When is the Best Time to Book A Flight On Southwest Airlines?
Southwest has been quite a name in the aviation industry since its first flight in 1971. One of its main USPs is its low-cost model, alongside the reliability and friendliness the airline promises its customers.
So, when you plan to fly with them, you must be wondering when the best time is to fly with Southwest. Right? Well, to ensure you have a hassle-free flight at an affordable rate, we’ll discuss the ideal time to book flights here. Read on to know more.
How to Know the Best Time to Book A Flight On Southwest Airlines?
Knowing the best time to book a flight on Southwest means you have hit the bull’s eye. Well, there is a lot of research behind it. Here are some quick tips to help you decide when it’s best to book your flight with Southwest for budget-friendly travel.
- Check the Low Fare Calendar
This is the best and easiest way to know the dates when the fare will be comparatively low. Here are the steps to check the low fare calendar:
- Visit southwest.com
- Fill in your departure and arrival locations and date
- Select the number of passengers
- Choose your fare type and click on Search flights
This low-fare calendar is more appropriate when you have flexible travel dates and can easily shift your travel time by a day. At times, booking a day early before your original date may help you save a significant amount. So, if there isn’t a hurry, choose appropriately to save the extra bucks.
- Redeem Your Rapid Rewards Points
Enrolling in the Rapid Rewards program is another easy alternative to get low fares. If you have a balance in your account, you can click on Points from the “show fares” section. If you do not have enough points, there is no need to worry. You can mix your points with cash and choose the best deals.
- Crack the Tuesday Deal
Based on several reviews and sources, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best times to book with Southwest, as they offer the most reasonable deals without breaking the bank. A few Reddit users have mentioned that these are less busy travel days. So if you don’t mind altering your travel plans, you can try booking on any of these two days to crack the best deals. In fact, a Reddit user shared the booking details, which showed fares as low as $210 on Tuesday and Wednesday, compared with $230 on the remaining days.
- Avail of Southwest’s Companion Pass
If you have a Companion Pass with Southwest and the time has come to redeem it, that is the appropriate time to book your tickets. As the name suggests, this pass allows you to fly with a companion for free, without paying the airline’s charge. Fees and taxes aren’t included, though. You can use this offer unlimited times when you purchase or redeem points for your flight. To avail of this, you must fly 100 qualifying flights (one way) or earn up to 135.000 qualifying points in a single calendar year. This indeed is a great way to save on your flight fares.
- Sign Up For Promos And Offers
To find the best time to book a flight on Southwest Airlines, you can sign up for their email updates and promotions to learn about the latest and most profitable deals. For this, you may visit Southwest’s official website.
Conclusion
Here are some tips to help you understand the best time to book a Southwest flight. Fares fluctuate and are quite high during peak travel times, particularly around holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. So, if planning to travel during these days, it is best to book a month or two ahead. Checking Southwest’s low fare calendar would also be a good bet, especially if you aren’t too rigid regarding your travel plans. Lastly, keep track of the latest promotions and offers on their official website, or sign up for instant updates on price drops and deals.
FAQs
Q. How do you get the best prices on Southwest?
To get the best prices, you may check the airline’s low fare calendar for the latest updates. You can also sign up for their email list to receive updates on promotional offers.
Q. Which days are the flights on Southwest the cheapest?
It is commonly said that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to fly with Southwest, as fares are typically the cheapest on those days. Also, flying on weekdays is always cheaper than flying on weekends.
Q. Do you get Cyber Monday deals on Southwest?
Yes, they do offer exciting Cyber Monday deals. A Southwest traveler mentioned getting an exciting deal with around 50% discounts on the base fare. That is why it is essential to keep track of the latest promotions and offers to get the most out of them.
Q. What is the ideal time to book a Southwest flight?
If you do not have a rigid travel plan, book around 3 months before your departure date to take advantage of the most inexpensive deals. Also, avoid holidays and peak seasons as the fares are high then.
Q. How to know about the latest offers and discounts?
When you sign up for Southwest email updates, you will receive the latest offers and discounts.
