How early should you book Southwest?

It shows the chances of finding cheaper fare later for a given week until departure. In other words if you wait and don't buy a ticket now, what are you chances to get a better deal later. It shows that the safest approach to find best deal is book no later than 9 weeks to departure.



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It shows the chances of finding cheaper fare later for a given week until departure. In other words if you wait and don't buy a ticket now, what are you chances to get a better deal later. It shows that the safest approach to find best deal is book no later than 9 weeks to departure.

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Unlike some airlines that rarely offer sales on fares, Southwest regularly puts flights on sale. Pretty much every Tuesday, in fact. The sales typically apply to cash bookings as well as redeeming Southwest points.

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Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.

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Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically. The cheapest days to depart if you're flying within the U.S. are midweek — generally Tuesday or Wednesday. For economy tickets, Tuesdays are about 24% lower than peak prices on Sundays, which translates to savings of about $85 per ticket.

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Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
In general, flights were slightly cheaper at midnight earlier in the week (Monday through Wednesday). However, this is only applicable to about 1.6% of U.S. markets, meaning that it's not likely you'll find the same savings on your specific route.

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If Southwest doesn't have the lowest price, it may match a competitors' sale price on the same route, and this will usually occur by 3 p.m. eastern time. Hurry, because most sales – Southwest's and other airlines' – usually end by Thursday night. TIP: Southwest has been known to extend fare sales at the last minute.

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Fly between Atlanta and Nashville, Austin and New Orleans, Chicago and Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and more starting at just $59 each way.

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Bottom Line. While the best time to purchase tickets on can Southwest vary a little, a general rule of thumb is to shop Tuesday at 3 p.m. eastern time when the airline has matched other airline sale prices.

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40% OFF FARE SALE!! Southwest offers 2 real fare sales every year. One in June for the Mid August thru just before Christmas time period and a second one in August for the period listed above plus about 6 weeks in January and February. This is the June sale.

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Though Southwest flights typically get more expensive the closer time ticks toward departure, if you keep your eye on the airfare price, you might get a deal.

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If you'd rather have money in your pocket than landing the seat of your choice, it's probably worth it to skip EarlyBird Check-In. Budget-minded group travelers. While $15 to $25 may not seem like much to pay for early boarding, it can quickly add up if you're traveling with a group.

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No First-Class Or Meals. For those who like flying first class and getting a meal on your flight, Southwest does not do this. You can get a great seat if you get Business Class, but you're not guaranteed to sit in the front row.

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If you're choosing between Delta and Southwest When you factor in earnings rates, basic economy considerations, in-flight entertainment and pet friendliness, Southwest just edges out Delta. (See our annual best airline comparison.) Fly Delta if: You live near a hub.

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Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.


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Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, while Fridays and Sundays are pricier, according to travel deal site FareCompare. Leisure travelers tend to fly on the weekends, either starting their vacations on Friday or taking a long weekend Friday to Sunday.

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The process is largely controlled by computer software and is increasingly being bolstered by AI, so price changes can happen at any second. That's why there's no specific time of day — or even a specific day of the week, for that matter — that's best for booking cheap flights.

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You can find deals any day of the week since flight prices fluctuate with demand. Airlines might offer sales, increase the number of seats on a route or even lower prices to match a competitor, so there's no real pattern in what day of the week has the best deals.

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