Ready to book your Southwest flight? I’m sure you’re waiting for the next release of the Southwest Flight Schedule!
So…
Keep reading to find out what flights are currently available for booking on Southwest…
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Booking Cheap Flights on Southwest
The easiest way to book flights on Southwest is through the Southwest Low Fare Calendar, which shows you the lowest prices — in points or dollars — for your flight across a range of dates.
Right now, fares are incredibly cheap due to low demand as a result of the pandemic.
While you may not want to travel right now, it’s a GREAT time to book future flights at some super low prices, including to Hawaii!
Other ways to book cheap flights on Southwest include:
- Booking when flights are first released
- Booking during a sale
- Flying on Tuesdays or Wednesdays
- Searching for prices on Tuesdays or Wednesdays
- Flying on connecting flights versus nonstop
- Choosing a nearby airport that may have a cheaper fare to your destination
- Flying early morning or later at night
Did You Know 1 Person Can Always Fly Free With You on Southwest?
Did you know that you can earn the Southwest Companion Pass that lets one person fly free with you for up to two years?
You simply need to earn 125,000 qualifying points, which is most easily accomplished by signing up for one of the Southwest personal credit cards and one business Southwest credit card OR two business Southwest cards.
Here are your options:
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa card (Personal: Earn 40,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card(Personal: Earn 40,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card (Personal: Earn 40,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months)
- Chase Southwest Performance Business card (Small business: 80,000 points after a $5,000 minimum spend in 3 months; $199 annual fee)
- Chase Southwest Premier Business card (Small business: 60,000 points after a $3,000 minimum spend in 3 months; $99 annual fee)
These points DO qualify for the 125,000 points you need to earn the Southwest Companion Pass, so one person can fly free with you for up to two years.
This post breaks down all the benefits and annual fees of each Southwest credit card so you can pick the best one for you.
To apply for this offer or any travel credit cards, please use the links in this post or the CREDIT CARDS links in the main menu shown in the image below. These allow us to earn a commission — at no cost to you — to support our small business! Thank you!
Get MORE Points for FREE Southwest Flights
You can apply for and use my favorite card, Chase Sapphire Preferred (read my full review here), a more flexible travel card, which allows you to transfer points into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account instantly at a 1:1 ratio, as well as to other airline and hotel partners.
The card has a $95 annual fee the first year and grants you 60,000 points after meeting a $4,000 minimum spend in the first three months.
Plus, you earn DOUBLE points on travel purchases and TRIPLE points on dining, online grocery purchases and streaming services.
Keep in mind, that points earned using Chase Sapphire Preferred DO NOT qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass, but CAN be used to book free flights.
How Far Is the Current Southwest Flight Schedule Open?
The Southwest Flight Schedule is now open for booking through September 5, 2022.
So you can now book your summer flights for 2022. Yay!
Southwest has announced the next flight release date will be March 3, 2022 for booking through November 5, 2022.
Typically, Southwest releases flights about every 4-8 weeks, though due to the ongoing effect of the pandemic, things are operating a bit differently and unpredictably!
If you’d like to be notified as SOON as flights are released on that date OR if Southwest makes any changes to this date (which they often do), we recommend joining our Families Fly Free membership, where you’ll get text alerts with timely information as one of many benefits, including regular Zoom consults to develop a simple plan for your family to fly free and access to weekly live webinars on destinations and travel saving topics.
For which months are you waiting to book flights?
Read More:
- Southwest Check-in Tips
- Do Southwest Points Expire?
- How to See if Your Southwest Plane Has Wifi
- Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About the Southwest Companion Pass
- 5 Amazing Southwest Airlines Destinations for Your Next Vacation
10 Things You Can Do to Start Flying Free TODAY!
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When will SW release April 8 2019 to April 15 schedule flights from Midway airport to Liberia Costa Rica?
We don’t know yet when April dates will be released but will have a better idea on August 30. I think likely early October.
The Southwest website says flights are being released today March 15th. Do you know what time, I have tried both mobile and computer.
Wow, you’re right. They totally switched it up on us, again! Ugh! They usually release them at 5 a.m., but I see you posted after that. So do let us know when they appeared. I’m seeing them now at 8a.m.
Do these Southwest schedules typically post at 12:00 am CST? Do I set my alarm so I am up in order to get my Thanksgiving 2020 flights? Or do they post them later in the day?
Thanks. Appreciate the website.
Well, we never know :). Sometimes they are as early at 7 a.m. ET and sometimes as late as 10:30 a.m. ET. Southwest won’t give us a for sure answer and a lot of times they seem to have technical issues, which delay the roll-out. I always advise checking both on your computer and your smartphone/tablet as sometimes it appears one place before the other. Also be sure to join our Facebook Group where everyone shares if they’ve seen any flights yet.
Any updates today, May 28th? I’ve experienced no luck yet on any platform.
Yes, flights are now open for booking. Good luck!
I thought Southwest was supposed to release March flights today. Has it changed?
Hi Patricia,
That’s still the plan, but one never knows what time they will release. It’s usually between 7-10:30 a.m. ET depending if they have “technical issues” and often they do :). Keep checking. It likely will be up in the next few hours.
Hi Lyn,
What is the best offer now available for the Southwest Business Card that will qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass?
Thanks,
Rick Higgins
Hi Rick,
Here is some information on the current best Southwest business card offer. Thanks for using the links in this post if you do decide to apply. Let me know if you have any questions about it.
Lyn
You never said when they’ll release the next set of flights for September 2021…
It’s at the bottom ;-): April 22 for the next release at the moment (they have been changing these dates often in the past year). As a member of Families Fly Free, we’ll notify you via text of any changes as soon as they happen!
it says on there website April 1, 2021?
Hi Shannon,
Flights are now live and open through Nov. 5 for booking. Thanks!
Lyn