Deal alert: Southwest celebrates Independence Day with fares from $49 each way
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Southwest Airlines is running a patriotic Independence Day deal, offering flights between select cities from $49 or 2,671 points each way (plus at least $5.60 in taxes and fees) for economy seats.
The no-change-fee airline's "Independence Yay Sale!" runs through July 8 for select travel dates (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and destinations between Aug. 17 and Dec. 16. Whether you're bound for Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit or Jacksonville, Florida, there might be a deal here for you.
Airline: Southwest
Routes: Between BWI/DTW/FAT/LAS/BNA/MDW/ATL/CLT/JAX/SDF/HNL/SAN and more
Cost: From $49 one-way
Dates: Book by July 8 for travel between Aug. 17 and Dec. 16 (most routes)
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card (3x on air travel; see rates and fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel), 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 specific flights that are available from Southwest:
- As low as $49 one-way nonstop between Fresno, California, and Las Vegas.
- As low as $67 one-way nonstop between Nashville and Chicago (MDW).
- As low as $67 one-way nonstop between Baltimore/Washington and Detroit.
- As low as $75 one-way nonstop between Charlotte and Atlanta.
- As low as $89 one-way nonstop between Louisville, Kentucky, and Jacksonville.
- As low as $139 one-way nonstop between San Diego and Honolulu.
The lowest prices tend to be available midweek (Tuesdays and Wednesdays), particularly in the fall. Some examples are below.
With new Southwest Hawaii routes available this summer, pricing is shockingly low for flights there, as well, with San Diego to Honolulu (HNL) and Oakland, California, to HNL both starting at $139 each way. (But be aware that, even though Hawaii is ending testing requirements for vaccinated travelers, the state's COVID-19 requirements could make travel cumbersome.)
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), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier Card (3x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
Featured photo by David Slotnick/The Points Guy.