Southwest has an unofficial but predictable fare sale calendar that drops the prices on some routes nearly every Tuesday. While it's not a published policy, these generally run from Tuesday through Thursday and offer one-way prices on select routes as low as $39.

The idea that Southwest (or any airline) prices are universally lower on Tuesdays is largely a travel myth in 2026. While it was once true that airlines updated their fare buckets early in the week, modern AI-driven dynamic pricing now adjusts ticket costs by the hour based on real-time demand, competitor pricing, and historical trends. You are just as likely to find a "deal" on a Sunday morning as you are on a Tuesday afternoon. However, Tuesday is often the cheapest day to fly, which is different from being the cheapest day to book. Because business travelers typically fly on Mondays and Fridays, and leisure travelers prefer weekends, the demand for mid-week seats (Tuesday and Wednesday) is lower, leading to lower actual fares for those travel days. If you want to save on Southwest in 2026, the best strategy is to monitor their "Low Fare Calendar" and book within the "Goldilocks Window" (1–3 months before departure), rather than waiting for a specific day of the week to click the "purchase" button.