Delta Vs Southwest Airlines: Which Airline Wins in 2025?

When you determine that yes, it’s time to fly somewhere and find yourself stuck between two airlines, Delta vs Southwest Airlines, you need to have a tie-breaker to choose. A lot of people fly on these two major airlines all the time. Delta is the more traditional way to fly. You pick your seat before getting on the plane. Southwest is a sophisticated system that operates differently; it provides a simpler way to experience flight. You get on the flight and select any open seat. 

Each company has pros and cons; one airline might get you around the world while another can give you a better price on luggage. When you fly, you seek the best comfort when getting to your destination, the lowest fare, or an easy flight. This article will give you a solid understanding of the two airlines. It will give you the most important differences to make it easy for you to choose the airline that goes with your flight needs. Get ready to know which airline wins for you!

Network & Routes

When choosing an airline, travelers often consider both flight destination and flight design. They both develop their network to address different traveler needs. This section highlights the major contrasts around Southwest Airlines vs Delta. 

• Delta’s worldwide connection operates through hubs/stations. It maintains primary hubs/stations in Atlanta, Detroit, and New York. Passengers connect to other flights at these hubs/stations to reach outgoing flights to more than 300 cities worldwide, based in nearly 50 countries.
• Southwest does not have any hubs or connect its flights in the middle. Instead, the airline connects cities point-to-point on relatively short-flight routes. A flyer would board in one city and land in another city with no stops.
• Delta, not Southwest, dominates international flight routes in most of the world. The airline has daily flights to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Even if a passenger cannot find a flight for their city, Delta partners with Air France, which expands throughout much of the world.
• Travelers fly Southwest for domestic fun. The airline flies to 120-plus U.S. airports, in addition to the airports in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. Southwest does not fly long-haul transoceanic flights.
• Delta provides a lot of options for travelers on short-haul flights on some of the busiest cross-country routes. Its large hub airport operations, positioned for multiple passenger routes, offer many daily options for travelers between major cities.
• Southwest has seasonal routes as well as weekend routes. The airline adds those weekend and seasonal routes to support popular vacation destinations, such as when passenger travel is heavy to Florida, or when large flights crowd Vegas on weekends.

Seat Selection & Boarding

When it comes to seat selection and boarding, passengers have clear choices to make if you are flying on either Delta or Southwest. Southwest vs Delta Airlines provide a different process for picking your seat. 

• Delta Seat Selection– Passengers select their assigned seats during the booking session on their website or the app. Basic Economy fares do not allow any changes until check-in, but Main Cabin fares and above allow the ability to select for free. The cost of preferred seat types is an additional fee based on the route and location of the seat. In Delta Comfort+, the fare difference is about $10.00—$79.00 for extra legroom.
• Southwest Seat Selection– Their flights operate with an open seating policy, so travelers choose any available seat when boarding, not pre-assigned seating. There are options to buy better boarding positions if you would prefer. EarlyBird Check-in gets you A1-A15 positions and Business Select fares lock in A1-A15 to get EarlyBird priority.
• Delta Boarding– It organizes its boarding process into nine distinct zones, all announced via the gate speaker, with first boarders being Zone 1, entitled families with small children and other elite guests. Next is Delta One, followed by first class, Comfort+, and main cabin passengers 1-3, and last is basic economy. Gate agents will scan tickets and direct passengers to the jetbridge. 
• Southwest Boarding– Its boarding process assigns passengers positional boarding letters A-F at check-in. Group A boards first for the initial rolled seats, then B, then C, and finally Pre-Board and F. At the gate, passengers will line up by each A-F position. Lastly, the flight crew will call passenger groups; then, passengers will enter the aircraft and pick seats in the order they boarded.

Baggage Policy

Travelers take bags on every trip, and airlines have specific rules about what they allow. Delta & Southwest have different policies towards bags, meaning fees and other incentives may affect travelers’ decisions. Both airlines maintain limits on sizes and weights in an effort to keep all flights on time. 

• Carry-On Items Allowed– Delta allows one carry-on bag and one personal item free of charge on all its flights. Southwest allows travelers the same number of bags with no weight or fees associated with standard sizes.
• Checked Baggage Fees (Delta)– On Basic Economy fares, there is a $35 charge for the first checked bag and a $45 charge for the second checked bag for all domestic flights. On Main Cabin and higher fares, travelers receive one checked bag free of charge.
• Checked Baggage (Southwest)–  Each traveler is permitted to have two checked bags free of charge. You get an allowance of 50 pounds each and 62 linear inches. If the traveler has a third bag, the cost is $125 for that bag.
• Additional Fees for Excess Weight and Size– Delta sets a charge between $100-$200 for bags that exceed 50 pounds or 62 inches. Southwest charges $100 for bags that are overweight, and a $200 charge for bags that are oversized. 
• Special Items– Each airline allows for the transport of sports equipment, instruments, and pet crates with an extra fee. Delta works with third-party services for no charge for assisted devices. Southwest allows for free gate-checking of small strollers and car seats.

In-Flight Experience

When travelers board a flight with Delta or Southwest, they slowly enter an entirely different world on board, which can shape their experiences & trips. All travelers will get a sense of what is best suited to their own style accordingly. 

