Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Southwest is back at it again with a fall travel sale, offering discounted rates for bookings Sept. 16 through Sept. 19, 2019. This time, travel is valid up to the Dec. 18, though blackout dates for travel within the continental U.S. take place through Thanksgiving.Note that while Southwest’s page states that fares begin at $59, we were able to find rates as low as $49. All fares are nonrefundable, although Southwest does allow you to put nonrefundable travel credit toward a future flight within one year of the original purchase date.And if you’ve already made a reservation through Southwest and later find that the price of the ticket has decreased, you can request the difference in fare with no change fees. Also remember that Southwest award redemptions are tied to the ticket’s price, so this is a prime opportunity to use Southwest miles for a cheap trip. You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest instantly at a 1:1 ratio.Airlines: SouthwestRoutes: Domestic and international routesCost: From $49+ one-way or 2,517 Southwest points + $6 one-wayTravel Dates: Domestic travel valid Oct. 31 – Dec. 18, 2019; flights to/from Puerto Rico valid Oct. 31 – Dec. 5, 2019; International travel valid Oct. 31 – Dec. 5, 2019Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)Booking Link: Southwest.comAtlanta (ATL) to Nashville (BNA) for $49 one-way:San Jose (SJC) to Reno/Tahoe (RNO) for $49 one-way:Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Grand Cayman (GCM) for $69 one-way:Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Cancun (CUN) for $108 one-way:Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.Maximize your purchaseDon’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
