Southwest's big flash sale: Fares drop below $100 round-trip on dozens of routes
Bargain hunters, fire up your browsers. Southwest’s giant twice-a-year fare sale is back!
Southwest Airlines rolled out the sale Tuesday, sending round-trip fares below $100 on dozens of the carrier’s shortest routes as part of a 72-hour flash sale.
Southwest’s longer routes are on sale too, with the carrier roughly pegging its sale fares to distance. The cheapest fares in the airline’s sale begin at $49 each way and increase to tiers of $79, $99 and $129 on longer routes.
The three-day fare sale has become a twice-a-year mainstay for the carrier, rolling out each June and October. The sales are notable not only because of fares being offered, but also because of how broadly they’re usually available across Southwest’s nationwide network.
Related: Snapshot: A Look at Southwest Airlines by the Numbers
Southwest’s sale from June 2015 created so much demand that bargain-seekers overwhelmed the airline’s website and caused it to crash. Southwest subsequently extended its sale by an additional day that year.
The blockbuster sales help Southwest drum up publicity. But what’s probably even more important to the carrier is that the they help juice sales during one of the slowest times of the year for air travel.
The October sale that kicked off Tuesday covers flights beginning in early mid-November through mid-December and again after the winter holiday. That puts flights on sale as demand slows ahead of the Christmas holiday and again as travel demand wanes after New Year’s. The busy windows covering the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays are blacked out.
The sales that are now a staple for Southwest initially got their start from an iteration the airline debuted earlier this decade, when it tied fares specifically to flight distance. Flights of 500 miles or less were priced at $49 one way, and then they increased by length of the route. The airline charged $99 one way for flights of 501 to 1,000 miles; $129 one way for flights of 1,001 to 1,500 miles; and $149 one way for flights longer than 1,500 miles.
Related: Choosing the most-rewarding Southwest credit card
The recent Southwest sales are no longer precisely tied to distance, though the fare structure tends to loosely mimic the original distance-based version.
Fine print and restrictions
Before you go book, familiarize yourself with the fine print.
The sale, which rolled out Tuesday morning, covers domestic mainland travel from Nov. 13 through Feb. 12, though there are notable blackout dates around the major holidays.
Blackout dates for mainland U.S. routes include:
- Nov. 22-Dec. 3
- Dec. 19-Jan. 5
Friday and Saturday flights are excluded from the sale, though flights on those days can be combined with sale fares on other days.
Related: Southwest Airlines Is Ending All Flights From Newark Liberty
Flights between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland are not included in the fare sale. Sale fares apply to inter-island flights, though the fine print differs. Most notably, the sale only covers Tuesday and Wednesday flights for inter-island travel. The full fine print is available on Southwest’s website.
There are different day-of-week restrictions on the sale fares on Southwest’s flights in Las Vegas, Florida and Puerto Rico. International travel also has differing fine print, including more day-of-travel restrictions. The details are spelled out on Southwest’s website.
The number of seats Southwest makes available at fare-sale prices are limited on any given flight, meaning the cheapest fares likely will thin out the longer the sale goes on.
And remember the sale window is short. It ends Thursday (Oct. 3) at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Aside from the restrictions, there also are a few relatively customer-friendly allowances. Sale fares can be booked one way or round trip and can be combined with non-sale fares.
Availability
A quick Tuesday morning spot-check of Southwest’s site by TPG showed fairly broad availability of the published sale fares. The advertised $49 fares appear on many of Southwest’s shortest routes, though some days and months show more availability than others. (Tip: Use Southwest’s low-fare calendar to search for the lowest fares.)
Examples included:
Oakland to Los Angeles
Baltimore to Boston
Chicago Midway to Minneapolis/St. Paul
Full fine print for the sale (via Southwest Airlines)
- Purchase from October 1 through October 3, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Continental U.S. travel valid November 13, 2019, through February 12, 2020. Interisland Hawaii travel valid December 4 through December 18, 2019, and January 2 through February 12, 2020. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico valid November 13 through December 5, 2019, and January 13 through March 5, 2020. International travel valid November 13 through December 11, 2019, and January 7 through March 5, 2020.
- Continental U.S. travel blacked out November 22-December 3, 2019 & December 19, 2019-January 5, 2020.
- Except as otherwise specified, continental U.S. travel is not valid on Fridays and Sundays. Travel to Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, and Las Vegas and from Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando to Las Vegas is valid only on Sundays through Wednesdays. Travel from Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando and Las Vegas and from Las Vegas to Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, and Orlando is valid only on Tuesdays through Fridays. Interisland Hawaii travel is valid Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico is valid Monday - Thursday. International travel is valid Monday - Thursday. Travel to Mexico is valid only on Sundays through Wednesdays. Travel from Mexico is valid only on Tuesdays through Fridays.
- Fares valid on nonstop service where indicated; if not indicated, fares are valid on single connecting service.
- Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees.
- Points bookings do not include taxes, fees, and other government/airport charges of at least $5.60 per one-way flight.
- Fares not available to/from continental U.S. to/from Hawaii. Fares not available to/from Orange County (SNA).
- Seats and days are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods.
- Travel is available for one-way Wanna Get Away® fares.
- Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines® combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare's rules apply.
- Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but that's not guaranteed.
- Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines®, as long as reservations are canceled at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation.
- Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel may require an upgrade to the Anytime fare depending on Rapid Rewards® tier status.
- Fares are subject to change until ticketed.
- Offer applies only to published, scheduled service.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended 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.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.