Review: Southwest B737-700 Economy (STL-AUS)

Review: Southwest B737-700 Economy (STL–AUS) is a detailed look at the travel experience aboard Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 737-700 aircraft in economy class, flying from St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) to Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). This route is one of Southwest’s popular point-to-point domestic services and features the airline’s signature open seating policy, basic onboard amenities, and flexible ticketing options. The review southwest b737 700 economy stl aus focuses on everything from boarding and seating to inflight service, cabin comfort, and punctuality.

With no assigned seats, a lively boarding scramble, and a surprisingly roomy exit row pick, this flight proved that Southwest can still make economy feel easy—if you play your cards right. Even with minor hiccups like unreliable Wi-Fi and a delayed inbound aircraft, the experience offered a laid-back and efficient journey from the Midwest to Central Texas.

In this review-southwest-b737-700-economy-stl-aus, you’ll get a clear picture of what to expect when flying this route. From the perks of early check-in with a Southwest credit card to the in-flight snack mix and exit row legroom, this article offers useful insights for casual flyers and Southwest loyalists alike.

STL-AUS Flight Experience – The No-Frills Truth

Picture this: You’re staring at flight options from St. Louis to Austin, and Southwest’s “bags fly free” promise beckons like a siren song. But does Southwest B737-700 Economy still deliver value in 2025? Or has the airline’s legendary customer service become as mythical as unicorns?

I recently took the plunge on the STL to AUS flight to give you the unvarnished truth. No corporate spin. No travel blogger fluff. Just honest insights about what you’ll actually experience when you book that Southwest Airlines economy class ticket.

Here’s everything you need to know about flying Southwest’s workhorse Boeing 737-700 from Lambert Field to Austin-Bergstrom.

Booking Southwest: The Reality Behind the Marketing

Fare Structure Breakdown

Southwest’s pricing isn’t as straightforward as they’d have you believe. The STL-AUS direct flight typically offers three fare options that’ll make your wallet weep differently:

Fare Type	Price Range	What You Get	Hidden Costs
Wanna Get Away	$127-$187	Basic seat, bags free	Change fees apply
Anytime	$247-$327	Full refund, same-day change	Premium for flexibility
Business Select	$367-$447	Priority boarding, premium drink	Overkill for 2.5-hour flight

The Rapid Rewards booking Southwest system lets you redeem points, though values fluctuate wildly. I’ve seen the same point-to-point route cost anywhere from 8,000 to 25,000 points depending on demand.

Website Wrestling Match

Southwest’s booking platform feels like it was designed in 2003 and never updated. The mobile app works better than the desktop site, though that’s like saying a paper cut hurts less than a broken bone.

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The open seating policy means no seat selection during booking. You’ll just have to trust the boarding lottery gods and your check-in reflexes.

Check-In Strategy: Gaming Southwest’s System

The 24-Hour Sprint

Here’s where Southwest separates the rookies from the road warriors. Check-in with Southwest opens exactly 24 hours before departure. Not 24 hours and 1 minute. Not 23 hours and 59 minutes. Exactly 24 hours.

I set three alarms and refreshed the app like a teenager trying to buy concert tickets. Result? A12 boarding position. Not bad, but not great either.

EarlyBird Check-In costs $25 and promises automatic check-in. Here’s the truth: it usually gets you somewhere between A30-A60. Whether that’s worth $25 depends on how much you value avoiding the check-in sprint.

Boarding Position Psychology

Southwest’s boarding groups A, B, C create a fascinating social hierarchy:

• A1-A15: The elite. They strut to their seats like they own the plane
• A16-A30: Still confident, maybe grabbing an aisle seat
• B1-B30: Starting to sweat about overhead bin space
• B31-B60: Resigned to middle seats but hopeful
• C1+: Welcome to your worst nightmare

Pre-Flight: St. Louis Lambert Terminal 2 Experience

Airport Navigation Reality

Southwest operates from St. Louis Lambert Terminal 2, which feels like a shopping mall from 1987. The terminal lacks the modern amenities you’ll find at hub airports, but it’s functional enough.

Airport security PreCheck moved quickly during my 7 AM departure. Regular security looked manageable too, though I’d still arrive 90 minutes early for domestic flights.

Lounge Access Options

Wingtips Lounge access provides the only premium waiting area near Southwest gates. If you’ve got Priority Pass, it’s worth the visit for better coffee and quieter surroundings than the gate area circus.

The lounge overlooks the tarmac, letting you watch ground crews prep your aircraft while you caffeinate.

Boarding Chaos: Southwest’s Cattle Call System

The Line Formation Dance

Southwest’s boarding process resembles a middle school cafeteria more than organized air travel. Passengers hover around the boarding area like vultures, creating unofficial queues that make no sense.

Priority boarding Southwest exists for A-List members and Business Select passengers, but the advantage is minimal. Everyone still crams into the same metal tube regardless of status.

