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From assigned seats to red-eye flights, it’s time for big changes at Southwest Airlines — and this week has brought another.

Booking site Kayak now features Southwest fares, the company announced Monday. This allows users to directly compare prices and travel options with other airlines.

It’s a major shift. Historically, Southwest has not allowed third-party companies to display its schedule and fare data.

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That has begun to change in recent months, however.

In May, TPG reported that Southwest fares began appearing on Google Flights, increasing flight comparison options for users.

And on Monday, Kayak joined a short list of companies that can display Southwest’s data.

A quick flight search confirms the change: You can see Southwest options pop up for October flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Southwest hub Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). It includes both the carrier’s Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares.

You cannot book directly on Kayak’s website. Once you find the Southwest itinerary you want, you can click directly on the carrier’s website to book and transfer. This is part of what Southwest calls a pilot partnership.

“This is a great development for travelers,” Kayak CEO Steve Hafner said in a statement Monday. “We first started showing Kayak to business customers in the Southwest in 2022. We’re thrilled to extend that relationship to the millions of leisure travelers who use Kayak.”

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Major changes in the Southwest

Allowing Kayak to display its rental data is the latest in a series of recent moves to transform Southwest, amid lagging financial performance in recent quarters.

On the company’s July 25 earnings call, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Waterson cited its recent entry into Google Flights as key to its effort to fill more aircraft with passengers, among “some of our other customer acquisition activities.”

That same day, Southwest announced additional efforts to increase revenue, including Ditching its longtime open-seating setup and adding extra-legroom options. It also announced that it would accelerate the use of its jets by red-eye flights.

Regarding Kayak’s expansion, the airline said it hopes to provide customers with “enhanced visibility” into its available fares and flight options.

“We are excited to continue to find ways to expose more customers to the appeal of our unique combination of value, friendly and flexible policies and breadth of flight service,” Southwest said in a statement to TPG on Monday.

The airline has not indicated whether it plans to allow additional third-party sites to display its flight information in the near future.

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Easy ways to find flights

Southwest joining Google Flights and Kayak is one of several recent changes in the US airline industry that makes it easier for consumers to compare flight prices across a wide range of airlines.

In recent months, budget airlines Both Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines have announced changes to how they display fares and add-on charges. Each now plans to offer four different ticket types, or bundles, upfront — with product offerings ranging from basic and unbundled to premium.

It’s a four-tier setup that’s apparently similar to the price buckets offered by major network airlines.

Plus, Southwest’s fares are appearing in more destinations, giving travelers a better apples-to-apples look at their flight options when deciding on the best airline and itinerary.

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