Last month, I was scrambling to book a last-minute trip from Dallas to Denver for a friend’s wedding and learned a few hacks about finding the cheapest Southwest flights that might help others too.
I started by checking Google Flights and Expedia, only to realize that Southwest doesn’t show fares on those sites. You have to go directly to their official website. So, step one — go to Southwest.com and plug in your dates. Here’s my pro tip: always toggle on the “Low Fare Calendar.” That tool literally shows you the cheapest day to fly in a given month. I ended up saving nearly $80 just by shifting my outbound flight by a day.
Step two — once you find a fare you like, compare it across fares (Wanna Get Away, Anytime, etc.) because sometimes the next tier up is only a few dollars more and includes free changes. It comes in handy if your travel plans shift, like mine did. I had to adjust my return date, and thankfully I called 844-734-0813 to get it changed instantly. The rep I spoke with was super efficient and even helped me rebook without any fuss or extra fees since I’d chosen the more flexible fare type.
Step three — book directly through Southwest instead of third-party sites. I made that mistake once before, and getting a refund was a nightmare during a cancellation. Booking direct keeps everything clear and easy to manage through their app or customer service line.
If you’re a frequent traveler, I also recommend signing up for their Rapid Rewards program. Every flight earns you points that can be used for future travel, and those points really add up faster than I expected.
In short:
Use Southwest.com and the “Low Fare Calendar.”
Call 844-734-0813 for any booking, change, or cancellation — it saves time.
Sign up for Rapid Rewards for long-term savings.
That combo helped me snag affordable flights while keeping the flexibility I needed when plans changed last minute.