alchemista

Thinking through the benefits you listed:

Who cares about the T-36 seat assignment? Even as A+, I always get A20s and sometimes low 30s. That wouldn't change if it was T-24 or whatever. It's not based on earliest-checkin once you are in the A-list programs, it's some unknown ranking supposedly factoring price paid, date booked, eliteness...

Free Wifi - its marginally usable, and only $8 a flight. Business travelers can usually expense this too, so little personal value for a biz traveler.
The free live TV is very nice, but that's available to all passengers.

Free and priority standby - maybe valuable for some traveler's routes but otherwise pretty rare for someone who knows their schedule. It's free to all passengers to change your flight anytime, so no unique benefit to elites here.

Priority checkin line? People still use those? Low value.

Dedicated phone number? People still use those? Low value.

100% points multiplier - other airlines' programs also give high multipliers.
It's already been discussed pros/cons of WN points. Personally, being able to redeem points on flights worldwide and with alliance partners is a significant benefit that is lacking with WN.

Anyway - glad you're happy with WN. Please stay off UA

jep8821

Southwest doesn't offer or state that they offer exit row seats as an upgrade or premium experience for elites. Plain and simple. So why are you expecting it when it was never stated you would get an exit row seat? That's why I said it came across as you thinking your above other people for. What Southwest offers you is a "better" chance to get your preferred seat based on having Business Select. You also ignored my other comment.. what about other people on the previous leg(s) that did purchase Business Select.. You also ignore that logistics of it.. Since your not on the first leg of the flight, in order for southwest to even begin to offer what you want, they have to have in place a way to determine who purchased business class from the previous legs of a flight. Based on that, they would have to adjust the amount of business select they sell on of the remaining flight segments. It would be nearly impossible to do. (based on Soutwest IT record).

Sorry Southwest doesn't suit your needs but it works for most other people. Southwest is known for OPEN SEATING.. What you want is NOT OPEN SEATING. I wish you the best with any other airline you fly. But... each airline has its own issues... the grass always looks greener on the other side type deal.. You may look back an decide Southwest wasn't as bad as you make them out to be because you couldn't get an exit row or bulkhead seat....

msglsmo

I second your comments about SWA. If I could book a seat, I'd fly them fairly regularly. But with tight connections and the chance of middle seats, no thank you. I'll stick with Delta.

kennycrudup

Oh, that decision was easy to make the first time UA wanted a $150 change fee on a $127 ticket, essentially throwing my money away. "No Change Fees" isn't an A-List-only benefit so I didn't mention it above, but it's also part of why I fly WN.

(... the sentiment goes both ways- for all the complaints about WN, in some 6 years of FF travel I doubt I've been on a flight that's gone out less than 70% full, and 90% of the time they're completely full, so PLEASE leave room for those of us who actually value WN!)

jeffandnicole

A pretty hilarious statement from someone with under 300 posts themselves at this point.

kennycrudup

I don't have to check-in at ALL 'till I'm headed to the airport.
I don't think you understand how A-List free standby works. I don't have to pay to change my WGA tickets to AT as non-elites do, and this alone has saved me a bundle.

I check bags quite often, and that phone line is very useful during IRROPs.

HomerJay

It's not fair. I agree.

“There is always inequity in life. Some men are killed in a war and some men are wounded, and some men never leave the country, and some men are stationed in the Antarctic and some are stationed in San Francisco. It’s very hard in military or in personal life to assure complete equality. Life is unfair.”

- John F. Kennedy
March 21, 1962

nsx

You forgot about connecting flights and all those earlier originators whose T-24 time is hours ahead of yours.

Right. Just use Southwest's website, which as we all know is 100% reliable in accomplishing what you need.

Availability is getting to the point where redeeming Chase Reserve points at 1.5 cents to buy a cash fare is a better deal than using airline miles. But if you can somehow find a premium cabin seat at the saver level, I agree that's a win.

alchemista

Yes, I'm not sure what you mean by saying you don't have to pay to change your WGA tickets to AT. I think what you mean is that you can do SDS to a flight that only has AT fares remaining? If you're doing that as a way to try to upgrade your flight, and rely on it often I guess that's valuable for some people's needs - I think most elite programs allow SDS though, so doesn't seem unique. As a business traveler, I'm able to buy whatever flight suits me - so it doesn't really matter to me if I'm on a WGA fare vs AT except for points, and you won't get extra points by doing SDS right?

Every elite program has a dedicated elite member phone #, don't see what's unique there.

alchemista

I understand that but here's how business select is marketed:

Guaranteed A1-15 boarding
Be one of the first to board with priority boarding. Pick the seat you want and have room for your carryon bags.

Now of course I know that this isn't saying you are guaranteed any particular seat. However, I do think it's misleading or should be disclosed (maybe an asterisk on this claim) that clearly says Business Select is after pre-boarders and any passengers that were on the previous leg.

"one of the first to board" is subjective, but when you are behind 10 through passengers and another 10 pre-boarders, I'd argue you're not one of the first. On a 143-seat 700, being #30 out of #143 to board is arguably not "one of the first to board".

Either way, the info in this thread is interesting and personally I've already made my decision.

dmbolp

No, it means you can do SDS for a flight that has any seats remaining, regardless of fare bucket. Otherwise, you're paying the fairly significant fare difference if you want to get on an earlier flight

alchemista

That's what I just said, but I understand now. That is true with other mileage programs too. Since WN has no change fees for anyone, the ability to do SDS is somewhat diminished compared to other programs where only elites have no change fees.

rsteinmetz70112

I think you may still not fully understand the Southwest system.

I you hold an AT or BS ticket you can almost always change your flight at no cost.

If you are A-List you can now go on Same Day Standby at no cost even in you hold a very cheap ticket.

If you are not A-List and which to change your flight you must upgrade to a BS or AT ticket.

jco613

Idk what the fuss here is. I was on the bwi-bdl leg of dal-Bwi-bdl...

Not only were there thrus, and bs...I checked in t-24 for my originator and still got B-38...and I STILL got infinite leg room WITH an open middle seat.

bobunf

The $150 change fee on UA and equivalences on others is what keeps me on WN. Along with available no hassle award seating, no bag fees, a unique companion pass program and you can sit anywhere you want.