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Deal Alert: Southwest fares as low as $29 or 1,100 points each way

March 02, 2021
5 min read
Deal Alert: Southwest fares as low as $29 or 1,100 points each way
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Southwest is no stranger to flight sales, and $29 fares are hard to ignore — especially when paired with the airline's phenomenal Companion Pass, which you can still snag with little effort for the next few days.

This week, the airline is offering discounts on flights booked by 11:59pm CT on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Travel dates range from April 13 through June 2 for eligible domestic and international flights, and through May 26 for flights to and from Hawaii.

You likely won't see the lowest advertised fares every day — weekend flights are generally excluded, and certain mid-week days may not be available, depending on the route.

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Airline: Southwest
Routes: between AUS/MTJ/OAK/SJU/PHX/LGA/MSY/HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH/ITO/AUS/DAL/STL and more
Cost: from $29, $39, $49 or $99 one-way
Dates: Book by March 4 for travel between April 13 and June 2 -- discounted rates may extend beyond advertised dates.
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel ; earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, starting Jan. 1, 2021), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Here’s how to get your money back when a Southwest fare goes down in price

Here are some examples of flights you might find discounted as part of the sale:

  • As low as $29 one-way between New Orleans (MSY) and Houston (HOU)
  • As low as $29 one-way between Baltimore/Washington (BWI) and LaGuardia (LGA)
  • As low as $29 one-way between Phoenix (PHX) and Palm Springs (PSP)
  • As low as $54 one-way between Nashville (BNA) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
  • As low as $99 one-way between Long Beach (LGB) and Honolulu (HNL)
  • As low as $99 one-way between Long Beach and Maui (OGG)

As a general rule of thumb, the shorter the distance, the lower the fare — you won't find transcon flights or hops to Hawaii within that $29 range. There are plenty of low-cost flights available, though, such as Salt Lake City (SLC) to Las Vegas (LAS) for 29 bucks:

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Screenshot courtesy of Southwest.

Or just 1,058 points, plus the $5.60 TSA fee:

Screenshot courtesy of Southwest.

You can score that bargain-basement price on flights between the Hawaiian islands, too.

Screenshot courtesy of Southwest.

Fares between hubs can be quite reasonable as well, such as the $49 you'll pay each way between Dallas and Chicago.

Screenshot courtesy of Southwest.

Or you can lock in your flight with an entire reasonable 2,510 Rapid Rewards points, plus the $5.60 security fee.

Screenshot courtesy of Southwest.

Flights between the mainland and Hawaii are on sale as well, though they'll cost you a bit more.

Screenshot courtesy of Southwest.

Maximize your purchase

Don’t forget to use a 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), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card, Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

Featured image by Summer Hull/The Points Guy.

Featured image by (Photo by Summer Hull / The Points Guy)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
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3XEarn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
2XEarn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.
1XEarn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • Intro Offer
    Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.

    Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles
    50,000 Bonus Miles
  • Annual Fee

    $250
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    670-850
    Excellent/Good

Why We Chose It

Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.

Pros

  • Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
  • Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
  • First checked bag free

Cons

  • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
  • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
  • Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
  • New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees