[Expired] Southwest Flash Sale: Save Up to 40% on Flights [Book by August 13]

Updated: August 14, 2026, 6:58am CDT

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Table of Contents

Southwest Sale Details
Recap on Recent Southwest Changes
Final Thoughts

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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 flights when you book by August 13. The discount applies to eligible one-way and round-trip fares booked directly with Southwest, whether you pay with cash or Rapid Rewards points.

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

Southwest Sale Details

This sale offers up to 40% off select Southwest flights, both domestic and international, for travel between August 31, 2026, and March 3, 2027. You must book by August 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The full terms are on the promotion’s landing page.

Numerous blackout dates and other restrictions apply, with availability varying by destination and day of the week. The nice thing about this sale is that no promo code is needed

With that in mind, here are a few examples of discounted fares we found.

Sample Fares

Here’s an example of a discounted ticket from St. Louis (STL) to Chicago Midway (MDW) that you can book for just $50 in Basic or $81 for Choice:

Southwest Current Sale — Screenshot: 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.

Our example flight from Las Vegas to San Francisco is available for 4,500 points in this sale:

LASSFO Southwest points fares — Screenshot: 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 offer perks such as preferred seating, extra baggage allowance, 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.

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

Final Thoughts

Southwest is running a flash sale on select routes across the continental U.S., Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico, offering flights starting at $50 and award bookings starting at 4,500 points if you book by August 13.

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.