Southwest Airlines schedule extended into January 2026 — book now to save on flights

If you have yet to book flights for the upcoming months, now is an excellent time to snag Southwest Airlines flights.

Although some carriers allow you to book flights about 11 months in advance, Southwest extends its booking window only a few months at a time.

Southwest has extended its schedule through Jan. 5, 2026. This is a good time to score a decent deal on Southwest flights for winter, including during the popular holiday break period.

Just remember that Southwest is making major changes to its policies, so be sure to check that the airline still works for your travel priorities.

Stunning reversal: What we know about the shocking changes from Southwest — and what you should do now

Here's what you need to know about maximizing Southwest's most recent schedule extension.

Why book when Southwest extends its schedule?

Booking flights quickly when Southwest extends its schedule can save you serious money, as you likely won't find lower prices available now for peak travel dates.

Southwest's change and cancellation policy also makes it easy to book now, even if you're not sure you'll take the trip. Here are Southwest's cancellation rules if you cancel at least 10 minutes before a flight's scheduled departure:

• If you paid for a Wanna Get Away (new basic economy fares — see below): You will receive Travel Funds (which now expire after six months).
• If you paid for a Wanna Get Away Plus fare: You will receive Travel Funds (which now expire after 12 months).
• If you paid for an Anytime or Business Select fare: You can request a refund to your original form of payment or accept Travel Funds (which now expire after 12 months).
• If you redeemed Southwest Rapid Rewards points: Points will automatically go back into the account from which they were booked, and you can request that Southwest refunds taxes and fees to your original form of payment.

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So, if your travel plans change, you can cancel your flight for free. If the price decreases after booking, you can rebook and receive the difference as Travel Funds or points. In this sense, booking Southwest flights for trips you hope to take is a very low risk.

Remember that Southwest has announced a slew of changes in the past few months — for example, the carrier did away with its two-free-checked-bags policy. Among the other changes, Southwest is introducing a basic fare class that will replace the Wanna Get Away fares. The airline is calling it "Basic," and the fare has more restrictions; keep that in mind if considering those types of fares. (Changes go into effect May 28.)

Quick take: Southwest Airlines will end open seating: What you need to know

How to score the best Southwest deals

Here are five tips for getting the best deal on Southwest flights.

Book right away

We recommend booking Southwest flights immediately when the booking window opens, especially if you want to fly during peak times. Although flights have already opened up, you may still be able to snag some good deals.

As mentioned above, there is minimal risk with booking Southwest flights due to the airline's fairly flexible policies. So, you may want to book now even if you are not 100% certain of your plans. If you want a full refund to your original payment method, redeem Southwest points for your flights or book more expensive Anytime or Business Select fares.

Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest

With the airline's flexible award policies, redeeming Southwest points is typically the preferred method for booking a Southwest flight. If you need to cancel a flight booked with points, your points go straight back into your Rapid Rewards account, and you can get the taxes and fees you paid returned to your card.

Earning a sign-up bonus on a new Southwest credit card is an excellent way to boost your account balance, but it will take some time. If you have a Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), you can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.

Note that Chase has also made it easier to book Southwest flights through Chase Travel℠, which may offer a better value for your Ultimate Rewards points.

The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Use a Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable rewards in the travel industry. After all, a friend or family member can fly with you for free (plus taxes and fees) as a perk of the Companion Pass. The pass typically expires Dec. 31 of the year following the year you earned it.

If you do not yet have a Companion Pass but plan to earn one before your flight, you can still book now and add your companion's ticket later. The only requirement for adding your companion to your reservation is that there must be at least one seat left for sale. Just keep in mind that if you are flying during peak times on popular routes, there is a chance that your flight will sell out if you wait too long.

If you want a faster path toward the Companion Pass, consider opening one of the following credit cards:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)

(To learn more, read our full reviews of the cards, in order of lowest to highest annual fee: Southwest Plus, Premier, Premier Business, Priority and Performance Business.)

Related: Companion Pass and bonus points: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier and Plus credit cards

Any combination of these cards can be a great way to earn the Companion Pass.

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.

Related: How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass

Consider alternative dates

If you have some flexibility, use that to your advantage when booking your flights. You can use Southwest's low-fare calendar to check the least expensive dates for your desired flights.

The most expensive days to fly are typically Fridays and Sundays, so if you can shift your dates a few days, you may find the price significantly cheaper.

Look for price drops

If your flight decreases in price between when you book and when you fly, you can easily get the difference in Rapid Rewards points back into your account. Of course, these flexible policies still exist when you pay for your fare with cash, but you'll end up with Southwest Travel Funds (that now expire).

Example pricing

Here are some sample fares. You'll see that you can save a lot of money if your dates are flexible (and also if you're willing to fly connecting itineraries).

Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico

There are plenty of ways to save on your next trip to Mexico with points and miles. Starting at just 11,500 Rapid Rewards points (plus about $47 in taxes and fees), you can fly from Houston to Cancun for a warm-weather break in December. Keep in mind that Southwest is moving to more dynamic pricing and award prices can vary.

We saw the same itinerary as low as 7,055 points during spring break.

Related: 10 countries you didn't know you could fly to on Southwest

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) in Hawaii

For a fall break, you can fly to Hawaii's Big Island for as few as 12,500 Southwest Rapid Rewards points plus about $6 in taxes and fees on some dates in December. You can even fly two-for-one to Hawaii with your Southwest Companion Pass.

New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Miami International Airport (MIA)

If you want to book a late spring trip to South Florida, you can fly for as few as 16,000 points per person (plus about $6 in taxes and fees) in December.

Keep in mind that you could have booked that same flight for as few as 4,261 points (plus about $6 in taxes and fees) last May.

Bottom line

Despite the recent changes at Southwest, the airline can still offer value. Knowing the ins and outs of booking a Southwest flight can help you secure the best flights for your family at the lowest cost. Those looking to travel this winter should book now to score the best deals on Southwest.

Related reading:

• Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status