Deal alert: Cross-country Southwest flights from $164+
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
We’re seeing some pretty good deals on intra-US travel with Southwest today, with fares under $200 cross country.
These fares are totally refundable, so make sure to check back to see if the price drops even further, because if you’ve already made a reservation through Southwest and later find that the price of the ticket has decreased, you can request the difference in fare with no change fees. Also remember that Southwest award redemptions are tied to the ticket’s price, so this is a prime opportunity to use Southwest points for a cheap trip. You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest instantly at a 1:1 ratio.
Airlines: Southwest
Routes: Domestic routes
Cost: From $164+ round trip
Travel Dates: January- March 2020
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, (3x on airfare) American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Booking Link: Southwest.com
Los Angeles (LAX) to New Orleans (MSY) for $198 round-trip:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Orlando (MCO) for $190 round-trip:
San Francisco (SFO) to New York (LGA) for $214 round-trip:
Seattle (SEA) to Chicago (MDW) for $164 round-trip:
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out our guide to the best cards for airfare purchases to learn more.
Featured photo by Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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