Southwest is taking up to 40% off base fares on flights between November 9, 2026 and March 3, 2027, if you book by October 22 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. There’s no promo code, and the discount shows as a strikethrough price when you search. Frequent Miler, Upgraded Points and AwardWallet all report the discount on Rapid Rewards points bookings too.
The discount comes off the base fare only, before taxes, and the size of the cut varies by route and day. Thanksgiving and the Christmas week are blacked out.
The deal
- Offer: up to 40% off the base fare on qualifying one-way and round-trip flights, per Southwest’s sale terms
- Book by: October 22, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT (the sale opened October 19)
- Travel dates: November 9, 2026 to March 3, 2027
- Promo code: none. Southwest applies the discount automatically.
- Where: new bookings on southwest.com and Southwest’s business booking site. Group travel, Getaways packages and government fares are excluded.
- Direct link: Southwest’s flight deals page
Key terms
- How it shows up: “Discount is automatically applied and shown as a strikethrough on the displayed base fare on eligible flights,” the terms say.
- Changes cost you the discount: “Changes made to the itinerary after purchase will eliminate qualification for this promotion and will result in forfeiture of any promotion savings.” Book dates you’re sure of.
- Blackouts within the continental U.S.: November 28 and 29, December 26 to 28, 2026, and January 2 and 3, 2027.
- Blackouts for Hawaii, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and international: outbound November 19 to 25 and December 17, 2026 to January 5, 2027. Return flights are blacked out November 27 to December 1 and over the same December to January stretch.
- Days of the week: continental U.S. flights qualify every day. Flights from the mainland to Hawaii, St. Thomas or international destinations qualify Sunday to Wednesday, and the return flights Tuesday to Friday. Puerto Rico flights qualify Monday to Thursday, and interisland Hawaii flights don’t qualify at all.
- Limits: seats are limited, the sale doesn’t combine with other promotions, and some busy or holiday flights won’t show a discount.
What 40% saves on cash and points
Southwest prices both cash and Rapid Rewards points from the fare, so a 40% cut on the base fare should lower the points price for award travel too. Southwest’s Rapid Rewards terms say the points price depends on “destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare class, point redemption rate, and other factors.”
| Example | Before the sale | At 40% off | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| A $200 base fare | $200 plus taxes | $120 plus taxes | $80 |
| A 10,000-point award | 10,000 points plus $5.60 | 6,000 points plus $5.60 | 4,000 points |
Those rows show the maximum cut. Your discount will often be smaller. The taxes on an award stay at a minimum of $5.60 one-way.
The best real example we found comes from Upgraded Points, which shows Baltimore to Minneapolis in February 2027 from 6,000 points one-way. That seat will likely be gone or repriced by the time you read this, so search your own route.
Tip: search in points and in dollars for the same flight. If 6,000 points replaces a $90 fare, you’re getting 1.5 cents a point, the top of the 1 to 1.5 cent airline range in our points valuation guide. Pay cash when the ratio drops well below 1 cent, and check our deals page for other sales.
Fare type and bags
The terms don’t name the fare types included. Southwest’s fare types page shows why the choice matters: Basic fares earn 2 points per dollar and Choice fares 6 points per dollar. Basic fares are nonrefundable after 24 hours, and the sale’s change rule already strips the discount from any changed booking.
Bags are no longer free. Southwest’s fees page charges $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares. A Rapid Rewards airline credit card waives the first bag, which we covered in our Southwest bag fee post. Add $90 a round trip for one checked bag when you compare a sale fare with another airline.
If you hold a Companion Pass, Southwest’s Companion Pass page says it works on both cash and points bookings. A discounted fare then covers two travelers for the price of one, plus the companion’s taxes. Our Companion Pass 2027 changes post explains how earning the pass changes next year.
Our take
We’d book now if you already know your winter dates, especially for a February or early March trip outside the blackouts. At the full 40% off, a $200 base fare drops by $80 per person each way. A family of four on a round trip saves up to $640 before bag fees.
Points holders get the same cut. At 1 to 1.5 cents per point, saving 4,000 points on one award is worth $40 to $60, and you keep the points for the next trip. Southwest’s Rapid Rewards page says “points don’t expire,” so there’s no rush to spend them on a trip you aren’t sure about.
Skip it if your plans might move. One change wipes out the discount, and Basic fares come back only as a flight credit good for 6 months. Skip it too for Thanksgiving or Christmas travel, which the blackouts cover. If you’re weighing a Southwest card to save on bags, the Southwest Premier Business offer and our list of flight deals are good places to start.
FAQ
When does the Southwest 40% off sale end?
You have to book by October 22, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Travel runs November 9, 2026 to March 3, 2027.
Do you need a promo code for the Southwest sale?
No. Southwest applies the discount automatically and shows it as a strikethrough on the base fare of eligible flights.
Does the Southwest sale apply to points bookings?
Frequent Miler, Upgraded Points and AwardWallet all report that award flights are discounted too. Southwest’s terms don’t spell out how, so compare the points price with your usual price before you book.
What dates are blacked out in the Southwest sale?
Within the continental U.S., November 28 and 29, December 26 to 28, 2026, and January 2 and 3, 2027. Hawaii, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and international flights black out more of Thanksgiving week and December 17, 2026 to January 5, 2027.
What happens if you change a Southwest sale booking?
You lose the sale discount. The terms say any change after purchase forfeits the promotion savings.
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