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[Expired] Southwest Airlines Offering 40% Off Award Flights [Book by October 23]

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Nick Ellis's image
Ryan Smith,Nick Ellis
Updated: 
Edited by: Juan Ruiz
& Katie Corrigan Seemann
[Expired] Southwest Airlines Offering 40% Off Award Flights [Book by October 23]
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Update:

The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.

Southwest Airlines is offering up to 40% off select fares when you book by October 23, 2025, using promo code “40SALE.” The deal applies to eligible one-way or round-trip Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, whether purchased with cash or Rapid Rewards points, when booked directly through Southwest.

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

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Southwest Sale Details

This sale offers up to 40% off the base fare on revenue flights or award flights on many Southwest flights, with the promo code 40SALE. You must book by October 23, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The full terms are on the promotion’s landing page. This sale applies primarily to Basic fares, but Choice fares are included on routes within Hawaii and routes to/from Cuba.

Be aware that the eligible travel dates vary by destination, and the sale only applies to flights booked directly with Southwest. Seats, days, and markets are limited, so make sure to check the full terms and conditions when booking.

Note that these are nonrefundable Basic fares.

» Related: Southwest Announces New Fare Classes, Credit Card Perks, and More

Eligible travel dates are as follows:

  • Continental U.S.
    • Travel from December 3, 2025, to March 4, 2026
    • Blackout dates: December 19-20, December 26-29, 2025; and January 2-4, 2026; February 16, 2026
  • To Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and international destinations from the continental U.S.
    • Travel from December 3, 2025, to March 4, 2026
    • Blackout dates: December 18, 2025-January 6, 2026; and February 12-15, 2026
    • Travel valid from Sunday to Wednesday (except Puerto Rico, as travel is valid Monday to Thursday)
  • From Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and international destinations to the continental U.S.
    • Travel from December 3, 2025, to March 4, 2026
    • Blackout dates: December 18, 2025-January 6, 2026; and February 20-22, 2026
    • Travel valid from Tuesday to Friday (except Puerto Rico, as travel is valid Monday to Thursday)

Sample Fares

Here’s an example of a discounted ticket from Las Vegas (LAS) to San Francisco (SFO) that you can book for just $39 in Basic and $53 for Choice:

Screenshot
Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

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.

Screenshot
Image Credit: Southwest Airlines

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 have other perks like anniversary bonus points every cardmember year, EarlyBird Check-In certificates, and more.

Hot Tip:

This sale doesn’t apply to existing bookings, so if you find your same flight is now available at a lower price, you can book it and cancel your existing reservation. Here’s how to change or cancel a Southwest flight.

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.

» Related: Southwest Now Charges for Bags — But Are Fares Any Cheaper?

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Final Thoughts

Southwest is running a flash sale on hundreds of routes, offering 40% off base fares and awards booked with points if you book by October 23. Remember that the eligible travel dates vary by route.

Remember that the cheapest fares now book into Southwest’s Basic fare type, and the airline applied its new baggage policy to all bookings made after May 28, 2025. 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.

Featured Image Credit: Stella Shon
Ryan Smith's image

About Ryan Smith

Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and is letting now revisiting some favorites. Over the years, he’s written about award travel and credit cards for publications like AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, Point.me, and Forbes Advisor.

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