Business Select Upsell Testing
My Digital Experience team conducted extensive A/B testing on Business Select upgrade offers, discovering significant revenue opportunities through strategic placement of upsell options on the price page.
The Problem
Business Select—Southwest’s premium fare product—offers valuable benefits like priority boarding, extra Rapid Rewards points, and same-day standby. However:
- Low awareness of Business Select benefits at decision point
- Missed upsell opportunities during the booking flow
- No clear upgrade path for customers who might want to upgrade
- Revenue left on table from customers who would pay more for premium benefits
The Testing Approach
We designed controlled experiments to test upgrade offer placement:
Test Variants
Control: No Upgrade
- Standard price page without upgrade messaging
Test: Price Inline Upgrade
- Upgrade offer displayed inline on the price page
- Clear presentation of Business Select benefits
- Easy one-click upgrade path
Metrics Tracked
- Business Select booking rate
- Overall air booking rate
- Price page exit rate
- Impact on Anytime fare selection
Results
Key Findings
- Significant Business Select lift - 49.1% increase in premium bookings
- No negative impact on total or Anytime booking rates
- Stable exit rates - Upgrade offer didn’t cause abandonment
- Segment variations - Mixed itineraries showed different patterns requiring further testing
Revenue Impact
A 49.1% lift in Business Select bookings represents substantial incremental revenue:
- Higher per-booking revenue from premium fares
- Increased Rapid Rewards points earned driving loyalty
- Better seat utilization in premium categories
- No cannibalization of base fare bookings
Learnings
The testing revealed important insights:
- Placement matters - Strategic positioning of upgrade offers drives conversion
- Benefit clarity - Clear value proposition supports upgrade decisions
- Segment differences - Different traveler types respond differently to offers
- Continuous testing - Ongoing optimization improves results over time
Business Value
This work demonstrated the power of data-driven optimization in the booking flow. By systematically testing and measuring, we found ways to better serve customers who want premium experiences while driving meaningful revenue growth.
Achieved 49.1% lift in Business Select booking rate through price page upgrade testing, without impacting overall conversion.
