Paying for flight tickets has changed a fair bit over the years. At one point, passengers would walk up to a counter at the airport and buy a ticket on the spot. Then, travel and flight tickets were bookable via call centers. In recent times, the internet has become the go-to for travelers who need to book tickets. Indeed, a few of us travelers cherish entering the credit card number into the booking engine while carefully checking for mistakes before we lose out on a flight deal.

Nowadays, mobile payment is taking over and Southwest Airlines is embracing that concept. You can now buy Southwest tickets through the Southwest Airlines app while utilizing Apple Pay.

Purchasing Southwest tickets with Apple Pay

The Business Traveller reports that iPhone users can use Apple Pay within the Southwest Airlines app for flights and other services. The system is currently only available on the app and not on web browsers. Although, this would be a logical next step.

Simple Flying reached out to Southwest Airlines who offered the following statement:

We continue to look for opportunities to offer flexible options for our Customers. We currently accept Apple Pay via our Southwest Airlines mobile app for airfare and Early Bird, and in our Inflight Portal for Inflight Internet. We are excited to add new capabilities and have heard positive feedback.

The new initiative for purchasing Southwest tickets is not yet available for web browsers but works within the Southwest app. Photo: Southwest

Apple Pay is a form of mobile payment device that stores credit card information so you do not have to manually enter information from a card. This system is not the only payment system that operates like this. Through Southwest Airlines' website, passengers can also use PayPal to purchase flight tickets.

Inflight purchases with Apple Pay

Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines expanded digital payments to include WiFi connectivity. Passengers with Apple Pay could use the system to pay for inflight WiFi as our sister site, Get Connected, reported this July. This system runs through Global Eagle which provides satellite-based broadband connectivity onboard.

Inflight
Passengers could use Apple Pay for inflight wifi purchases on Southwest. Photo: Southwest

Will additional passengers choose Southwest now?

If Southwest is looking to attract additional passengers, this is likely not the best way for them to target new customers. For one, this form of payment is only accepted through the app and many new or infrequent fliers may not be well-aware of the benefits of downloading airline apps.

Furthermore, though Apple Pay is convenient, it does not necessarily remove obstacles and barriers that discourage airline travel. Nevertheless, it is good to see Southwest advancing and offering additional opportunities for its customers. Indeed, Southwest is well-known for its "fan-following".

Southwest
Southwest is well-regarded amongst passengers. Photo: Southwest

Overall

Many have heard the phrase, "the future is digital." There have been speculations about single-pilot cockpits and virtual reality onboard flights. Although, these ideas are still a few years away from widespread implementation. Southwest is taking a look at moving forward in the digital age by now accepting Apple Pay through their app.

Southwest
Southwest is moving forward in the digital age by now accepting Apple Pay. Photo: Southwest

Do you use Apple Pay often? Would you use Apple Pay on Southwest flights? Let us know in the comments!