Cheap Southwest Flights: How to Find the Best Deals and Avoid Hidden Costs

When you’re searching for cheap Southwest flights, affordable air travel options with one of America’s most popular budget airlines. Also known as Southwest Airlines deals, these flights let you fly without paying for baggage, change fees, or seat assignments—but only if you know how to play the game. Southwest doesn’t charge for checked bags, and you can change your flight for free. That’s rare. But that doesn’t mean every fare they show is a deal. Many people think "cheap" means the lowest number on the screen. It doesn’t. It means the lowest total cost after taxes, fees, and what you’ll actually use.

What most travelers miss is that Southwest Airlines, a major U.S. carrier known for its no-fee policy and open seating. Also known as Southwest, it’s not a discount airline—it’s a value airline. Their prices jump fast when demand rises. If you wait until the weekend to book, you’re already paying more. The best time to book? Tuesday or Wednesday mornings, right after the airline updates its fares. And don’t assume a low fare means you’re getting a good deal—check if your route even has frequent flights. Some routes have only one or two daily departures. That limits your options and kills flexibility.

You also need to know how Southwest’s boarding works. No assigned seats means you need to check in exactly 24 hours before departure to get a good position in line. If you’re not in the A group, you’re stuck in the back. And while Southwest doesn’t charge for bags, they do charge if you try to upgrade to Business Select unless you’re a Rapid Rewards member. That’s not hidden—it’s just not obvious to first-time flyers.

Compare this to other airlines. Most charge $35 for a checked bag. Southwest gives you two free. But if you’re flying to a small airport with limited service, you might end up paying more for a rental car or Uber because there’s no public transport. That’s not a flight cost—that’s a travel cost. And that’s what makes a trip expensive, not just the ticket.

What you’ll find below are real stories and tips from people who’ve booked cheap Southwest flights and actually saved money—not just clicked on the lowest number. You’ll see which routes are consistently cheap, when to set alerts, how to use Rapid Rewards points without being a loyalty program nerd, and which days to avoid like the plague. No fluff. No hype. Just what works.