I’ve flown Southwest for years, and if there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that timing your booking can make a big difference in what you pay. Last year, I was planning a trip from Austin to Seattle to visit friends and wanted to get the best deal possible. I started checking prices about five months in advance, thinking I was being smart — but I noticed something interesting. The fares were actually higher that far out than they were a few weeks later.
After a bit of trial and error (and a lot of browsing on the Southwest app), I found that the sweet spot is usually between six to eight weeks before your flight. That’s when Southwest tends to have their best sales and fare drops. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are especially good days to check because that’s when they often launch new deals.
The best part about Southwest, though, is their flexibility. If you book early and the fare goes down later, you can simply rebook and get the difference as travel credit — no change fees, no hassle. I’ve done that multiple times and saved quite a bit over the years.
Now, I book early enough to lock in my plans but always keep an eye on prices as the date gets closer. If there’s a sale, I just rebook in minutes and pocket the savings. It’s one of the reasons I stick with Southwest — they make it easy to fly smart without stressing over timing.
