The Southwest Airlines Fall Sale is the perfect time to plan a last-minute vacation with cheap flights starting at $39! This is a can’t-miss price for a plane ticket, especially when the Southwest Companion Pass promotion isn’t on the horizon just yet.
Warning though: With the fall sale that just ended on Sept. 17, there were a few blackout dates on the calendar. Plus, you can’t get a refund if you cancel a flight you bought during the sale (but you can get a flight credit). This year’s fall sale ended at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept. 17, 2023, but we expect to see another Southwest Early Fall Sale pop up around the last week of August 2024.
P.S. Like getting deal alerts? Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app so you never miss out on travel tips and sales, or text HACKS to 57299.
The Southwest Fall Sale is an annual 13-day event with some of the year’s best ticket prices.
Every year, Southwest Airlines holds a Fall Sale that offers one-way fares starting at just $39 for travel. It's a great chance for travelers to get discounted flights during the fall season. Plus, Southwest features additional deals and offers to help customers save on various other travel expenses, from flights to rental cars.
KCL predicts the next Southwest Fall Sale will begin Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024.
Southwest Airlines hasn’t officially announced the next date for their Fall Sale, but based on what they've done in recent years, we here at KCL predict that it’ll take place between Tuesday, Sept. 3, and Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.
How do we make our prediction?
The sale always starts on a Tuesday, and in 2023, it started on the first Tuesday in September (and lasted 13 days). We anticipate that they’ll do the same thing in 2024, informing the Sept. 3-15 prediction.
For the most recent fall sale, you had to book your Southwest flights by 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept. 17.
Southwest’s fall sale had flights starting at $39, which was the same price point as we saw in 2022. There were a limited amount of flights available. However, if you don’t have any specific travel plans, you can go with one of the many options in their handy Route List.
Keep in mind that you had to book your flight 30 days in advance, so the sale isn’t meant for super-last-minute deals. And, your domestic travel dates had to fall between Oct. 10, 2023, and Feb. 14, 2024 — but not during the blackout dates (Nov. 21 – 22 and Dec. 16, 2023, to Jan. 2, 2024).
Tickets are nonrefundable and don’t include government fees, which start at $5.60 per one-way flight.
Here were some of the cheapest one-way Southwest flights for the recent fall sale:
Note: The cheapest flights were on a Tuesday or Wednesday. However, we did find occasional low-cost flights on some Saturdays. Use their flight deals page if you’re not sure where you want to go, or use the Low Fare Calendar to browse dates.
Los Angeles to Las Vegas – $39
Las Vegas to Los Angeles – $39
New Orleans to Austin – $45
Atlanta to Louisville – $49
Atlanta to Nashville – $49
Denver to Lubbock – $49
Denver to Steamboat Springs – $49
Fort Myers to Orlando – $49
Los Angeles to Phoenix – $49
Nashville to Atlanta – $49
Oakland to Palm Springs – $49
Orange County to Las Vegas – $49
Providence to Washington, D.C. – $49
Tampa to Fort Lauderdale – $49
Related: We put together a handy guide for the best time to book flights for every airline.
There were some blackout dates and not-so-cheap Thanksgiving or Christmas flights.
Unfortunately, there are a few dates that are totally blacked out for the fall sale (domestic blackout dates were Nov. 21 – 22 and Dec. 26, 2023 – Jan. 2, 2024). Probably for good reason, since the blackout dates are always around Thanksgiving and Christmas, which are some of the busiest times to travel.
Related: You can learn how to save even more on future flights with our best Southwest Airlines hacks.
Need to cancel your discount flight from the early fall sale? No refunds — but you can get a credit.
According to the fine print, if you want to cancel a flight you book through the Southwest fall sale, you can’t get a refund. But you’re not totally out of luck, since you can still apply the canceled flight as a credit toward a future fare, as long as you cancel at least 10 minutes before your flight.
Related: Here’s what each airline owes you as compensation for a delayed flight.
Bonus: Check out the other Southwest Vacations deals going on now.
If you’re hoping to visit Mexico or the Caribbean, you may want to do some price comparisons with the vacation packages from Southwest Airlines. They let you bundle in airport transfers, round-trip flights, hotel accommodations, and other perks, all in one fee.
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