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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Southwest Airlines vs Expedia

Southwest Airlines 4.8★ · Free to download 70
Winner Tie
Expedia 4.8★ · Free to download 65

Choose Southwest Airlines if you prioritize direct airline management for your flights and value consistent in-flight experience, but pick Expedia if you need a broader range of travel options, including hotels and car rentals, and seek competitive pricing across various providers.

Full reviews: Southwest Airlines · Expedia

Southwest Airlines offers a generally positive flight experience with an easy-to-use app for managing flights, though recent changes to boarding and seating policies have caused frustration among some loyal customers. Expedia provides a wide array of travel booking options and competitive prices, but users frequently report issues with customer service, refunds, and app glitches.

Head to head

Features and Functionality (App) tieR5R7R8R9
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines' app is praised for being easy and user-friendly for managing travel, alerts, and changes R5R8. However, many users report significant issues with core functionalities like scanning passports R7, saving confirmation numbers R9, adding boarding passes to Apple Wallet , changing seats , and adding checked bags . Some find the app slow and cluttered, comparing it unfavorably to competitors .
Expedia Expedia's app is generally considered easy to navigate and use for booking various travel arrangements . However, users frequently encounter glitches, lag, and freezing during searches and bookings . Some features like map view and options for meal plans are reported as not working. There are also complaints about the app's size and issues with notifications .
Booking and Pricing tieR16R34R45R47
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is seen by some as having lost its value due to new fees for seat selection and baggage, making it less of a reasonable travel option R16R34R45. While some appreciate the extra legroom for cheap R47, others feel the flights now cost twice as much .
Expedia Expedia is praised for offering competitive prices on flights and hotels, often cheaper than booking directly . However, many users report issues with price discrepancies, where the initial price shown increases significantly at checkout R78R94R115. There are also reports of random pending charges R111 and misleading information about hotel amenities .
Customer Service and Support edge: Southwest AirlinesR8R11R14R26
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines receives mixed reviews for its customer service. Some users praise helpful and friendly staff R8R11R14R26, while others report a lack of customer service and difficulty getting assistance with app issues . The chat box feature is noted as unhelpful for simple questions .
Expedia Expedia's customer service is a major pain point for many users, described as horrible . Users struggle to get help with cancellations, refunds, or flight changes, often being bounced between Expedia and the vendor R73R79. The virtual assistant is also criticized for being unhelpful .
User Experience (Airline/Travel) edge: Southwest AirlinesR1R2R3R6
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is loved by many for its overall flight experience, with some calling it their favorite airline R2. However, recent changes to boarding and seating policies, including assigned seats and fees for aisle seats, have caused significant dissatisfaction among long-time loyal customers R1R3R6R13. Some feel the new process adds stress and that the airline has become greedy R45.
Expedia Expedia's user experience is largely about the booking process and hotel/car rental quality, which is variable. While some hotels and excursions booked through Expedia receive high praise , others report issues with dated facilities, noisy rooms, cleanliness, and broken amenities . Some users also feel misled by hotel descriptions .
Pick Southwest Airlines if

you primarily fly domestically and value a direct airline experience, especially if you are an A-list preferred member R5. You should also pick Southwest if you prefer a more consistent in-flight experience and generally positive staff interactions R8R11R14.

Pick Expedia if

you want to compare prices across multiple airlines, hotels, and car rentals . You should pick Expedia if you are comfortable with online booking and are willing to navigate potential app glitches or customer service challenges to find the best deals .

Evidence note: Both apps have a large volume of reviews, but recent negative feedback for Southwest Airlines often centers on policy changes rather than just app functionality. Expedia's reviews are more broadly split between positive booking experiences and significant frustration with customer service and refund processes.

