[Expired] Southwest Airlines’ 55th Birthday Offer: Flights From $55 or 3,500 Points [Book by June 18]

Southwest Airlines is 55 years old, and it’s celebrating with $55 flights if you book by June 18. The deal applies to eligible one-way or round-trip fares, whether purchased with cash or Rapid Rewards points, when you book directly with Southwest.

Here’s everything you need to know about Southwest’s latest promotion.

Southwest Sale Details

This sale offers flights starting at $55 on many Southwest flights, including domestic and internatinoal trips. You must book by June 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The full terms are on the promotion’s landing page.

This sale has different terms depending on where you’re flying. Those include:

• Continental U.S.
  • Eligible travel dates: July 7 to December 16
  • Blackout dates: November 24 to 25
  • Valid for travel on Tuesday and Wednesday only
• Interisland Hawaii
  • Eligible travel dates: July 7 to December 16
  • Valid for travel on Tuesday and Wednesday only
• Continental U.S. to/from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and international destinations
  • Eligible travel dates: August 4 to December 16
  • Blackout dates departing: September 3 to 8, November 19 to 25
  • Blackout dates returning: September 3 to 8, November 27 to December 1
  • Departures from continental U.S. valid on Sunday to Wednesday
  • Return to continental U.S. on Tuesday to Friday
  • Puerto Rico routes eligibile on Monday to Thursday

You must book at least 21 days before your flight date to utilize this offer. There’s no promo code needed for this promotion.

Sample Fares

Here’s an example of a discounted ticket from St. Louis (STL) to Chicago Midway (MDW) that you can book for just $55 in Basic or $90 for Choice:

Remember, Southwest has an easy-to-use Low Fare Calendar to help you find the cheapest dates when your travel plans are flexible.

Since Southwest Rapid Rewards is a revenue-based program, sales also apply to flights booked using points. Unfortunately, you won’t get outsized value: Expect to get around 1.1 to 1.5 cents per point from your Rapid Rewards points.

Our example flight from Las Vegas to San Francisco is available for 3,500 points in this sale:

If you use one of Southwest’s co-branded credit cards to pay for your tickets, you could earn 2 to 4 Rapid Rewards points per $1 spent on your Southwest purchases. These cards also offer perks such as preferred seating, extra baggage allowance, and more.

Recap on Recent Southwest Changes

Remember that Southwest recently introduced basic fares (to replace the previous Wanna Get Away) and ended its popular “everyone gets 2 free checked bags” policy on May 28, 2025. Now, the number of free checked bags you’ll get, if any, depends on what credit cards you hold and whether you have elite status with Southwest Airlines.

It’s also introduced assigned seating, free Wi-Fi, and other big changes.

Final Thoughts

Southwest is running a flash sale on routes across the continental U.S., offering flights starting at $55 and award bookings starting at 3,500 points if you book by June 28.

Remember that the cheapest fares now book into Southwest’s Basic fare type, and not every passenger gets complimentary checked bags these days. That means you will not automatically qualify for free checked bags when booking the cheapest tickets, and that’s worth considering as you look at prices.