Book by Thursday: Southwest fall and winter fares as low as $49 one-way
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Southwest Airlines' latest fare sale has one-way fall and winter flights marked down as low as $49 to various cities.
Unlike some other sales, this one requires no special code. Just visit the Southwest website, access the Low Fare Calendar and search for a trip that fits your budget and time frame. Sale fares within the continental U.S. are valid for travel from Oct. 31, 2023, until March 6, 2024. Flights to and from international destinations, Puerto Rico and Hawaii are valid for travel until May 22, 2024.
This sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Oct. 12, so hop on this quickly.
Deal basics
Airline: Southwest
Routes: Various cities
How to book: Directly with the airline
Travel dates: Oct. 31, 2023, until March 6, 2024, for flights in the continental U.S.; Oct. 31, 2023, until May 22, 2024, for international flights and travel to Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Book by: Oct. 12 at 11:59 p.m. PDT
Blackout dates: Check the airline website for exact details
Sample flights
The $49 one-way fares are mostly gone, judging by our searches, but a few are still available. For example, you can fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) for just $49 each way in December.
The same deal is available in February for travel from Phoenix to Los Angeles. The only difference is you fly into Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) — a bonus in our book because it's one of our favorite airports.
®
Staying with the West Coast deals, you can fly from LA to Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) for a four-day getaway in the desert in January for about $118 round-trip. We found a few examples of this sale fare in January.
Plenty of discounted fares are available for East Coast travelers, too. Take this itinerary from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in December.
We also like this deal for a trip from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Puerto Rico's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) in late January. Less than $135 round-trip to San Juan? Yes, please.
I checked what this flight would cost flying out of Miami International Airport (MIA), and it was more than double the price.
Maximize your purchase
If you use a Southwest Airlines credit card, such as the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, you can receive 3 Rapid Rewards points on Southwest purchases. Other credit cards that earn bonus points on airfare purchases include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 2 points per dollar on travel
- American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel®, on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 3 points per dollar on travel
Bottom line
Southwest customers looking to save some money on travel this fall and winter should jump on this sale. There are even some nice deals during November and December, when holiday travel spikes. As always, the more flexibility you have in your travel schedule, the better your chance of finding a good bargain.