Act fast: Save 25% on Southwest Airlines award redemptions

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available.

Southwest Airlines is offering a 25% off sale for Rapids Rewards members on some of its routes, but you need to act fast. The sale ends at midnight.

With this sale, the Dallas-based carrier is making it possible to save on select flights from Sept. 4 through Dec. 18.

This Southwest deal is the most recent in a string of excellent deals and discounts TPG has tracked this year.

Deal basics

Airline: Southwest Airlines

Routes: Many options throughout the Southwest network

How to book: Directly through Southwest using promo code "SAVE25NOW" by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 19

Travel dates: Select dates and flights from Sept. 4 through Dec. 18

Fares purchased through this sale are limited based on availability. They only apply to one-way and round-trip Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares booked with Rapid Rewards points. The discount does not apply to taxes and fees.

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Sample flights

Because Southwest does not generally publish its sale routes, the quickest way to find this deal is to use its Low Fare Calendar to search for your desired route with the promo code "SAVE25NOW."

For example, you could book a one-way trip from New York City's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago's Midway International Airport (MDW) for as few as 3,915 Rapid Rewards points each way, plus $16.80 in taxes and fees. For this particular booking, you could save 1,958 points round-trip.

Even longer flights — like those from LGA to Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) — are on sale with this promotion. We found a round-trip flight for 20,658 Rapid Rewards points (plus $11.20 in taxes and fees) that would typically cost 27,546 points. That savings of 6,888 points could be enough to cover your next one-way flight.

The sale applies to Wanna Get Way and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, which allow travelers to bring two free checked bags and two carry-on items. These fare types can be canceled up to 10 minutes before departure for free. Wanna Get Away fares that are canceled will receive a flight credit in lieu of a refund; they also include free inflight entertainment and messaging.

Maximize your purchase

If you book this deal (or other flights), use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees): 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees): 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): 8 points per dollar on all Chase Travel℠ purchases and 4 points per dollar on flights booked directly through the airline
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): 2 points per dollar spent on travel

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

This sale is unique in that it only applies to bookings made with Southwest Rapid Rewards points. The points are valued at 1.4 cents apiece, according to TPG's August 2024 valuations.

If you have points to use and plan on taking a trip this summer or fall, this deal is worth considering.

Related reading:

• Southwest baggage fees and how to avoid paying them
• Southwest cuts popular Hawaii route, adds 3 new seasonal flights
• Southwest Airlines to offer first red-eye flights in coming years
• Is Southwest EarlyBird Check-In worth it?