It can be difficult to arrange a trip for family, friends, workmates, or a big group as everybody will have to travel together. For such instances, Southwest Airlines provides a service of organizing travel for a group in order to facilitate travel arrangements and booking of flights for several individuals at once. The Southwest Airlines Group Travel service is tailored for travelers who wish to travel together for family, business, academic, or sports purposes, among others.
The Southwest Airlines Group Travel is usually open for groups with 10 or more travelers flying together. Instead of purchasing tickets separately, one can use the Southwest Airlines Group Travel option for purchasing his/her flights.
In case you would like to organize a group trip, it will be necessary for you to find out how to book your ticket.
What Is Southwest Airlines Group Travel?
Southwest Airlines Group Travel is a system that enables the booking process for groups of passengers numbering 10 or more. It makes it possible for an individual to organize flights for many people through a single group booking arrangement.
This option is useful for:
- Meetings and trips related to business.
- School and college trips.
- Family reunions and vacations.
- Sports teams and tournament travel.
- Wedding parties and special events.
- Religious and community group trips.
Southwest Airlines Group Booking enables coordinators to arrange for travel details through the airlines’ group travel section instead of making separate arrangements for individual passengers’ tickets.
How Many Passengers Are Required for Southwest Airlines Group Booking?
Group travel on Southwest Airlines usually involves a minimum requirement of 10 passengers traveling together for the program.
It is important that the group is eligible for this program and all the passengers are traveling on one common itinerary. Groups with less than 10 members usually travel on the airline’s regular flights booking program.
Before requesting a group booking, prepare the following information:
- Total number of passengers.
- Departure and arrival cities.
- Preferred travel dates.
- Preferred departure times.
- Contact details of the group organizer.
- Any special travel requirements.
Having these details ready can help the airline provide suitable group travel options.
What Are the Benefits of Southwest Airlines Group Travel?
Using the Southwest group travel program to book seats provides several advantages for groups that qualify.
Name change flexibility: Unlimited name changes are allowed at least 74 hours prior to departure when using the Southwest group travel program.
Free of additional booking charges: No extra booking, ticketing, or name change charges are provided within the group travel program.
Group travel discounts: Eligible groups can enjoy reduced airfares compared to individual bookings.
Free ticket offer: Groups can enjoy one free round trip for every 30th passenger on board.
Professional booking assistance: Travelers can seek assistance from the Group Travel Services for booking assistance.
The above advantages make it easier for groups to arrange their travel. The specific terms of fare and qualification criteria must be checked out.
How Can I Contact Southwest Airlines for Group Booking?
If you are planning a group trip with 10 or more passengers, you can contact Southwest Airlines Group Travel Services directly.
Here are the contact details:
- Phone number: 1-800-433-5368
- Availability: Monday through Friday
- Working hours: 5:00 AM to midnight Central Time
Business travelers can also use Southwest Business Assist to request a group travel quote through the airline’s self-service system.
When contacting the airline, provide your group size, travel dates, departure city, destination, and preferred schedule to receive suitable booking information.
Can You Check In Online for Southwest Group Travel?
Yes. Southwest Airlines allows passengers traveling under a group reservation to check in online.
Group passengers can check in through the Southwest website starting 24 hours before their scheduled departure.
Follow these steps:
- Visit the Southwest Airlines website.
- Select the Check In option.
- Enter your group confirmation number.
- Provide the first and last name of a passenger on the reservation.
- Select the entire group or individual passengers.
- Complete the check-in process and obtain boarding passes.
It is important to remember that passengers have to arrive at the check-in counters and also the gates by the respective deadlines.
Final Thoughts
The Southwest Airlines Group Travel program can be a great choice for families, business travelers, sports teams, and any other party intending to travel as groups. Groups consisting of 10 people and more can get in touch with the airline’s team for a group quote and coordination of bookings.
Read Also: Southwest Airlines Baggage Policy
Before booking Southwest Airlines Group Booking, it is important to compare different fare options, pay attention to payment deadlines, learn about name change policies and travel requirements.