New Southwest Award Sale
It's a great time to check pricing on your Southwest flights—or book new trips. There's a new Southwest award sale running now through August 31, 2026. Nonstop fares cost 10,000 points or less each way on select routes for travel from September 18, 2026, through March 3, 2027. Running some searches on the low fare calendar, we found some cheap flights to Hawaii, Puerto Rico and other destinations around the U.S. Let's take a look at the blackout dates and other restrictions, plus a few sample searches for the four-day sale.
New Southwest Award Sale Details
Here are the details of the new Southwest award sale:
- Pricing: Grab eligible one-way nonstop Basic fares for 10,000 Rapid Rewards points or less.
- Fares vary by destination, flight, day of week, demand and other factors. Sale rates may not be available during holidays or peak travel periods. Seats are limited.
- Book from: Aug. 28, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. PT, through Aug. 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
- Travel between: September 18, 2026 through March 3, 2027.
- Note: A 21-day advance purchase is required. Reward travel is subject to taxes, fees, and government- or airport-imposed charges of at least $5.60 per one-way trip. See the full terms here.
How to Search the Southwest Award Sale
Navigate to the Southwest award sale, and load the low fare calendar page. You'll want to keep in mind that the new Southwest award sale is only valid on one-way nonstop Basic fares. It only applies to travel on certain days of the week, depending on the region. Blackout dates also apply. (See details below.) Sometimes with these sales, you can still find good deals on flights with connections, etc. But to find the best deals, start running some searches that factor in those restrictions.
Valid Days of Travel
Promo fares for the new Southwest award sale are valid on the following days of the week. They may be available on other days of the week, but the terms say it is not guaranteed.
| Region | Days of the week |
| Continental U.S. | Mondays through Saturdays |
| Interisland Hawaii travel | Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays |
| From the continental U.S. to Hawaii, St. Thomas + international destinations | Sundays through Wednesdays |
| to the continental U.S. from Hawaii, St. Thomas + international destinations | Tuesdays through Fridays |
| To + from Puerto Rico | Mondays through Thursdays |
Blackout Dates
| Region | Dates |
| Continental U.S. and interisland Hawaii | • November 28 and 30 • December 23, 26, 28, and 30 • January 2, 4, 15, and 18 • February 12 and 15, 2027 |
| Continental U.S. to Hawaii, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico + international destinations | • November 19-25 • December 17, 2026 – January 5, 2027 |
| Continental U.S. from Hawaii, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico + international destinations | • November 27 – December 1 • December 17, 2026 – January 5, 2027 |
Sample Searches: LAX to HNL
BWI to SJU
BWI to SJO
AUS to MCO
MCO to SJU
New Southwest Award Sale: ToP Thoughts
Load up the low fare calendar, and get searching. With plenty of nonstop Basic fares totaling under 10,000 points each way, the new Southwest award sale is a great chance to get strong value from your Rapid Rewards points. Those who can use the Companion Pass can count on total pricing that's even cheaper, since they can snag BOGO flights. Find a 10,000-point fare to Hawaii, and you're looking at a dirt-cheap way for two people to travel to the islands. The sale continues through August 31, 2026, for travel from September 18, 2026, through March 3, 2027. Come tell us if you book anything over in the ToP Facebook group.
