Best Time to Book Southwest Flights in 2025

Have you ever heard that booking a flight on a certain day of the week may get you cheaper flights? But you can’t just rely on the day and have to combine it with certain strategies if you really want to get the cheapest fares possible.

Just winging it isn’t an option when booking your flights with Southwest Airlines at the right time could save you hundreds. Whether you’re flying home for the holidays, planning your summer or spring break, or hunting the cheapest business class flights, this guide reveals the best time to book Southwest flights, explains how their sale pattern works, and offers tips to get the lowest fares through different tools.

What is the best time to book Southwest flights? 

Anytime between 45 and 60 days is considered a good time to book Southwest flights before your travel date. If you book early, then you might not get the savings as you expected you’d be getting, but booking too late could mean missing out on those deals entirely. 

Why is 6 to 8 weeks good to reserve a flight ticket?

It’s very rare that Southwest releases last-minute deals. You’ll find the lowest fares roughly 1.5 to 2 months ahead of time, especially on domestic routes. Though business travelers and early planners can still grab cheap business class flights, they have to make sure to book on time.

Consider seasonality 

Which season you’re booking a flight in matters a lot to get cheap fares. Here’s what you need to remember before finalizing the booking: 

• Spring break and summer: Book at least 2 to 3 months in advance for availability.
• Holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas): 3 to 4 months ahead is a good time.
• Off-peak months (Jan, Feb, Sept): You can find deals some 3-4 weeks out.

Watch for fare schedule releases 

Southwest rolls out flight schedules in batches, and if you book soon enough after a new schedule is out, it can get you lower fares.

What is the best day to book Southwest Airlines flights?

Tuesday is usually said to be the best day to book Southwest flights, followed by Wednesday. That’s when you’ll see this airline and competitor airlines adjust their fares after weekend travel sells out. 

Why Tuesday? 

Southwest often drops airfares on Monday night, and by the time Tuesday morning comes, you’re able to catch the freshly adjusted fares across many routes. 

Reasons to avoid booking on Fridays and Sundays 

The sole reason is that Friday and Sunday bookings are expensive due to high demand from weekend travelers and business flyers prepping for the week. If you can avoid them, that’s good, but if your travel plans are rigid, you might have to pay a high price. 

Early bird gets the deal 

Booking Southwest flights as early as possible can get you first dibs on limited low-fare seats. Preferably, book early in the morning, around 6 or 9 – no matter if it’s a Tuesday or any other day.

When are Southwest flights the cheapest?

Again, Tuesday is the best day to book flights on Southwest as the flight prices are the most affordable. Wednesday is also a good day to reserve cheap flights. The only time you must avoid paying extra is during off-peak months of January, February, and September. Hope that answers your “When are Southwest flights cheapest?” question.

Cheapest times to fly with Southwest

• Midweek flights on Tues/Wed: The demand is the lowest, meaning the lowest prices. 
• Late-night or early-morning flights: They’re less popular, which means there’s a high chance of getting better deals. 
• Non-holiday periods: Avoid Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break if you can for maximum savings.

Use the Southwest low fare calendar 

Southwest’s low fare calendar makes it super easy to spot the cheapest dates. It’s a built-in feature where you just have to put in your departure and arrival cities' information and the month you want to fly. It’ll show you all the fares and you can simply pick the one that matches your budget the most. 

How to get cheap Southwest flights?

Looking to score great deals? There are tons of tools and strategies you can apply to get better and cheaper fares, like using low fare calendars, using sales, flying off-peak times, and more. Start by calling Dreamtriphub travel experts at (888) 919-5016 for exclusive offers you might not find online.

Tips to find cheap Southwest flights

Here are all the tips you’ll need to get those affordable fares for your next booking: 

• Use the low fare calendar: If you’ve got flexible travel dates, you can check flexible date options with the calendar tool to see prices across a whole month.
• Book flights during a sale: Southwest hosts many sales around the year, you can check, some with fares as low as $49 one-way!
• Fly off-peak days and times: To save dollars, it’s best to avoid flying during weekends and evenings. Midweek morning flights are your best bet.
• Set up price alerts: Make use of free tools like Google Flights to track fare drops and grab the ones that match your budget.
• Call travel experts: Dreamtriphub is your go-to for cheap flight bookings, group flight bookings, and last-minute deals. Call right away to get personalized assistance from industry experts.

