Southwest is leaning toward the Boeing 787. Yes, Southwest, the all-737 airline, flying long-haul

Southwest Airlines has built its identity on the Boeing 737 for more than half a century. That could be about to change in a very big way. Southwest is leaning toward the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for a long-haul international push, Reuters reported in an exclusive on Thursday, citing three people familiar with the airline's fleet planning.

If it happens, the airline that built its brand on one type of plane, open seating and no frills would be flying widebody jets across oceans. Aviation X lost its mind. A post from @aviationbrk on the report pulled in more than 1,290 likes and 85,000 views in a day.

What Reuters reported

Here is what the report says, and what it doesn't:

• No final decision. The sources said Southwest is leaning toward the 787, but nothing has been signed. Southwest's board makes the call. It set up a Fleet Oversight Committee last year.
• Southwest hasn't named a plane. The airline has not publicly said which aircraft it would use. CFO Tom Doxey said in September that long-haul flying was among the options it is studying.
• Leased or used jets. Southwest is looking at lessors or the secondary market for the planes, according to Reuters. Reuters could not determine which 787 variant is under consideration.
• Airbus is the alternative. Choosing an Airbus widebody would mean bringing a second manufacturer into the fleet.
• About three years out. Reuters described a timetable of roughly three years.

Why this is a massive deal

Southwest's entire operating model has been built on one aircraft family. Today its fleet is all 737s: the 737-700, 737-800 and 737 MAX 8. One type means one set of pilot training, one parts inventory and one maintenance program. That simplicity is a big reason Southwest was profitable for decades.

A widebody breaks all of that. As Reuters noted, a new type would require new maintenance, new training, regulatory approval and talks with Southwest's unions.

It also changes the passenger pitch. In our view, a 787 flying to Europe or Asia would need a real premium cabin to compete with Delta, United and American. Long-haul flyers paying top fares expect lie-flat beds and, increasingly, lounges.

The lounge connection

That last part matters, because Southwest is already building lounges. The airline announced its first four lounges, in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville, as we reported in Southwest's first lounges. They are due in late 2027.

Lounges, assigned seats, premium seating and now possibly a widebody: the old Southwest is being rebuilt piece by piece. If 787s arrive on a three-year timetable, the lounge network would need to grow to match. International premium flyers don't wait at the gate.

Our take

We're skeptical it happens fast. Southwest has never flown widebodies, a new type takes years to bring in, and union talks rarely move quickly. And this is still sourced reporting, not an announcement.

But the direction is clear. Southwest is chasing the higher-paying travelers it used to ignore. Bags fly free is gone, open seating is gone, and lounges are coming. A Southwest 787 to Europe would have sounded like a joke three years ago. Now Reuters says the airline is seriously weighing it.

Would you fly Southwest across the Atlantic? Tell us in the comments.