Southwest's fare sale ends Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Until then, Southwest is taking up to 40% off base fares on select flights between November 9, 2026, and March 3, 2027, with holiday and weekend travel included. If you have a winter trip in mind and haven't bought the ticket yet, price it before Thursday night.
What the Sale Covers
Here's what Southwest's sale terms say:
- Discount: up to 40% off the base fare on qualifying one-way or round-trip fares, applied automatically and shown as a strikethrough on the displayed base fare.
- Book by: October 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The booking period opened October 19 at 12:01 a.m. PT.
- Fly between: November 9, 2026, and March 3, 2027.
- Where to book: Southwest.com, swabiz.com or Southwest Partner Services.
- Taxes: the discount comes off before government taxes and fees, so it applies to the base fare, not your total.
The sale also has day-of-week rules. Flights within the continental U.S. qualify any day of the week. Flights from the continental U.S. to Hawaii, St. Thomas and international destinations qualify Sunday through Wednesday, and the return flights Tuesday through Friday. Flights to and from Puerto Rico qualify Monday through Thursday.
Blackout Dates and Exclusions
Interisland Hawaii flights are not part of the sale. Within the continental U.S., travel is blacked out November 28 and 29, December 26 to 28, and January 2 and 3, 2027.
Travel from the continental U.S. to international destinations, Hawaii, St. Thomas and Puerto Rico is blacked out November 19 to 25 and December 17, 2026, to January 5, 2027. The return direction is blacked out November 27 to December 1 and December 17, 2026, to January 5, 2027.
Seats, days and markets are limited, and Southwest says the discount won't be available on some flights during very busy travel times and holiday periods. It's valid on new reservations only and can't be combined with other promotions. Group travel, Getaways by Southwest packages, flights booked through global distribution systems and special fares such as military and government fares are excluded.
Who Should Book
Booking only dates you're sure of matters more than usual here. Southwest's terms say any change to the itinerary after purchase ends your qualification for the sale, and you forfeit the savings.
"Up to" matters, too. Southwest says discount availability may vary by destination, flight and day of the week, so compare a few dates and look for the strikethrough on the base fare before you pay.
If you fly Southwest often enough to watch for these sales, our Southwest credit card guide covers which card earns the most on the tickets you buy.
Book by Thursday Night
Book if you have firm dates between November 9 and March 3 that miss the blackouts. Skip it if your plans could change, or if you need to fly over the peak holiday dates. Either way, the sale ends October 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
