Southwest 2023 Travel Sale: Flights as low as $59 for specific routes

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the continuation of the sale.

As Southwest continues to recover from its holiday meltdown, the airline extended its 2023 Travel Sale, offering one-way fares starting at $59. This might be the first of many sales we see this year from Southwest.

Sale fares must be booked by the end of the day Thursday, for midweek travel to most destinations through May 17.

Deal basics

Airline: Southwest Airlines.
Routes: Across the Southwest network.
How to book: Directly through the airline’s sale page.
Travel dates: Feb. 7 through May 17; exact availability depends on the route, and certain blackout dates apply.
Book by: Jan. 19 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

All routes require a 21-day advance purchase, and travel is valid Tuesday and Wednesday for travel from the continental U.S. to/from Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Sale fares are for one-way Wanna Get Away fares. The fares are nonrefundable, but you may receive credit toward future travel if you cancel at least 10 minutes before scheduled departure.

Review additional terms and conditions of the sale here.

Sample flights

To find sale flights, search your desired flight route via Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar, which will populate the lowest-priced flights of the month, or search flights from a specific city.

Based on a test search conducted for this story, the below one-way routes were available, as priced, at the time of publication:

Midway International Airport (MDW) to Nashville International Airport (BNA), starting at $59.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY); Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD); and Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), starting at $76.
DFW to Denver International Airport (DEN), starting at $78.
MDW to St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), starting at $83.
DCA to Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), starting at $96.
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), starting at $99.

Maximize your purchase

If you book this deal, use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases. Southwest loyalists should consider the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card for 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card for 2 points on Southwest purchases or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card for 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases. Or try the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to earn 2 points per dollar on travel.

See this post for more on maximizing Southwest airfare purchases.

Bottom line

Although this sale is advertised for one-way fares, you can find and stack two one-way fares at the same price to make a round trip.

Be sure to book your flights by the end of the day Thursday.