The Guide to Southwest Choice Extra

Choice Extra is Southwest's most premium fare type, giving travelers the most flexibility and perks when they fly with the airline.

If you're willing to pay up for the priciest option, you'll get benefits like priority boarding, faster Rapid Rewards points earning, flexible changes and the ability to select an extra legroom seat. (Keep in mind that Southwest doesn't offer a traditional "first class" product, although Choice Extra is the closest you'll get to it on the airline. Extra legroom seats aren't wider, but they do offer more space for your legs.)

Here's how to determine if Southwest’s Choice Extra is the right fare for you.

What you need to know about Southwest Choice Extra

While there’s no such thing as Southwest first class in the traditional sense, the airline’s Choice Extra fares offer some important perks that might be worth the extra cost.

• You are guaranteed to board in Groups 1-2.

• You can select any seat at booking, including extra legroom seating with five extra inches of seat pitch.

• If you’re a Rapid Rewards member, you’ll earn 14 points per dollar spent on the Choice Extra fare, rather than 10x, 6x or 2x for mid- and low-level fares.

• You’re eligible for full cash refunds instead of a travel credit for future Southwest purchases, as is the case with Basic or Choice fares.

• You have access to express security lanes, which allows access to designated (and presumably faster) security checkpoints at some airports (see which airports offer express security lane access here).

• If you often make last-minute changes, you’ll enjoy the fact that Choice Extra fares are eligible for same-day change and same-day standby tickets. You can make these changes as long as there’s an open seat on a different flight on the same date as your original flight and it’s between the same cities.

• Choice Extra tickets receive one complimentary premium drink on flights over 250 miles, including beverages like margaritas, gin and tonics, mimosas, and seasonal beers.

• Two free checked bags, making Choice Extra the only fare type that offers complimentary bags.

Does Choice Extra include first class seats?

Southwest does not have a first class cabin on its planes, so Choice Extra seats are unfortunately not wider than other seats. Regardless of fare type, there is no difference in seat size on Southwest's all-economy planes.

However, with your Choice Extra fare, you can select any seat on the plane for free, including extra legroom seats. Those seats are located in the front of the plane and at the exit rows, and they provide five additional inches of seat pitch.

These seats are subject to availability, so make sure you select the seat you want at booking.

Is Business Select worth it on Southwest?

Southwest has four fare classes: Choice Extra, Choice Preferred, Choice and Basic, each with various benefits — and different costs.

The value of Choice Extra vs. Choice fares

The two most expensive fare classes — Choice Extra and Choice Preferred fares — both have a key benefit that the folks in Choice and Basic won’t get, and that’s fully refundable tickets (rather than receiving credit for returned tickets as a credit for a future flight).

If you value that level of flexibility, then consider booking either Choice Extra or Choice Preferred. But keep in mind that it’s going to cost you, as Choice Extra fares can often be much more expensive.

That said, you will rack up seven times the Rapid Rewards points for choosing Business Select over Southwest’s lowest fare class. Still, the additional value from points is far from enough to make up for the additional cost, in most cases.

Consider the cost of a nonstop one-way flight from Fort Lauderdale to Nashville in October 2025. Here’s how many Rapid Rewards points you would earn per fare class if you buy your ticket in cash (note that if you choose the Cash + Points option at checkout, you will not earn any Rapid Rewards points).

Below, you’ll also find the value of those points, based on NerdWallet’s valuation of Southwest points at 1.5 cents:

In this case, you’re paying $260 more for a Choice Extra ticket compared to Basic, but only getting about $147 more in value from the Rapid Rewards points earned. Accounting for that, you’ll be out an extra $113 for choosing the premium ticket.

With this in mind, you’ll have to decide if that upcharge is worth it to you for access to priority boarding, a premium drink (on select flights), the ability to get a full refund rather than a credit, priority security, easy cancellations or last-minute flight changes, two free checked bags, and extra legroom seating. (Keep in mind that Basic fares don't include seat selection at all, so that flexibility may be worth it to you.)

» Learn more: Don't just redeem Rapid Rewards points — here's how to redeem them wisely

The value of Southwest Choice Extra vs. Choice Preferred

For a one-way flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Nashville, Tennessee, in December 2025, we found Southwest Choice Extra cost $50 more than the Choice Preferred fare ($332 vs. $382).

With Choice Extra, you'll get priority boarding by Group 2, express security line access (where applicable), a complimentary premium drink, two free checked bags and the ability to select an extra legroom seat.

Those benefits can be worth the upcharge, especially if you're planning to check bags or want more room for your legs.

If you want to fly Southwest Choice Extra

Choice Extra can offer travelers a more streamlined Southwest experience, including easy flight changes or cancellations, the perk of being among the first to board, two free checked bags, and a complimentary drink.

If you’re wrestling between Southwest Choice Extra versus Choice Preferred fares and you don’t mind banking more Southwest Rapid Rewards points, then it’s usually worth it to pay a bit more for the full Southwest Choice Extra experience and booking the top fare.

But if you’re seeking a true first-class experience with a full airport lounge, a plush seat and a dedicated flight attendant, it might be a good idea to save your money to fly first class elsewhere, and just book a Basic or Choice fare when traveling on Southwest.