Southwest Airlines Task Redesign:
Improving Airport Wayfinding
Timeline:
3 weeks
3 weeks
Role:
Sole designer and researcher
Sole designer and researcher
Tools:
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Skills:
Interaction Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, Design Systems, User Research, Journey Mapping, Content Mapping
Interaction Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, Design Systems, User Research, Journey Mapping, Content Mapping
Traveling is stressful enough without the added confusion of navigating an unfamiliar airport. While airline apps like Southwest’s provide essential flight information, they fall short in helping passengers actually navigate the airport experience.
This redesign aimed to improve the wayfinding and pre-flight experience within the Southwest Airlines app, helping passengers feel more confident, informed, and prepared from check-in to boarding.
Problem Statement:
Research and Insights:
This redesign aimed to improve the wayfinding and pre-flight experience within the Southwest Airlines app, helping passengers feel more confident, informed, and prepared from check-in to boarding.
Problem Statement:
How might we improve the wayfinding experience within the Southwest Airlines app and better assist passengers with the steps leading up to their flight?
Research and Insights:
To better understand user needs and how the current app performs, I conducted research through two main methods — content mapping and journey mapping.
Method #1 - Content Mapping - Finding Gaps and Patterns
I explored the existing Southwest app to understand how well it supports passengers with pre-flight navigation and identify current gaps.
My observations were that:
- 1. Much of the app’s content was focused on marketing, not directly related to airport navigation or pre-flight tasks
- Important information, such as wayfinding maps, was hidden behind outdated web pages or deeply buried menus
- The app’s navigation hierarchy was not intuitive, and key information (e.g., flight details) was buried in a small top bar, making it hard for users to find quickly
These insights revealed that users had to dig for essential information — a frustrating task during time-sensitive travel moments.
Method #2 - User Journey Mapping - Understanding the Traveler
Next, I mapped the experience of a typical Southwest passenger, focusing on their thoughts, emotions, and pain points throughout the pre-flight process.
These methods led me to the following insights:
Visual Hierarchy Helps
Limiting the platform’s marketplace to a college or nearby areas builds trust.
Information = Calm.
The more details users receive early, the more prepared they feel.
Timing matters.
Early access to accurate information reduces anxiety and confusion.
Early access to accurate information reduces anxiety and confusion.
The Design Solution:
A Virtual Walkthrough Assistant
Based on the insights from my research, I proposed a Virtual Walkthrough Assistant integrated within the Southwest Airlines app. The assistant would guide passengers through the pre-flight experience, helping them manage tasks such as checking in, accessing boarding passes, and navigating the airport.
Key features included:
Deliver step-by-step prompts for check-in, baggage, and boarding.
Adapts based on user flight details and completed actions.
Users can toggle the assistant on or off anytime.
Wireframes & User Flows:
A feature seamlessly integrated into the Southwest Airlines app to guide users through every pre-flight step in real time.
Pre Check-In
Prior to checking in, the assistant would prompt users to complete intial steps, like checking in online & preparing baggage. Once the user completed these tasks, the assistant would guide them to their digital boarding pass.
Accessing Boarding Pass & Wayfinding
After check-in, users would access their digital boarding pass and a wayfinding feature. This would allow them to familiarize themselves with the airport layout, even before they arrived, reducing stress upon arrival.
Baggage Check or Security
Once at the airport, the assistant would help users navigate key steps: whether it’s checking in baggage or heading to security. The assistant would provide clear instructions for these processes based on the user’s status.
Gate Navigation
After security, the assistant would guide users to their gate, using the airport wayfinding map. This map would not only show the user's proximity to the gate but also provide live updates, such as wait times and walking distances.
Reflections & Future Considerations:
This project pushed me to think beyond individual screens and toward designing systems of clarity. Wayfinding isn’t just about maps — it’s about orchestrating moments of confidence for users under stress. I learned how information architecture, visual hierarchy, and timing can work together to guide users through complex environments with ease. Looking further ahead, AR and VR simulations could extend this design into the anticipatory space — helping users rehearse their journey before they even arrive. In doing so, wayfinding becomes more than functional; it becomes empathetic — reducing anxiety and shaping a calmer, more confident travel experience.
Designing for hierarchy means designing for cognition.
I found that prioritizing what users need to know and when they need to know it was more impactful than simply adding more features. Good UX here isn’t about abundance — it’s about restraint and intentional sequencing.
I found that prioritizing what users need to know and when they need to know it was more impactful than simply adding more features. Good UX here isn’t about abundance — it’s about restraint and intentional sequencing.
Scalability demands dynamic solutions.Airports evolve constantly, and travelers’ contexts change by the minute. Future iterations could build toward live, context-aware wayfinding — integrating transport updates, crowd data, or multi-level navigation for richer, real-time guidance.