Southwest just pulled a fast one on us: up to 40% off the base fare, and you don’t even have to remember a promo code. The discount shows up as a strikethrough on the fare you see, so you’ll know instantly you’re getting the deal.
To cash in, you have a narrow three‑day window – July 7 through July 10, 2026. After that, the price tag snaps back to normal. The travel dates are also limited to a handful of windows between August 4 and December 26, 2026, and the airline has sprinkled in a series of blackout periods that are worth a second glance.
Here’s the blackout rundown: if you’re flying within the contiguous United States, you’re blocked out from November 20‑25 and November 27‑30. If your itinerary involves Hawaii, Anchorage, St Thomas, or San Juan (either outbound or inbound), you’ll hit blackouts September 3‑8 and November 19‑25 on the outbound leg, and September 3‑8 and November 27‑December 1 on the return leg.
Bottom line: if you have a flexible schedule that avoids those dates, the math is simple. A $200 base fare could drop to $120, shaving $80 off a round‑trip that would otherwise cost you a small fortune. That’s roughly the price of a low‑cost carrier ticket on a cross‑country route, but you still get Southwest’s free‑cancellation policy and generous baggage allowance.
Set a reminder for July 7, grab a coffee, and book fast. The discount is automatic, but the seats aren’t – you’ll see the “‑40%” strike through the price as soon as you select a qualifying flight.