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Southwest plans to eliminate senior fares Dec. 11

Stephanie Asymkos
·Reporter
American Airlines longest serving flight attendant, Bette Nash, 81 years old, walks in the airport corridors after disembarking from her daily return flight to Boston at Ronald Reagan Washington Airport in Arlington, Virginia on December 19, 2017. American Airlines Flight 2160 from Boston has just arrived in Washington, D.C., and Bette Nash, 81, helps the passengers disembark. After six decades crossing the skies as a flight attendant, Nash still has impeccable style, incredible energy and a constant smile. In the United States, pilots must retired at 65 but there is no such restriction on commercial flight attendants, of which Bette Nash is probably the world's most senior. / AFP PHOTO / Eric BARADAT (Photo credit should read ERIC BARADAT/AFP/Getty Images)
American Airlines' longest-serving flight attendant, Bette Nash, 81 years old, walks in the airport corridors after disembarking from her daily return flight to Boston at Ronald Reagan Washington Airport in Arlington, Virginia on December 19, 2017. (Photo: ERIC BARADAT/AFP/Getty Images)

Seniors flying Southwest Airlines (LUV) will soon have to pay full price for their airfares.

The airline plans to discontinue its senior citizen discount on Dec. 11, according to an announcement on its website. Southwest cited the program’s lack of popularity as a reason for its demise, according to a report from USA TODAY, and that a "relatively low" number of senior citizens took Southwest up on its offer.

The “benefits that come with the senior fare product are just as readily achieved in the Wanna Get Away product with reusable funds and everyday low fares,” the company said in an email to Yahoo Finance.

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Senior passengers will still be able to take advantage of Southwest’s other perks like no-change fees and two free checked bags. Refunds are also still available with the airline’s “Anytime” and “Business Select” fares.

Just because Southwest is sunsetting its senior discount fares doesn’t mean seniors are now relegated to paying full price. Other major carriers still offer discounts to flyers aged 50 and up.

A traveler waits to check in with Southwest Airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in Seattle. According to an airport spokesman, Southwest is the only carrier flying in and out of the airport with flights that use the Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane, and that is limited to a few flights per day. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. is issuing an emergency order grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft in the wake of the crash of an Ethiopian Airliner that killed 157 people. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
A traveler waits to check in with Southwest Airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in Seattle. (Photo: AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

American Airlines: Select senior fares are available to American Airlines passengers, but you have to call the reservation number to learn if your route is eligible and to find out pricing information. To book, call 1-800-433-7300.

British Airways: AARP members are eligible for up to $200 off a roundtrip transatlantic ticket when booked on British Airways now through Jan. 31, 2020. AARP membership is available to those 50 and older for $12 a year when you auto-renew annually.

Delta Airlines: It’s possible to purchase a senior citizen fare, but it comes with two major caveats: Fares aren’t publicized online and are only available in specific markets. Senior discounts can only be booked by calling the airline’s reservation line at 1-800-221-1212.

United Airlines: United offers discounted fares to select travel destinations for passengers ages 65 and older. When booking online, toggle the traveler’s drop-down to seniors to see the available deals.

Stephanie is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @SJAsymkos.

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