Is Southwest Business Select Worth It? (Pros and Cons 2023)

Southwest Business Select is worth it if you prefer priority boarding & security lane access over comfort and luxury. If boarding first, fully refundable tickets, free cancellation, etc what excites you then you can go ahead with Southwest Business Ticket. The premium ticket is far cheaper than the business class of almost every other US airline. We believe Business Select is a great option for customers often traveling domestically.

However, one must not expect a luxurious experience when booking Southwest Premium Ticket. Some consider it a total waste of money as you pay for the most expensive ticket but still do not get spacious and larger seats. You will miss out on the true first-class experience.

Stay with us till the end of this page to find out if it’s really worth upgrading to Southwest Airlines’ Premium Ticket.

Table of Contents

Is Southwest Airlines Business Select A Ripoff?

We can say that Business Select is Southwest Airlines’ top seat class with additional perks. It also costs extra money to buy this premium ticket. However, many believe it to be a ripoff as it’s not similar to any first-class premium ticket. The airline has differentiated each class with attached benefits rather than inflight service and experience.

Basically, every customer will get to experience similar in-flight facilities only the perks will be different to some extent. Hence, this might disappoint some customers who usually upgrade their seat class to enjoy the comfort and luxury altogether.

On the other hand, individuals who prefer additional perks over comfort may consider choosing Business Select. This is because it is far cheaper than any other business class & offers some useful perks as well. Let us discuss further to come to a final conclusion.

Southwest Premium Fare Pros & Cons

It’s better to start off by first understanding what Southwest Business Select has in store to offer. In this case, there are also quite a few drawbacks to the class ticket. We have breakdown all the pros and cons of Southwest Business Select below:

Aside from being the most expensive ticket on Southwest Airlines, Business Select is actually more affordable than all the premium tickets of other airlines.
The airline has open seating arrangements. With the business select fare class you get the opportunity to board first as the “A” boarding group and choose your preferred seat. This increases your chance of getting seats in the exit row that has more legroom.
Passengers no longer have to wait in long queues for security checks. Southwest Airlines Business Select offers access to the priority security lane.
Free in-flight drinks are possible with drink coupons received by mail.
You earn points when you fly with Business Select. It earns you twice the rapid rewards than other fare classes. The good thing is that there is no expiration date.

Southwest Premium Ticket Drawbacks

Now let’s head over to the drawbacks of the fare class. Mind you, the following may not bother some individuals. However, we would still like to put forward what other passengers felt while flying in Business Select on Southwest Airlines.

You do not get any different cabin for Southwest Business Class seats even though you book a premium ticket. Every seat is similar irrespective of the fare class. Hence, no spacious or comfortable seating area.

Passengers do not get substantial snacks on Southwest Airlines. You may get a complimentary small bag of snacks.
Moreover, the complementary drinks are valid only once per flight. Meaning, you have to pay out of your pocket to get additional drinks
There are other airlines as well that offers better services, especially more legroom at the same price as Southwest Airlines’ Premium Ticket.
Well, you might get boarded first but this doesn’t always imply that you will be the first to enter the plane. Southwest Airlines give priority onboarding to people that need a little extra time to board. Such individuals are given priority over Business Select Ticket holders. Hence, you may lose your chance of getting a good place to sit.
In addition, you have to check-in in time otherwise, you may end up at the end of the “A” boarding group which can be about 30 people long.
Although you will be booking the most expensive seat on Southwest Airlines but still won’t get access to a larger seat area. All seats are economy and there is no difference in seat size or presence of extra legroom for comfy travel.

Honestly, we believe it’s a major drawback as people usually upgrade to premium classes for a better and more comfortable travel experience. We would not recommend opting for business selection when traveling for long hours.

Is It Worth Upgrading to Business Select on Southwest?

Well, it’s hard to pick one definite answer to the question; Is Southwest Business Select Worth It? Some individuals will enjoy the additional perks of Southwest Business Select while others may consider it a waste of money. Each seat class on Southwest Airlines has various benefits and has a drastic difference in costs as well. The costlier the ticket the better the additional benefits. Business Select, the premium ticket, is the most expensive seat class of Southwest Airlines with added benefits like early boarding and more rapid rewards.

Now, it comes down to whether Southwest Business Select Worth It. Honestly, it completely depends on the passenger. What best fits his/her requirement can determine the worth of Southwest Airlines Business Select Class.