New Business Priority product and NDC solutions give businesses greater flexibility and choice throughout the journey

DALLAS, Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today announces new benefits for Southwest Business with the introduction of Business Priority and New Distribution Capability (NDC) connectivity. Designed for corporate travel programs, these new offerings provide eligible business travelers with day-of-travel assistance and partners with greater flexibility and choice to access Southwest^® content through participating third-party booking tools.

“Southwest is focused on elevating the travel experience to meet the expectations of today’s and tomorrow’s business Customers through initiatives like assigned and Extra Legroom seating, cabin upgrades, including in-seat power, Starlink ultra-fast WiFi,¹ larger overhead bins, and international partnerships,” said Aileen Furlong, Vice President of Sales. “And Southwest Business is building on that by making it easier for corporate buyers to access these enhancements through expanded distribution options and priority travel from booking to boarding.”

Advancing Managed Travel
Beginning in early 2027, Southwest’s new Business Priority product will become available as an option for inclusion in corporate travel agreements for qualified Customers. Business Priority will aim to give business travelers of companies who receive its benefits access to preferred reaccommodation, standby, and boarding benefits that provide greater flexibility and confidence on the day of travel.

More Ways to Access Southwest
The airline is introducing NDC capabilities to provide new connectivity options and ensure Customers have access to Southwest’s fare products and seating ancillary services in the channels they use every day. As part of this effort, Southwest is evolving its industry-leading, in-house API. This new direct-connect option is expected to be available to partners by the end of 2026.

Additionally, Southwest has selected Amadeus Altéa NDC, the Amadeus solution enabling personalized and enriched offers for Customers and their travelers through the third parties of their choice, including the Amadeus Travel Platform. This option is expected to be available later in 2027.

“As NDC adoption continues to accelerate across corporate travel, we are pleased to deepen our technology collaboration with Southwest and bring its NDC content to a wider audience. For travel management companies and business travel agencies, access to relevant airline content within existing workflows–including booking and servicing capabilities–is essential to supporting modern managed travel programs and delivering the choice, consistency and efficiency corporate customers increasingly expect,” said Meg O’Keefe, Senior Vice President, Airlines, Americas at Amadeus.

These NDC enhancements reflect Southwest’s commitment to delivering modern technology solutions across all channels, giving Customers and partners reliable access to consistent fare content, preferred seating products, and travel management capabilities.

Together, these new business travel benefits and distribution capabilities underscore Southwest’s continued investment in its corporate travel product.

Visit Southwest.com/aboutbusiness to learn more, including how Southwest Business can be your organization’s trusted business travel advisor. 

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world’s most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 121 airports across 12 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline.² By empowering its more than 73,000³  People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 134 million Customers carried in 2025. Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.

¹ Where available. Available only on select WiFi-enabled designated aircraft.
² Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey as of Q4 2025
³ Fulltime-equivalent active Employees as of March 31, 2026. 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to (i) the Company’s initiatives, strategic priorities, focus areas, core strengths, goals, and opportunities, including delivering more for business travelers, elevating the travel experience to meet the expectations of today’s and tomorrow’s business Customers through initiatives, providing greater flexibility, choice, and confidence for travel, and continued investment in the Company’s corporate travel product; (ii) the Company’s expectations with respect to delivering modern technology solutions across all channels, giving Customers and partners reliable access to consistent fare content, preferred seating products, and travel management capabilities; (iii) the Company’s expectations with respect to enhanced benefits and booking options, Business Priority, and New Distribution Capability connectivity options and adoption, including Amadeus Altéa NDC and including the timing of introduction; and (iv) the Company’s plans and expectations with respect to evolving the Company’s industry-leading, in-house API, ensuring access to the Company’s fare products and seating ancillary services, and making it easier to access product offering enhancements through expanded distribution options and priority travel. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current estimates, intentions, beliefs, expectations, goals, strategies, and projections for the future and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) the impact of geopolitical conflicts, fears or actual outbreaks of diseases, extreme or severe weather and natural disasters, actions of competitors (including, without limitation, pricing, scheduling, capacity, and network decisions, and consolidation and alliance activities), governmental actions, consumer perception, consumer uncertainties with respect to trade policies or government shutdowns (including the imposition of tariffs), economic conditions, banking conditions, fears or actual acts of terrorism or war, sociodemographic trends, and other factors beyond the Company’s control, on consumer behavior and the Company’s results of operations and business decisions, plans, strategies, and results; (ii) the Company’s ability to timely and effectively implement, transition, operate, and maintain the necessary information technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and initiatives; (iii) consumer behavior and response with respect to the Company’s commercial products and policies; (iv) the impact of fuel price changes, fuel price volatility, and fuel availability on the Company’s business plans and results of operations; (v) the impact of governmental regulations and other governmental actions, including with respect to government shutdowns, as well as the Company’s ability to obtain any required governmental approvals, on the Company’s business plans, results, and operations; (vi) the Company’s dependence on The Boeing Company (“Boeing”) and Boeing suppliers with respect to the Company’s aircraft deliveries, Boeing MAX 7 aircraft certifications, fleet and capacity plans, operations, maintenance, strategies, and goals; (vii) the Company’s dependence on the Federal Aviation Administration with respect to, among other things, the certification of the Boeing MAX 7 aircraft; (viii) the Company’s dependence on other third parties, in particular with respect to its technology plans, its plans and expectations related to revenue management, online travel agencies, operational reliability, fuel supply, maintenance, Global Distribution Systems, environmental sustainability, and the impact on the Company’s operations and results of operations of any third-party delays or nonperformance; (ix) the Company’s ability to timely and effectively prioritize its initiatives and focus areas and related expenditures; (x) the impact of labor matters on the Company’s business decisions, plans, strategies, and results; (xi) the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain adequate infrastructure and equipment to support its operations and initiatives; (xii) the Company’s dependence on its workforce, including its ability to employ and retain sufficient numbers of qualified Employees with appropriate skills and expertise to effectively and efficiently maintain its operations and execute the Company’s plans, strategies, and initiatives; (xiii) the cost and effects of the actions of activist shareholders; and (xiv) other factors, as described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.