I watched families exploit the family boarding policy, with “families” that clearly consisted of college friends gaming the system. Southwest gate agents either don’t notice or don’t care.

Overhead Bin Strategy

Overhead bin space becomes a blood sport on Boeing 737-700 aircraft. With 143 seats and limited bin capacity, late boarders face a grim reality: gate-checked bags.

The bins fill by row 15 typically. If you’re boarding position B30 or later, pack light or prepare for disappointment.

Aircraft Deep Dive: Boeing 737-700 Reality Check

Cabin Configuration Truth

Southwest’s B737-700 seats 143 passengers in a 3-3 configuration that maximizes revenue over comfort. Here are the hard facts:

• Seat width: 17.1 inches (industry standard)
• Seat pitch: 32-33 inches (barely adequate)
• Total rows: 25 rows of varying misery
• Exit rows: Rows 6 and 7 offer exit row legroom for tall passengers

Seat Quality Assessment

After flying Southwest for two decades, I’ve watched their seat quality decline steadily. The current seats feel like park benches wrapped in blue fabric.

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Exit row seating Southwest provides meaningful legroom improvements – roughly 5-6 extra inches. However, these seats don’t recline and cost extra on some routes.

The tray tables wobble like a card table at a church potluck. Don’t plan on productive laptop work unless you enjoy typing on a trampoline.

Interior Condition

This particular aircraft showed its age. Carpet wear patterns told stories of a million boarding stampedes. The windows were clean enough for decent photos, though scratches suggested decades of service.

Small aircraft lavatory describes Southwest’s restrooms perfectly. If you’re claustrophobic, consider upgrading to a different airline entirely.

Departure Drama: STL Ground Operations

Pushback Performance

Southwest’s on-time performance from STL looks good on paper but reality tells a different story. My flight faced a delayed inbound flight that pushed our departure back 25 minutes.

The gate agent’s announcements sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher – garbled nonsense that provided zero useful information. Passengers wandered around confused while the crew sorted out the mess.

Ground crews worked efficiently once they got started. The pushback and taxi took about 15 minutes, which felt reasonable for a mid-morning departure.

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In-Flight Experience: No-Frills Reality

Service Standards

Southwest flight attendants have a reputation for humor and friendliness. This crew delivered neither. Professional? Sure. Entertaining? About as fun as watching paint dry.

The manual safety demonstration felt perfunctory. Half the passengers ignored it completely while scrolling their phones.

Complimentary non-alcoholic drinks arrived 20 minutes after takeoff. The beverage cart moved through the cabin like molasses, with flight attendants chatting more than serving.

Connectivity Disaster

Inoperable Wi-Fi plagued this flight. The system showed available networks but connecting proved impossible. Multiple passengers complained to flight attendants, who shrugged and blamed “technical issues.”

This isn’t uncommon on Southwest. Their Wi-Fi reliability ranks among the worst in the industry. Plan on being disconnected for the entire flight.

Entertainment Options

Streamed in-flight entertainment requires the Southwest app and a functioning Wi-Fi connection. Since the Wi-Fi was dead, entertainment options were limited to whatever you downloaded beforehand.

Seatback screens(No). Power outlets(No). USB ports(No). This is bare-bones flying at its most basic level.

Snack Service

The snack mix on board arrived in tiny packages that wouldn’t satisfy a toddler. Think airline peanuts’ disappointing cousin – mostly pretzel dust and disappointment.

Flight attendants offered additional snacks for purchase, but the selection looked like leftovers from a 1990s vending machine.

The Middle Seat Nightmare

Seat Assignment Lottery

Southwest’s open seating policy creates winner-take-all scenarios. Early boarders grab window and aisle seats while late arrivals get squeezed into middle seat purgatory.

I secured an aisle seat in row 14 – not ideal but acceptable for the 2.5-hour flight. The passenger next to me wasn’t as lucky, spending the entire flight wedged between two strangers.

Personal Space Economics

Boeing 737-700 seats weren’t designed for modern Americans. The 17.1-inch width forces intimate contact with your neighbors whether you want it or not.

Armrest negotiations become diplomatic crises. Who gets which armrest? How do you share space with someone spilling into your seat? Southwest doesn’t provide guidance for these social dilemmas.

Austin Arrival: Bergstrom Landing

Approach Experience

The Austin approach offers decent city views if you’ve managed to snag a window seat. The descent felt smooth, though the Boeing 737-700 isn’t known for quiet operations.

Landing was unremarkable – exactly what you want from airline operations. The pilot kept the aircraft on the centerline and didn’t bounce us around the cabin.

Ground Operations

Taxi time to the gate took about 10 minutes. Austin’s airport layout is more manageable than massive hubs like Atlanta or Chicago.

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Deplaning moved efficiently since everyone was eager to escape the cramped cabin. No jetbridge dramas or extended waits.