Connectivity and Wi-Fi 

Delta’s aircraft generally supply high-speed connectivity with their Wi-Fi on most domestic aircraft. For connectivity, passengers can use messaging without charge. Passengers can use the connection for a cost of $5 on flights within the US & $10 or more on international flights. They also offer “gate to gate” connectivity.   

Southwest has domestic free texting options on every flight using their app. Their Wi-Fi option, $8 per device, gives unlimited access for either the entire flight or trip. Passengers may access the Wi-Fi for $8 usage charge on over 700 planes with Viasat technology. 

In-Flight Entertainment 

Delta has the opportunity for an on-board free streaming service, with a movies section that offers free movies, shows, and games via their Studio App. The number of screens on planes has increased over the last few years, & there are even larger screens on many international flights. 

Southwest has free access to live on-demand streaming programming on its app on personal devices with no onboard screens. It lets travelers stream over 100 live channels and movie offerings without charge, according to their information.

Food and Beverages

Delta provides complimentary snack items and non-alcoholic beverages for short-haul flights & allows purchase of more substantial meals for longer flights. Premium cabins on their flights provide meals designed by chefs and allow customization and selection through the Fly Delta app.  

Southwest offers paid options for Beer, Wine, and premium items from the menu. It also offers complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snack items on all flights. Crew members provide quick service and keep the atmosphere light.  

Seating Comfort

You get seat options that include newer leather seats with adjustable headrests for passengers to customize in Delta. Economy passengers can expect to receive 31-32 inches of pitch, and extra legroom in premium positions/buy-up options to approximately 38 inches.  

Southwest has open seating, allowing passengers to choose their space after boarding. It does not have assigned seating but offers all rows 31 inches of pitch. Also, all seats are 17 inches wide. This boarding approach contrasts with some airlines, including Delta, and is designed to promote flexibility & customization.

Unique Features 

Delta provides guests with mood lighting and power plugs at every seat. The crew delivers a more personalized service and tests its sleep-promoting feature on some flights. 

Southwest provides a laugh with a comedic framework for the safety demonstration and through briefings by the crew. Passengers have the opportunity to game or converse with each other in-flight.

Frequent Flyer Programs

Both airlines operate frequent flyer programs that provide rewards to travelers who repeatedly fly with the same airline. It allows travelers to earn points or miles for flights taken and spending from supporting merchants. Check what both airlines offer in their programs below:

Earning Rewards

Delta SkyMiles members can earn miles when flying Delta, purchasing goods on their branded credit card, or making purchases with its partners. 

Southwest Rapid Rewards flyers earn points flying Southwest. They use government-issued credit cards and purchase items from more than 1,100 online retailers.

Redeeming Rewards

Members of SkyMiles can use their miles to book flights to over 1,000 destinations, vacation packages, or upgrade their flight at the time of departure. 

Rapid Rewards flyers can redeem their points for flights without blackout dates, hotels or gift cards for shopping, or car rentals. It also includes a Cash + Points option to mix cash with points.

Status Ranks

Delta Medallion levels provide perks with bonus miles, a free bag, and upgrades to First Class. Southwest’s A-List status offers bonus points and benefits like priority boarding.

Unique Perks

Delta features free Wi-Fi on many flights in the U.S. and lounge access for key members. Southwest’s Companion Pass takes the cake. Once you obtain qualifying points, we’ll fly a buddy with you for free.

Fleet and Safety  

Both airlines highly regard reliability. In these next sections, fleets and safety will get highlighted:

	Delta	Southwest
Fleet Size and Types	It operates over 900 mainline aircraft and has a fleet supported by Airbus A220, A320, A330, A350, and also Boeing 717, 737, 757, 767 aircraft.	It runs over 800 aircraft with all types of aircraft being used being composed exclusively of the Boeing 737 family of aircraft: 737-700, 737-800 and 737 MAX.
Fleet Modernity	It keeps its average fleet age around 15 years.	The airline has, on average, an eleven year age fleet.
Safety Record	For more than ten years, it has not reported any accidents resulting in fatalities. Delta has received the highest safety ratings from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).	This one has an impressive on-time performance that includes limited incidents. Its IOSA Report details service has also been awarded Diamond Awards from the FAA.
Safety Measures	It conducts thorough crew training and has implemented advanced safety systems.	Southwest performs daily safety inspections and frequently simulates in-flight emergencies with crews.

Delta Vs Southwest Airlines: Who Is It Best For?

Delta stands out for travelers looking for high-quality ready rare travel experience and huge destination options. Business travelers love it for its big network, reaching over 300 spots across six continents. Regular fliers can earn SkyMiles to gain lounge access, priority boarding and upgrades on premium aircraft. International travelers appreciate its multilingual customer service support. Families traveling with children or small animals enjoy the specific allowable airline services making travel easy to manage. Group passengers can expect group discounts with travel policy transparency. Delta is for the traveler who wants high quality service and a strong global presence. 

Southwest Airlines is meant for the traveler who wants low prices & a clean uncomplicated flight experience. Budget travelers support this airline because they appreciate no change-fee airline policies and two free checked bags to avoid high costs on luggage. Families are entertained on flights including free movies, text then free WiFi and crew members that provide entertaining communications to their customers during the flights. Flexible travelers like their boarding group policy, and do not have an expiration for points making their rewards program simple and attractive. It benefits everyday travelers that want a reliable itinerary without the fuss.

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