Consumer Corner
Wanna Go Wednesdays: Southwest Airlines’ Affordable Spontaneous Getaways
Wanna Go Wednesdays: Southwest Airlines’ weekly program offers low fares on last-minute getaways, turning Wednesdays into a day of adventure!
Last Updated on May 11, 2024 by Daily News Staff
Once upon a time in the year 2024, Southwest Airlines launched a new program called “Wanna Go Wednesdays” to offer low fares on last-minute trips. This exciting initiative aimed to give customers a reason to look forward to Wednesdays and book spontaneous getaways at affordable prices.
Jennifer Bridie, the Vice President of Marketing Communications & Strategy at Southwest Airlines, stated, “Customers have a whole new reason to look forward to the weekdays. Wanna Go Wednesdays is a new weekly program that allows Customers to book the latest low fares on routes that are still available for last-minute bookings. We think this is a great way to highlight some spontaneous travel destinations at low fares for our Customers.”
Customers eagerly awaited each Wednesday, knowing that Southwest Airlines would release a new batch of low fares on their website. It became a weekly ritual for travel enthusiasts, who would wake up early to visit Southwest.com and discover the latest deals for their next adventure.
The first “Wanna Go Wednesdays” on May 1, 2024, showcased some enticing sample fares and routes. For instance, customers could fly as low as $69 one-way nonstop between Las Vegas and Long Beach, California. Other examples included fares as low as $89 one-way nonstop between Denver and Phoenix, as well as between Dallas (Love Field) and New Orleans. Additionally, customers could find fares as low as $109 one-way nonstop between Baltimore/Washington (BWI) and Detroit, or between Atlanta and Orlando.
The program received an overwhelmingly positive response from customers. Travelers who had previously thought last-minute trips were out of their budget suddenly found themselves exploring new destinations at affordable rates. It added an element of excitement and spontaneity to their travel plans, encouraging them to embrace their wanderlust and take advantage of the great deals offered by Southwest Airlines.
As the program gained popularity, Southwest Airlines made it a priority to constantly update their website with new and enticing fares. They understood that customers loved the thrill of discovering last-minute deals and were committed to making “Wanna Go Wednesdays” a cherished tradition.
For customers, Wednesdays became synonymous with adventure. They eagerly anticipated the new destinations and affordable fares that Southwest Airlines would reveal on their website each week. From spontaneous trips to beautiful beaches and vibrant cities, to unexpected visits with loved ones, “Wanna Go Wednesdays” opened up a world of possibilities for travelers everywhere.
Southwest Airlines had indeed made Wednesdays a little more fun with their innovative program. They had successfully transformed the midweek blues into a time filled with excitement and wanderlust. And so, the “Wanna Go Wednesdays” tradition continued to bring joy and adventure to the lives of countless travelers around the world.
Visit https://Southwest.comcom each Wednesday for the latest low fares.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
Southwest Airlines Co. is a highly regarded and acclaimed airline that operates in 11 countries with 121 airports. Established in 1971, their goal has been to make air travel accessible and affordable for everyone. They have the highest number of nonstop flights within the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Southwest Airlines is known for its employee-centric culture and has a remarkable track record of not resorting to involuntary furloughs or layoffs. With over 74,000 employees, they prioritize delivering exceptional hospitality, resulting in a loyal customer base of over 137 million in 2023. This approach has contributed to their industry-leading profitability for 47 consecutive years. Southwest Airlines is committed to serving communities worldwide and has a mission to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. They have established near-term targets and a three-pillar strategy to attain their environmental goals. For more information, visit Southwest.com/citizenship to learn about their community-centric initiatives, and Southwest.com/planet to understand their efforts towards sustainability.
SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
financial wellness
Life insurance is on the to-do list. Right under cleaning out the garage.
No matter how you define “adulting,” getting life insurance tends to be one part of the to-do list that keeps getting set on a procrastination loop. New survey data backs that up: there are plenty of other tasks adults would rather focus on first.
(Sheeka Sanahori) Being an adult comes with a never-ending list of responsibilities: Cook dinner. Scrub the bathroom. File taxes. The tasks grow even longer when sharing a household with a partner, building a family, or taking care of others. No matter how you define “adulting,” getting life insurance tends to be one part of the to-do list that keeps getting set on a procrastination loop.
New survey data backs that up: there are plenty of other tasks adults would rather focus on first.
The Adulting Task Americans Keep Avoiding
According to the 2026 Life Happens Life Insurance Survey, a financial literacy nonprofit organization, 39% of U.S. adults would rather clean out their email inbox than figure out their life insurance needs. Another 31% would rather clean out the garage or basement. One in five U.S. adults would be willing to sit on hold with customer service for three hours before life insurance planning. Even though many adults have it somewhere on their list, nearly half (46%) say they’ll either deal with it later or not at all.
They Know It Matters
Nearly a third of adults have already figured out a life insurance plan, and they feel good about their decision. Others are feeling more conflicted: 14% have a policy, but they’re not sure if they have enough. Another 12% say they either don’t know where to start or they think it’ll be too expensive.
It’s no wonder people are putting it off: Navigating a new-to-them form of financial planning can come with a lot of complicated emotions. Four in 10 feel either overwhelmed, anxious, or some combination of both. Sixteen percent of U.S. adults feel guilty for putting it off, but when the outcome is more procrastination, that feeling lingers.
Why Later Keeps Winning
If you’ve ever faced an important decision without having enough information to make an informed choice, you know how stressful it can be. While the generations have different takes on making major decisions with a gut feeling or “pure vibes,” most of the time, people want to feel like they’re making an informed choice. Forty-five percent of U.S. adults say cost concerns, confusion or procrastination are the main reasons they have delayed or would delay looking into life insurance. For more than one in five, the plan is to seriously look at it when they feel more financially stable. For 12%, they say they’ll do it when they’re older.
