Southwest Unveils Getaways With Flights, Hotels And 2 Free Bags

Here's when Southwest Airlines will officially end its open seating policy

The open-seating era at Southwest Airlines officially has an end date.

• Southwest Airlines launched a new vacation booking platform called Getaways.
• Getaways offers flight, hotel, car rental and ground transportation packages to popular destinations.
• Customers booking through Getaways receive two free checked bags and flexible cancellation/change policies.

Southwest Airlines is wagering it can beat a Jet2 holiday. The company announced Tuesday, Aug. 19 Getaways by Southwest, a package vacation booking platform that lets customers shop for all-inclusive itineraries along with their flights.

"Getaways by Southwest expands what customers love about Southwest—flexibility, an award-winning Rapid Rewards loyalty program, and great perks—to the vacation experience," Phil Gouel, Vice President Product Development at Southwest Airlines, said in a statement. "This end-to-end vacation package, coupled with our legendary customer service, is perfect for customers seeking a convenient, valuable, and curated vacation experience."

According to Southwest, packages that include flights, hotel accommodations, car rentals and ground transportation are available to popular destinations like Las Vegas, Orlando, Hawaii and various Caribbean locations.

Customers who book their whole trip on the Getaways platform will also be able to check up to two bags for free – a throwback to Southwest's former bag policy.

Getaways also offer travelers some flexibility if their plans change. Customers who book through the Getaways platform can cancel their trip and receive credit toward a future vacation, valid for up to 18 months. They can also make changes to existing itineraries without incurring a change fee up to 72 hours before their first flight.

Customers can see the deals and terms and conditions for each package on Southwest's website.

Getaways is the latest update from Southwest that makes it similar to other airlines. The company has been overhauling its business strategy in recent months, doing away with open seating and free checked bags for all in a bid to compete more evenly with other carriers. Southwest is also adding extra legroom seats across its fleet and overhauling its fares and boarding process.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.