion Pass qualifying point boost
- Inflight purchase rebates
And a Basic fare in 2026 suddenly looks like this for us:
- Cheapest fare on the chart, but with
- Preferred or Standard seats picked at booking, not assigned at check-in
- A free shot at Extra Legroom seats 48 hours before departure
- Earlier boarding and a free checked bag for everyone traveling with us
That’s a very different experience from the “true” Basic that someone without a card will see.
If (More Likely) We Downgrade To The Plus Card
The catch, which I already wrote about in more detail here: Southwest Priority Card: No Longer An Automatic Winner, is that the Priority card’s annual fee is going up.
In that post, I boiled Priority’s new value proposition down to this:
- You’re basically paying a higher fee for seat selection at booking and first crack at Extra Legroom seats.
- Everything else most casual Southwest flyers care about — free checked bags, a Companion Pass points boost, a flight discount, inflight rebates — is available on the cheaper cards too.
That’s why we’re seriously thinking about just keeping the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card instead.
From the same benefit chart, the Plus card adds this once assigned seating starts:
- Complimentary Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure
We can select a Standard seat within 48 hours before departure, when available, for ourselves and up to eight people on the same reservation.
We’d lose:
- Preferred seat selection at booking
- The “first crack” at Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours
But we’d keep:
- First checked bag free for everyone on the reservation
- Group 5 boarding
- The ability to pick Standard seats two days before departure instead of accepting a mystery assignment at check-in
- A much lower annual fee than the Priority card
For how we use Southwest, that feels like the more reasonable long-term play.
So… Would I Book Basic Again?
For right now (before January 27, 2026)?
Absolutely — in the right scenario.
Our recent trip was the perfect example:
- We booked with points and a Companion Pass
- Had a co-brand card for free checked bags
- Used up our Upgraded Boarding credit from the Priority card
- Didn’t need same-day changes or standby
In that setup, Basic was basically: “Old Wanna Get Away, just cheaper.”
We didn’t feel any of the downsides, and we saved money. I’d do that again without hesitation.
For travel on or after January 27, 2026, my answer gets more nuanced:
- With the Priority card, I’d still book Basic on a lot of flights, because the card patches most of what Basic takes away — especially being able to choose seats at booking and grab Extra Legroom later.
- With only the Plus card, I’d still consider Basic, but I’d be pickier:
- Shorter flights
- Trips where the seat location doesn’t matter much
- Itineraries that are unlikely to change
And without any Southwest card at all?
Once assigned seating and bag fees are fully live, I’d be much more cautious about Basic. The combination of:
- Last to board
- Seat assigned at check-in
- Shorter-lived credits on paid tickets
- No included checked bag for most people
…starts to look less like “Wanna Get Away with a different name” and more like a true bare-bones basic economy product.
For us, though?
As long as we’re flying on points with or without using the Companion Pass, and keeping at least one Southwest card in the mix, Basic will probably stay in our toolbox — just used a lot more thoughtfully than before.
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