Have you ever dreamed of jetting off to your dream destination without breaking the bank? Imagine being able to see, at a glance, the absolute cheapest days to fly for an entire month, or even several months! Well, stop dreaming and start planning, because the Southwest Airlines Low Fare Calendar is your secret weapon to unlocking incredible travel deals.
Southwest Airlines is a beloved carrier for many reasons – two free checked bags, no change fees, and their famously friendly service. But one of their most powerful tools for budget-conscious travelers often goes underutilized: the Low Fare Calendar. Unlike many other airlines or online travel agencies, Southwest's fares aren't listed on third-party sites, meaning you have to go directly to their website to find them. This is where the Low Fare Calendar becomes indispensable. It's designed specifically to show you the lowest available fares for a given route, allowing you to be flexible with your dates and snag those incredible deals.
Let's dive into a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to master this fantastic tool!
Mastering the Southwest Airlines Low Fare Calendar: Your Ultimate Guide
Step 1: Embark on Your Journey (to the Website!)
Are you ready to discover some serious savings? Your adventure begins on the official Southwest Airlines website. Open your preferred web browser and navigate to Southwest.com. You'll notice a clean, user-friendly interface.
Step 2: Initiate Your Flight Search
Once on the homepage, you'll see the flight search widget. This is where you'll start inputting your travel preferences.
Select Trip Type: Choose between Round Trip, One-Way, or Multi-City. The Low Fare Calendar is incredibly useful for all three!
Enter Departure and Arrival Airports: Start typing in the airport codes or city names for your desired origin and destination. As you type, suggestions will pop up.
Choose Your Desired Month(s) (Crucial for Low Fare Calendar!)
Instead of picking specific dates right away, focus on selecting a departure month and, if it's a round trip, a return month. This is key to activating the calendar view.
Pro Tip: Be as flexible as possible with your months if your goal is the absolute lowest fare. Traveling during off-peak seasons or mid-week often yields the best results.
Specify Number of Passengers: Input the total number of travelers.
Toggle to "Show fares in points" (Optional but Recommended for Rapid Rewards Members): If you're a Southwest Rapid Rewards member and want to see prices in points, make sure to check this box. The Low Fare Calendar works just as effectively for points redemption!
Locate and Click "Search with low fare calendar": This is the magical button! Don't just hit "Search flights" yet. Look for the distinct button or checkbox that explicitly says "Search with low fare calendar" or "Low Fare Calendar." Clicking this will take you to the calendar view directly.
Step 3: Deciphering the Low Fare Calendar Display
Once you click "Search with low fare calendar," you'll be presented with a calendar grid. This is where the real fun begins!
Monthly Overview: You'll see a calendar for your selected departure month (and return month, if applicable), displaying the lowest available fare for each day.
Color-Coding and Visual Cues: Southwest often uses visual cues to highlight cheaper dates. You might see:
Green shading or bold text: Indicating the lowest fares for that particular day.
Higher prices might be shown in standard black or a less prominent color.
Dollars vs. Points: Depending on your selection in Step 2, you'll see prices displayed in either U.S. Dollars or Rapid Rewards points.
Dynamic Pricing: Remember that airline fares are dynamic. The prices you see are the lowest available at that moment. They can change quickly, so if you see a great deal, act fast!
Step 4: Selecting Your Ideal Travel Dates
Now that you have a comprehensive view of the month's fares, it's time to choose your dates.
Identify the "Sweet Spots": Look for the dates with the lowest prices. Often, these are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, as business travelers are less likely to fly on those days. Avoid peak travel days like Fridays and Sundays if you're chasing the lowest fares.
Click on a Departure Date: Click on the specific date you've identified as a low-fare option for your departure.
Choose a Return Date (for Round Trips): If you're booking a round trip, the calendar for your return month will update, showing the lowest fares for your return based on your selected departure date. Select your desired return date.
Important Note on Fare Types: The price shown on the Low Fare Calendar is typically for the Wanna Get Away fare, which is Southwest's most economical fare class. Once you select your dates, you'll proceed to a screen showing all available flights for those specific days, and you'll have the option to view other fare types like Anytime or Business Select, which offer more flexibility but at a higher cost.
