You may want to reconsider calling Southwest a discount airline, a Wall Street Journal article says, because some of its nonrefundable fares are even higher than its competitors. The Department of Transportation says that in the last five years, ticket prices for Southwest have jumped 39 percent. The rise in ticket prices can't be helped, as Southwest says it's due to the increase of fuel costs. Read more

I find this story inspiring because this is an example of how much a consumer can achieve if she fights back. Kenlie Tiggeman, didn't know what a ride she was in for when she was boarding her Southwest layover in Dallas. MSN reports that Kenlie, who had already lost 120 pounds, and her mother were subject to a public 45-minute conversation with Southwest employees, which included personal Read more

Hearing about all the cracks on Southwest planes was starting to make me feel a little wary of flying on my favorite budget airline, but some readers think that it can actually be a good thing. Here's what they had to say: When airlines find a major flaw, then tend to overhaul and over-inspect everything immediately after. Plus, to woo back customers that might be scared, they'll most likely Read more

While many airlines' frequent flier programs allow you to collect miles, I've always liked Southwest's simple flight-based program, where one flight meant one credit, no matter how short or long. Now, however, the budget airliner is trying its hand at a system where you earn more points for more expensive tickets. The new Rapid Rewards program, which launches in March, converts dollars spent to Read more

If you're flying Southwest this Thursday, you can start celebrating turkey day with a free alcoholic drink, according to the company's Twitter account. The budget airline might be trying to up American Airlines' cool-kid status — American recently introduced a happy hour special on flights that run throughout December. If you're the type who usually naps on the plane, just remember, if you Read more

I'm telling you, if you want to make it with the in crowd on Twitter, pal up with the wallet-friendly airlines like @JetBlue and @SouthwestAir. These budget airlines are the ones with the most friends on the social networking platform among all the US airlines. According to data from this morning, JetBlue dominates the Twitter market with about 1.6 million followers. Meanwhile, Southwest comes in Read more

Southwest may not be the most luxurious flying experience in the world, but it's a bare-bones way to get from city to city. We're not sure how ticket prices will be affected by its acquisition of AirTran, but for now Southwest is my Savvy choice for short trips on a budget. I use the airline all the time to see friends and family in LA, and I love its great customer service, no cancel or Read more