Men tend to feel more confident about their life insurance decisions to date; 53% of men vs. 41% of women feel confident their family would be financially protected.
The First Step Feels Bigger Than It Is
Learning more about life insurance, how it’s priced and how it works could help get many consumers out of their procrastination loop. A quarter of people say they’d make a decision if they learned it was easier to get than they previously thought. Thirty percent would make the purchase if they learned it was more affordable than they believed it to be. Others need an experienced professional to talk to or an online calculator tool to give them guidance.
Methodology: Life Happens commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,000 adults, including 700 Gen Z respondents, 700 millennials, and 600 Gen X respondents throughout the United States. The margin of error for the overall sample is +/- 2 percentage points and +/- 4 percentage points for each generational sample, with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between July 14 and July 20, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (couple using computer)
SOURCE:
fitness
Design Your Home Workout Space Around the Way You Actually Exercise
Use these tips to create a home workout space you’ll keep using after the novelty wears off.
Design Your Home Workout Space Around the Way You Actually Exercise
(Feature Impact) It’s a tale as old as treadmills: You buy a new exercise machine with the best of intentions, only for it to become an expensive laundry rack that makes you feel guilty every time you glance over at it. When it comes to making lifestyle changes, the key is not to overhaul your whole routine at once, but to figure out what habits match your lifestyle, personality and passions.
Use these tips to create a home workout space you’ll keep using after the novelty wears off.
Figure Out What Exercises You Enjoy
Before you commit to a big equipment purchase, think about what kinds of exercise feel natural and enjoyable (and which ones make you groan).
If you love running, a treadmill may be worth the space it takes up. However, a rack of dumbbells might just wind up collecting dust if you hate lifting weights. Yoga or dance enthusiasts may prefer to design a more studio-like home gym, while bodyweight strength trainers could be happy with a pull-up bar in the doorway and a mat to do planks on. Consider joining a workout class or gym for a month or two to try different kinds of exercises and machines so you’ll have a better idea of what’s worth investing in permanently.
Evaluate the Space You Have
A good home workout area needs to work around the physical realities of your house or apartment. If you have a whole room or finished basement to dedicate to the cause, this won’t constrain you too much. If you’re working with a corner of your home office, bedroom or garage, saving space becomes a more critical factor.
In these cases, it all comes down to priorities. If you only have room for one piece of bigger equipment, get the one you know you’ll actually use, whether that’s an elliptical, strength machine, standing bicycle or rowing machine. Then build out your collection with other items that can be easily moved and stored, like resistance bands and small weights or dumbbells.
Start Small and Expand as Needed
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to have everything before you can get started. It’s often better to build out your workout space slowly – get a few things at a time, see what you use regularly and figure out what you might be missing along the way. Maybe you realize you enjoy lifting weights and keep wishing you had heavier ones, signaling a need to upgrade.
Add Some Atmosphere
Dark, dismal home gyms are more likely to make your workout feel like a punishment instead of a part of your day worth looking forward to. Creating a space you enjoy being in is just as important as choosing a workout you enjoy doing.
For you, that might look like choosing an area of the home with plenty of natural lighting to make you feel more awake – or adding string lights and color-changing wall sconces for a relaxing yoga session. Maybe it means adding art on the walls or a floor-to-ceiling mirror so you can check your form. A large rubber floormat with a cheerful design, a sound system to play your favorite hype songs or a daily calendar of motivational quotes could be the magic ingredient to get you into the right mindset so you can crush your workout. As long as it works for you, anything goes.
For more tips on home design that fits your life, visit eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
SOURCE:
Automotive
Finding the Right SUV for Your Lifestyle
Finding the Right SUV: While what’s new, popular or different can certainly play a role in car buying decisions, knowing how you actually live can help you choose the right vehicle for your lifestyle. From length of work commutes to whether you’ll be hauling sports gear, family members or other cargo on a regular basis, figuring out the right fit comes down to identifying your daily habits.
Finding the Right SUV for Your Lifestyle
(Feature Impact) You’ve likely heard the phrase “bigger is better,” but when it comes to vehicle shopping, that may not actually be the case. While what’s new, popular or different can certainly play a role in car buying decisions, knowing how you actually live can help you choose the right vehicle for your lifestyle.
Watch this video to learn more
“SUVs and crossovers dominate the market today, and it’s easy to gravitate toward the newest and biggest models,” said James Bell, head of corporate communications for Kia America, “but the right vehicle isn’t what’s trending; it’s about your daily commute, your weekend road trip and hauling kids and gear. For a lot of drivers, a smaller, more affordable SUV like the KIA Seltos is simply a better fit.”
From length of work commutes to whether you’ll be hauling sports gear, family members or other cargo on a regular basis, figuring out the right fit comes down to identifying your daily habits.
“Start by being honest about how you use your vehicle every day,” Bell said. “A lot of drivers overbuy, paying for space and features that they rarely, if ever, use. The right SUV can save money without sacrificing comfort or functionality.”
For example, the 2027 Kia Seltos is available in five trim levels and offers best-in-class interior room and max cargo room as well as a 10-year, 100,000-mile industry-leading limited powertrain warranty, making it an option for car buyers with both extended commutes and hauling capacity needs. Plus, for weekend warriors, the turbocharged X-Line model comes equipped with multi-terrain all-wheel drive.
To explore your options and find an SUV to fit your needs, visit Kia.com.
SOURCE:
🚗 Stay in the driver’s seat with the latest automotive news, vehicle reviews, industry updates, recalls, and buying tips. Share your opinions in the comments and subscribe to the STM Daily News newsletter for the latest Consumer Corner Automotive stories delivered straight to your inbox.
