Southwest Airlines is courting business travelers with a new offering: Here’s everything you can get out of it

Southwest Airlines has unveiled its new Business Priority program, designed to cater to the needs of business travelers. Scheduled to launch in early 2027, the program promises a host of perks aimed at offering day-of flexibility, confidence, and an improved in-flight experience. The program will provide business travelers with day-of assistance and special travel perks to help them navigate potential disruptions and stressful situations.

This includes preferred accommodations to quickly find alternate flights when plans are canceled or delayed, standby benefits, and enhanced boarding privileges. Improvements to the in-flight experience are also part of the offering, with Business Priority customers set to enjoy extra legroom, larger overhead bins, Wi-Fi access, and in-seat power.

Notably, these benefits will not be universally available to all Southwest travelers, as corporate travel agreements with the airline will be required for employees to access them. Additionally, Southwest has announced an expansion of its New Distribution Capability connectivity, or NDC, which will allow corporate bookers and travel agents to sell and show Southwest flights through third parties by the end of 2026.

This expansion comes as the airline seeks to compete with industry giants like United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines, who have long offered similar services. Despite recent changes in its business model, ditching perks like free checked bags and its open seating model, Southwest has shown promising results, posting a $227 million net income in the first quarter of 2023, a marked improvement from the $149 million loss in the same period last year.