When does Southwest have sales?

Southwest is among the top airlines to run some of the most popular fare sales in the US. If you know how they work, it’ll help you time your flight reservations better and figure out the best time to buy Southwest flights.

Major Southwest sale events 

• Weekly sales: The airline frequently has major sale events on Tuesdays with additional seasonal promotions throughout the year.
• Seasonal promos: There’s the “Summer Sale” with discounts on base fares and additional rewards for various travel purchases.
• Holiday sales: Southwest conducts sales around Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the New Year.

Southwest’s Week of WOW: Huge Deals for their 54th Anniversary!

Southwest Airlines is turning 54 in style, and for the celebration, it’s launching a Week of WOW from June 3 to 5, 2025, packed with unbeatable travel deals, rewards, and giveaways. If you’ve been waiting for the best time to book Southwest flights in 2025, this is it. 

Here’s everything included in the Week of WOW: 

• Travelers can save up to 50% on base fares for select US flights between August 12 to December 17, 2025, using the promo code WOWZERS. 
• Rapid Rewards Credit Card members can earn 10X points on Southwest bookings between June 3 to June 9, up to $500.
• Hotel stays of 3+ nights earn 5X at participating properties.
• You can get up to 30% off car rentals with Dollar and 1,200 bonus points for rentals of 2+ days.

How to stay updated? 

• Sign up for Southwest email alerts for sales and promotions
• Regularly visit their official website for current deals
• Follow them on their social handles
• Check with Dreamtriphub for real-time sale updates 

How to use a Southwest flight price tracker?

To get your hands on the cheap airfares before they disappear, use a Southwest flight price tracker. Since the airline doesn’t share data with many third-party sites, tracking it makes it a bit of a hassle. 

Recommended tools to track Southwest flights

• Google Flights

• Search for a flight of your choice, and enter your travel details. 
• Once you get the flight you want, click on “Track prices.”
• Now, when the price drops, Google will notify you via email.

• Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar

• You can find it easily on Southwest's official website.
• Next, put in your departure and arrival cities and travel month.
• See the prices for each day of the month to get the cheapest days to fly.

• Other options

• Southwest website: You can check the official website manually for price changes.
• Third-party tools: Consider calling Dreamtriphub, with travel experts ready to assist you in finding the best time to book Southwest flights in 2025 and cheapest fares.
• Sign up for emails: Traditional fare alerts is not Southwest’s style, still you can sign up for promotional emails to get notifications of sales and deals.

Pro tip: It’s best if you create a daily reminder to check fares for your route manually some 3-4 months before, and soon you’ll start noticing the fare patterns.

What is Southwest’s Wanna Get Away fare?

It’s the airline’s lowest-priced tickets that have their own set of limitations, but if you book them, they offer unmatched value.

Perks of Wanna Get Away fare

• Affordable option: You get the cheapest fare class, ideal for budget travelers.
• Free checked bags: You get 2 free checked bags plus no extra baggage fees, unlike most airlines.
• No change fee: There’s an option to modify your flight without paying a fee (though fare difference charges may apply).
• Earn Rapid Rewards points: For every dollar spent, it’ll earn you points toward future travel.
• Full onboard service: You enjoy the same free snacks, beverages, and seat space as higher fare classes.

Limitations of Wanna Get Away fare

• The fare is non-refundable, so credit is given for cancellations.
• There’s no EarlyBird Check-In, unless you add it.
• There’s limited availability during peak travel times. 

These are great options for budget travelers, mainly those you book early or during a sale.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the best time to book Southwest flights in 2025, timing is everything. Truly. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to grab cheapest deals on flights and if you mix it with smart planning, flexible dates, and low fare calendar tools, you can score THE best deals out there. Don’t hesitate to call Dreamtriphub at (888) 919-5016 for personalized help, especially for group flight bookings or hard-to-find deals. Whether you're heading out for business or fun, the savings are waiting if you know where (and when) to look.