Frequently asked

Does Southwest Airlines allow seat selection?
Southwest Airlines has implemented changes that involve assigned seats, which has led to frustration among many users who previously enjoyed open seating or now have to pay extra to select specific seats like aisle or window seats R6R13R16R18.
Is it easy to get a refund from Expedia?
Many Expedia users report significant difficulty in obtaining refunds for canceled bookings or events, with some experiencing long waits and being bounced between Expedia and the vendor R73R79R85R91.
Are there hidden fees when booking with Expedia?
Some Expedia users report that prices displayed initially can increase significantly at checkout, and there are complaints of random or unexpected charges appearing on credit cards R78R94R111R115.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R5] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US Love SW!!: My hubby and I fly SW all the time! To be fair, we’re A-list preferred so our perks are fantastic!! The app makes it super easy to manage and keep track of all our travel, alerts, and any changes
  2. [R7] Southwest Airlines 1/5 · US Worst App: It has taken forever just to scan passports I’ve had to restart each time I finish one because it can’t refresh…uuugggh!
  3. [R8] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US LOVE SWA: The app is easy and user friendly. Staff are always great, helpful and friendly!
  4. [R9] Southwest Airlines 3/5 · US Typing in confirmation number: I booked our flights online, but I have to enter the confirmation number every time I look at the app. Is there a way to save so this isn’t necessary?
  5. [R16] Southwest Airlines 1/5 · US Seat selection: I shouldn't have to pay to get an aisle seat. I should be able to select it without an additional fee
  6. [R34] Southwest Airlines 1/5 · US Fees & Charges: Ridiculous seat fees & baggage fees and charges for the flight are outrageous. SWA is no more a reasonable way to travel and there are no additional benefits to offset the charges.
  7. [R45] Southwest Airlines 3/5 · US Greed is a thorny hat: SWA was always considered not just a lower fare option but, also a provocative thinker in a follow the leader industry. Well, not anymore, your quest for greater profit margins and dollars from imaginary “value items” such as a seat, or a bag. SWA has lost any hope of being thought of as anything more than just another airline that takes its customers for granted. While the
  8. [R47] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US Thanks: Extra leg room for cheap
  9. [R11] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US Not A Flyer: I traveled back to the OC after moving home to Louiville for the first time in 4 years and as I am such a nervous passenger the staff from KY to ARZ was great very patient and accommodating, however the shorter flight from ARZ to CA the OC the staff had more of a Cali vibe and was not so friendly with the passengers as I was observing. I would like to give an extra thank you to the re
  10. [R14] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US SW: Great service
  11. [R26] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US Telephone agents: The agent help me to add my bag, he was very helpful .
  12. [R1] Southwest Airlines 1/5 · US Suckie seats on Southwest!!!: I used to love this airline. Now they have the worst seating just like every other nickel and dime airline. Hello late stage capitalism!
  13. [R2] Southwest Airlines 5/5 · US My favorite airline: I love Southwest
  14. [R3] Southwest Airlines 3/5 · US Upgrades: If I upgrade my seat then my boarding priority should upgrade with it. It’s almost not worth upgrading.
  15. [R6] Southwest Airlines 3/5 · US Changes: I heard when southwest decided to make these current changes that you “listened” to what us customers wanted and gave it to us. Well, I personally and know many more that feel the same, do NOT like the new process. I do not like being assigned a seat or being forced to purchase one to avoid that assignment. Simply put, you could have continued to fill your planes the old way, but the
  16. [R13] Southwest Airlines 2/5 · US Bad seat: Even though I checked in literally the second that seating arrangements opened up. I still got a terrible seat. I'm not sure like this.
  17. [R18] Southwest Airlines 3/5 · US Seat selection: As a credit card member it wouldn’t let me select my seat prior to check in as it stated I would be able to.
  18. [R73] Expedia 1/5 · US Difficult: Hard to obtain refund when vendor cancels event.
  19. [R79] Expedia 1/5 · US Scam app: Cancellation policy is a scam. Impossible to get in touch with someone at the company within allotted time and was not able to get money back for guaranteed free cancellation. Expedia (with partner companies) is basically a monopoly now but avoid if you can.
  20. [R85] Expedia 1/5 · US Refund: June I canceled my hotel reservation and received a cancellation confirmation number from Expedia but as of today, I have not received my refund to my AMEX card
  21. [R91] Expedia 1/5 · US Untrustworthy: One star is too much. Expedia is holding onto my hotel refund, even though the hotel emailed me and Expedia authorizing the refund and the hotel sent the money to Expedia. Don’t use Expedia. Go to the hotel directly.
  22. [R78] Expedia 3/5 · US Stop price gouging please :): The site itself is intuitive and easy to use but the prices and price jumps are ridiculous all companies use our data and raise prices accordingly. Your website will tell me one price and I will go to checkout and the price is vastly different
  23. [R94] Expedia 2/5 · US Gives you one price but always is higher in the end: The past few times I went to book it gives you one price but when you check out it always seems to go up by a lot had good luck before but now it’s just a joke
  24. [R111] Expedia 3/5 · GB Random charges: Recently booked a break in the USA through Expedia but I found an additional random pending charge for £1500 on my credit card which I didn’t have a clue was for, currently in the process of finding out what it’s for, positive note I haven’t been charged yet
  25. [R115] Expedia 1/5 · US Higher Prices Changing so quickly: Why publish prices only to have them change so quickly before you check out. Such unfair practices. I'm reporting Expedia. Very misleading

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store