Value Analysis: Dollar-for-Dollar Breakdown

Total Cost Reality

Let’s crunch the real numbers for Southwest Economy flight STL-AUS:

Cost Component	Southwest	American Airlines	Delta
Base Fare	$167	$184	$198
Checked Bag	FREE	$35	$35
Carry-on	FREE	FREE	FREE
Seat Selection	N/A	$25	$30
Wi-Fi	$8	$8	$8
Total	$175	$252	$271

Southwest wins on pure cost, especially for travelers checking bags. The savings add up quickly for families or extended trips.

Hidden Time Costs

However, Southwest extracts payment in stress and time:

• 24-hour check-in sprint
• Boarding position anxiety
• Seat selection uncertainty
• Connection complications due to limited route network

Honest Pros & Cons Assessment

Southwest’s Genuine Advantages

• Bags fly free – legitimate savings for most travelers
• No change fees – flexibility that legacy carriers charge premium rates for
• Rapid Rewards program offers decent redemption values
• Point-to-point routes avoid hub congestion
• Southwest Premier VISA provides some boarding benefits

Disappointing Realities

• Open seating stress – adds anxiety to travel experience
• Aging fleet – Boeing 737-700 aircraft show their age
• Unreliable Wi-Fi – connectivity issues plague most flights
• Limited route network – fewer destination options
• Inconsistent service – crew quality varies wildly

Bottom Line Verdict

My Rating: 6.5/10

Southwest B737-700 Economy delivers exactly what it promises – no-frills transportation with cost savings. The airline hasn’t revolutionized air travel, but they’ve mastered the basics of moving people affordably.

Who Should Book Southwest

Southwest makes sense for:

• Budget-conscious travelers prioritizing cost over comfort
• Families checking multiple bags – the savings add up quickly
• Flexible travelers who value easy changes and cancellations
• Point-to-point passengers avoiding hub connections

Who Should Consider Alternatives

Skip Southwest if you’re:

• Business travelers needing productive flight time
• Tall passengers requiring guaranteed extra legroom
• Travelers prioritizing premium service and amenities
• Passengers with tight connections requiring reliable schedules

Insider Tips for Southwest Success

Booking Strategies

Master these Southwest hacks:

• Book Tuesday afternoons for lowest fares
• Set price alerts – Southwest fares fluctuate constantly
• Consider Business Select on flights over 3 hours
• Use Rapid Rewards points for peak travel dates

Travel Day Tactics

Maximize your Southwest experience:

• Check in exactly 24 hours early – set multiple alarms
• Arrive early for better boarding positions
• Pack light – overhead bin space disappears quickly
• Download entertainment – don’t rely on their Wi-Fi
• Bring snacks – their portions won’t satisfy anyone

Southwest Airlines isn’t glamorous, but it’s honest about what it offers. You’ll get from St. Louis to Austin safely and affordably, though you might arrive feeling like you’ve been through a washing machine.

The STL to AUS flight review verdict? Southwest delivers functional transportation with cost savings that matter for many travelers. Just don’t expect luxury – or even basic comfort – along the way.

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For this specific route, Southwest’s delayed departure issues and inoperable Wi-Fi highlighted the airline’s operational challenges. However, the bag fee savings and flexible policies still provide genuine value for price-conscious travelers.

Choose Southwest when your wallet matters more than your comfort level. Skip it when you need reliability, premium service, or guaranteed seat assignments. Simple as that.

FAQs

1. Is Wi‑Fi available on Southwest B737‑700 flights now?

Southwest offers $8 in‑flight Wi‑Fi, with occasional free trials—reports show mixed reliability on 737‑700s, working partway through some flights.

2. What free entertainment can I expect onboard?

All passengers get free movies, live TV, and inflight messaging via the Southwest app.

3. Are snacks and drinks provided on STL–AUS economy flights?

Yes—Southwest offers free sodas, coffee, and snacks on flights over 250 miles; shorter routes in Texas may get only coffee and water.

4. Is open seating still in effect on Southwest?

Southwest is phasing out open seating, launching assigned seating and premium options starting late 2025, with full rollout expected by early 2026.

5. Are there extra perks for early check-in or exit‑row seating?

Yes—early check-in via Rapid Rewards credit cards helps access exit‑row seats with extra legroom and overhead bin space, as noted in the review‑southwest‑b737‑700‑economy‑stl‑aus.

Conclusion

This review-southwest-b737-700-economy-stl-aus shows that Southwest’s economy class offers good value for a short domestic trip. The boarding process was smooth with early check-in, and the exit row seat gave extra legroom. While the Wi-Fi didn’t work, the flight was clean, comfortable, and the crew stayed friendly throughout.

For travelers flying between St. Louis and Austin, this review-southwest-b737-700-economy-stl-aus proves Southwest is a smart and simple choice. Free snacks, flexible seating, and no extra fees for bags make it easy to travel without stress. It’s a great option if you want a no-frills flight that still gets the basics right.