How To Book A Southwest Airlines Flight For Cheap

Photo credit: Southwest Airlines

The busy summer travel season is upon us — and that means cheap fares from the airlines. Among the top carriers offering deals is Southwest Airlines, which is a great way to save on travel on flights from Atlanta and elsewhere — but you’d better act fast.

Let’s get into some things you need to know before you book your Southwest flight.

Flying Southwest Airlines: What To Know

Southwest’s terminal is readily identifiable at Louis Armstrong International Airport, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding it.

Southwest is popular among fliers because it’s the only major airline that allows you to carry two free checked bags. Some other perks you get with Southwest are:

No change fees
No cancel fees

On most Southwest flights, you also get same-day changes, same-day standby and the fares are refundable.

Will Southwest Flights Go Down In Price?

Southwest Airlines usually publishes its sales on a seasonal basis. If you’re a Rapid Rewards member, you’ll get an email with low fares to several destinations.

Out of Atlanta, the emails will usually look like this.

Where Does Southwest Airlines Fly For $59?

One of Southwest’s most popular fares is its cheap $49 flights, which typically cover cities between 300 to 500 miles from each other.

For example, Southwest has a route that goes from New Orleans to Atlanta for $77. It’s one of the airline’s Wanna Get Away Fares, which are typically cheaper. Although they may advertise it for a cheap price, Southwest is known to go up on the price from one day to the next.

Are Southwest Fares Cheaper On A Particular Day?

Not a lot has been written about this, but Southwest usually drops its fares on Tuesdays, which is when its members get emails advertising cheap flights.

On Tuesdays, Southwest matches prices to compete with low-cost carriers. You can either try to book in the morning or afternoon to get a flight.

How To Book A Flight On Southwest

To book a flight on Southwest Airlines, go to Southwest.com and enter your departing city or airport and arriving city/airport.

Is Southwest The Cheapest Airline?

The airline industry has quite a few low-cost airlines that cater to budget-conscious customers. Southwest Airlines is known as a low-cost airline, but it’s not the cheapest. Their are other airlines with lower fares, but you won’t get the same customer service that you get with Southwest.

JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines both have competitive flights along with Southwest, but neither of them give you two free bags.

Final Word

If you’re considering flying with Southwest, always check their Wanna Get Away fares, which are the best deals. Wanna Get Away flights offer cheap economy fares that are hard to beat.

If your destination is not as popular, you may be able to get a cheap fare closer to the departure date, but it just depends. Read our guide on how to save on Kayak.

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Keisha Smith

Keisha Smith is a Contributing Writer who attended college at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge. She is currently writing a book on south Louisiana culture.