When will Southwest release August and September 2023 flights?
That’s a question many of you want to know so you can get your late summer and early fall plans in order.
Keep reading to find out when you can book these flights for your fall travels…
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Southwest Airlines typically releases flights in batches of about one to two months at a time with new flights and dates released about every four to 10 weeks.
The good news?
The Southwest Flight Schedule is now open for booking through November 4, 2023.
So currently you CAN book those summer flights and fall flights too.
Find out when the next release will be released below…
What Time Can You Book Flights on the Day of Release?
Southwest will not officially say WHAT TIME they release flights on the scheduled release date.
We’ve found them as early at 7 a.m. ET and as late at 10:30 a.m. ET, but it varies wildly.
You never know exactly WHEN they will be released, and often there seem to be “software bugs,” which cause a delay.
Be sure to check both the app AND the website on the release date, as sometimes they release in one medium before the other.
Additionally, they seem to release them in batches, so keep checking!
We also alert our Families Fly Free members via text as soon as Southwest flights are released so you can be one of the first people to book flights!
Book as Soon as Flights Are Available
Many of our readers report that they get cheaper flights by booking AS SOON AS flights are released.
It definitely helps when it comes to the most expensive times of year to fly, which includes July, as well as the winter holidays, or for popular destinations like Florida and Hawaii.
Readers report flights increased by as much as $50 or 3,000 points just a few hours after they booked them at the crack of dawn on the release date :)!
Flight releases are also a good opportunity to book cheap Southwest Hawaii flights that have not yet been released.
Even if you end up not needing the flights, remember you can always cancel and re-book with NO CHANGE FEES on Southwest.
How ONE Person Can Always Fly FREE With You on Southwest!
Did you know you can bring someone with you FREE on ANY Southwest flight?
All you have to do is earn the Southwest Companion Pass!
The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring one person with you FREE, not just once like most airlines, but from the time you earn it until the END of the FOLLOWING year.
That can be almost TWO full years and it’s hands-down the BEST deal in travel.
You’ll get a personalized plan to earn and always have a Southwest Companion Pass for your family as a member of Families Fly Free.
How to Earn Companion Pass-Qualifying Southwest Points
To quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass, your best bet is to apply for 2 Southwest credit cards:
- 1 personal and
- 1 small business
With these cards typically offering a 40,000- to 80,000-point bonus after meeting the required minimum spend, two cards can quickly get you all 135,000 points you need to earn the Southwest Companion Pass.
Want more points for free flights on Southwest?
Check out the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa cards, which let you earn tens of thousands of points that you can use to book free flights on Southwest!
These points also 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.
These include...
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa card (Personal: Earn 50,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card (Personal: Earn 50,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card (Personal: Earn 50,000 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)
You can compare and contrast all the Southwest cards and see each card’s benefits HERE.
When Will Southwest Release August and September Flights?
Currently Southwest flights are available for booking through November 4, 2023.
This means you can book your summer and fall flights now!
Southwest has announced the next flight release date will be May 4, 2023 for booking through January 7, 2024.
Southwest often changes that date and as a member of Families Fly Free, you get real-time alerts when those changes and updates happen.
My Favorite Travel Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred
If you want to earn EVEN MORE Southwest points, Chase Sapphire Preferred, my FAVORITE travel credit card, offers 60,000 points upon meeting a $4,000 minimum spend in the first three months and a low $95 annual fee.
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- Flexible points transfer to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio instantly and are worth DOUBLE if you have a Southwest Companion Pass
- 3X points on diningÂ
- 2X points on travel
- 10% points bonus annually on spending
- Primary car rental insurance
- Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
Please note, this card’s points DO NOT qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass but CAN be used to book FREE flights on Southwest.
You can only use them to book free flights on Southwest (and on other airlines or at select hotel chains).
The Southwest Companion Pass DOUBLES these Chase points, because for every point that lets YOU fly FREE, someone else can also fly free with you, too!
That’s a heckuva deal!
To review and apply for any credit card offers, please use the links within this post or use the CREDIT CARDS links in the main menu shown in the image below. This allows me to earn a commission — at NO COST to you — to help support our small business. We sincerely appreciate you taking this step!
What plans do you have for winter and spring?
Here are some of our recommendations for great destinations to visit on Southwest:
- 35 Suntastic Activities in San Diego
- 19 Not-to-Miss Things to Do in Hawaii
- 7 Walt Disney World Secrets From a Seasoned Pro
- Your Marco Island Beach Vacation Checklist
- Ultimate Guides to US National Parks: Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons
- 21 Stunning Things to Do in Santa Barbara
- Check out ALL of our Destination posts
Hello I just checked Southwest said it would release for October 2019 on March 14 and you said March 13 should I look both days and at what time thank you .
March 14 is the correct date. I made that update. Thanks! I’d suggest getting on at 5am ET when they first release flights. If you don’t see them on mobile, check your desktop or vice versa.
I believe Southwest is opening up the remainder of the year on May 23, 2019 not March 23, 2019.
Thanks for catching that! It was a mistype that’s been updated 🙂
When can I book a flight from Denver to Miami for 10-2 to 10-9?
Right now, they have said on April 22. Join my Families Fly Free membership to be notified of any changes they make to the release date and get a text as soon as flights are released!
Our 2020 flights were cancelled due to Covid event cancellation, and we only have til March 23, 2021 to use the travel funds. The event has been rescheduled now for August 16-19, and no flights are available for August 2021 dates yet so we can’t rebook yet. Are we going to lose our travel funds ???
Hi Ann,
Unfortunately, probably yes. You can try calling Southwest and asking if they will extend them. Sometimes they will for a fee. I have a secret tip to help you avoid EVER getting travel funds again, so you don’t run into this pesky problem (I hate travel funds! ;-)) that I share with members of my Families Fly Free program. You’re welcome to join and learn more about the membership here. I share all my best hacks there to help people maximize earning points and stretch them as far as possible :).