Southwest Schedule Extended: Book Now To Save On Flights Through July 10, 2023

If you have yet to book flights for next spring, now is an excellent time to snag Southwest flights.

Although some carriers allow you to book flights about 11 months in advance, Southwest extends its booking window in batches of only a few months at a time.

Previously, you could only book Southwest flights through the beginning of March. But this morning, Southwest extended its schedule through July 10, 2023. This makes now an excellent time to snag a good deal on Southwest flights for next spring.

Here’s what you need to know about maximizing Southwest’s most recent schedule extension.

Why book when Southwest extends its schedule

Booking flights quickly when Southwest extends its schedule can save you serious money. Although availability will probably still be around for a while, you likely won’t find lower prices than are available now for peak travel dates.

Southwest’s change and cancellation policy also makes it easy to book now, even if you aren’t sure you’ll take the trip. Here are Southwest’s cancellation rules if you cancel at least 10 minutes before a flight’s scheduled departure:

• If you paid for a Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus fare: You will receive travel funds.
• If you paid for an Anytime or Business Select fare: You can request a refund to your original form of payment or accept travel funds.
• If you redeemed Southwest points: Points will automatically go back into the account from which they were booked and you can request that Southwest refund taxes and fees to your original form of payment.

So, you can cancel your flight for free if your family’s travel plans change. Plus, if the price decreases after you book, you can rebook and receive the difference as travel funds or points. So, booking Southwest flights for trips you hope to take is a very low-risk situation.

How to score the best Southwest deals

Here are five of my favorite tips for getting the best deal on Southwest flights.

Book right now

I recommend booking Southwest flights immediately when the booking window opens, especially if you want to fly during peak times. Although flights have already opened up, you may still be able to snag some good deals.

As mentioned above, there is minimal risk with booking Southwest flights due to the airline’s flexible policies. So, you may want to book now even if you are not 100% certain of your plans. If you want a full refund to your original payment method, redeem Southwest points for your flights or book more expensive Anytime or Business Select fares.

Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest

Due to the airline’s flexible award policies, redeeming Southwest points is my preferred method for booking a Southwest flight. If you need to cancel a flight booked with points, your points go straight back into your Rapid Rewards account and you can get the taxes and fees you paid returned to your card.

Earning a sign-up bonus on a new Southwest credit card is an excellent way to boost your account balance, but that will take some time. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio if you have an Ultimate Rewards-earning card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Use a Companion Pass, but you can add it later

The Southwest Companion Pass is my favorite benefit in the travel industry. After all, a friend or family member can fly with you for free (plus taxes and fees) as a perk of the Companion Pass. The pass typically expires on Dec. 31 of the year after the year in which you earn it. But Southwest occasionally offers promotional Companion Passes that are valid for shorter periods.

If you do not yet have a Companion Pass but plan to earn one before your flight, you can still book now and add your companion’s ticket later. The only requirement for adding your companion to your reservation is that there must be at least one seat left for sale. Just keep in mind that if you are flying during peak times on popular routes, there is a chance that your flight will sell out if you wait too long.

Have alternative dates in mind

If you have some flexibility, use that to your advantage when booking your flights. You can use Southwest’s low-fare calendar to check the least expensive dates for the flights you want.

The most expensive days to fly are typically Fridays and Sundays. So, if you can shift your dates a few days, you might find the price significantly less. Of course, missing work or taking kids out of school might not work for everyone, but having backup dates might pay off.

Look for price drops

If your flight happens to go down in price between when you book and when you fly, you can easily get the difference in Rapid Rewards points back into your account. Of course, these flexible policies still exist when you pay for your fare with cash, but you’ll end up with Southwest travel funds.

Example pricing

Here are some sample fares I came across for travel in March. As you’ll see, you can save a lot of money if your dates (and willingness to fly connecting itineraries) are flexible.

Houston to Cancun, Mexico

There are plenty of ways to save on your next trip to Cancun with points and miles. And, starting at under 5,000 Rapid Rewards points (plus about $37 in taxes and fees) next June, you can fly to Cancun from Houston. Once in Mexico, check out our ultimate checklist of things to do on your Cancun trip.

Oakland, California, to Lihue, Hawaii

You can fly to Lihue (on the island of Kauai) from 16,096 Southwest Rapid Rewards points plus about $6 in taxes and fees on some dates in June. You can even fly 2-for-1 to Hawaii with your Southwest Companion Pass.

Atlanta to Orlando

For those looking to visit Orlando next year, you can fly to Orlando from Atlanta from 7,288 points (plus about $6 in taxes and fees) in Mary. Check out our stories about Universal Orlando secrets and the best Orlando hotels for large families while planning your trip.

New York to Chicago

Southwest doesn’t have the largest New York route network, but there are some hidden gems. If you’ want to book an early Summer trip to the Windy City, you can fly from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW) for as few as 7,133 points (plus about $6 in taxes and fees) per person in June.

Remember that Southwest allows all passengers to bring two checked bags (up to 50 pounds each) for free on its flights, a notable differentiator from most other U.S. airlines.

Bottom line

Knowing the ins and outs of booking a Southwest flight can allow you to book the best flights possible for your family at the lowest cost. Those looking to travel this spring should book now to score the best deals on Southwest.