Step 5: Reviewing Flight Options and Booking
After selecting your departure and return dates from the calendar, you'll be taken to the standard flight results page.
View All Flights for Selected Dates: Here, you'll see a list of all flights available for your chosen dates, along with their respective departure times, arrival times, and prices for different fare classes.
Filter and Sort: You can usually filter by departure time, number of stops, and even sort by price (though the calendar already did a great job of showing you the lowest).
Select Your Flights: Choose the specific outbound and inbound flights that best fit your schedule and budget.
Proceed to Checkout: Once you've selected your desired flights, click to continue with the booking process. You'll enter passenger details, contact information, and payment details to finalize your reservation.
Step 6: The "Rebooking Trick" - A Savvy Traveler's Secret
This is one of the most powerful benefits of Southwest's flexible policies and the Low Fare Calendar!
Southwest's No Change Fees Policy: Southwest does not charge change fees. This means if the price of your already-booked flight drops, you can rebook the exact same flight at the new, lower price and receive the difference back as a travel credit!
How to Do It:
Keep an eye on the Low Fare Calendar even after you've booked your flight.
If you see a lower price for your specific flight date and time, log into your Southwest account.
Go to "Manage Trips" and select your booked flight.
Choose the "Change Flight" option.
Select the exact same flight you already have.
The system will show you the fare difference. If the new fare is lower, you'll be credited the difference in the form of a travel credit. If you booked with points, the points difference will be credited back to your Rapid Rewards account. This is a game-changer for maximizing your savings!
FAQs: How to Get the Most Out of the Southwest Low Fare Calendar
Here are 10 common questions to help you become a Low Fare Calendar pro:
How to Find the Southwest Low Fare Calendar?
You can find the Southwest Low Fare Calendar directly on the Southwest Airlines website (Southwest.com) by selecting your origin, destination, and desired travel month, then looking for the "Search with low fare calendar" option before hitting search.
How to Use the Low Fare Calendar for One-Way Flights?
Simply select "One-Way" as your trip type in the flight search widget, then proceed with selecting your departure and arrival airports and your desired month, and click "Search with low fare calendar."
How to Identify the Cheapest Days to Fly on the Calendar?
The calendar typically highlights the lowest fares with a distinct color (often green) or bold text for each day, making it easy to visually identify the cheapest dates within a month.
How to Know When New Flight Dates Are Released on Southwest?
Southwest releases its flight schedules in batches, not on a rolling 11-month basis like many other airlines. You can often find a note on the Low Fare Calendar page or Southwest's main booking page indicating the farthest date through which reservations are currently being accepted. Keep an eye on Southwest's social media or sign up for their email alerts for announcements of new schedule releases.
How to Use the Low Fare Calendar with Rapid Rewards Points?
Before initiating your search, make sure to check the "Show fares in points" box in the flight search widget. The Low Fare Calendar will then display the lowest available points redemption for each day.
How to Rebook a Flight if the Price Drops Using the Calendar?
Log into your Southwest account, go to "Manage Trips," select your booked flight, and choose the "Change Flight" option. Select the exact same flight, and if the fare has dropped, Southwest will issue you a travel credit or points difference.
How to Find Deals for Specific Holidays with the Calendar?
While holiday travel is generally more expensive, the Low Fare Calendar can help you find the least expensive days around holidays. Often, flying a few days before or after the main holiday can yield significant savings compared to the peak holiday dates themselves.
How to Access the Low Fare Calendar on Mobile?
While the Southwest mobile app is great for managing existing bookings, checking in, and flight status, the Low Fare Calendar's full functionality and broad monthly view are best accessed via the desktop website or by using your mobile browser to navigate to mobile.southwest.com.
How to Be Flexible with Dates to Maximize Savings?
The Low Fare Calendar thrives on flexibility. Instead of having rigid travel dates, try searching for broad months and then shifting your travel by a day or two (e.g., flying on a Tuesday instead of a Friday) to take advantage of significantly lower fares.
How to Combine the Low Fare Calendar with the Companion Pass?
Once you've found a low fare using the calendar and booked your flight (whether with cash or points), you can then add your Companion Pass holder to your reservation for just the cost of taxes and fees. The Low Fare Calendar helps you find your low fare, and the Companion Pass doubles your value!
