Booking on Southwest Airlines for Next Year

[Tutone56]

Right now Southwest is only booking through 1/5/20.  Does anyone know when they might open up booking for the  March time frame?  Thanks! 

[shady2415]

Hi we fly Southwest and I believe they will open up reservations for March around July 10 or so. When is your sail date ours is the 14-21. Welcome aboard

[gmbhardy]

On July 10 they will open sales through March 6. Don’t know beyond that.

[Tutone56]

Thanks for the quick reply!  We're sailing on the POA March 7.  We are visiting family for a couple of days and then heading to Honolulu on the 4th. 

[Tutone56]

1 minute ago, gmbhardy said:

On July 10 they will open sales through March 6. Don’t know beyond that.

Ah of course!  I guess I can book my flights out initially and then work on a return trip sometime in the future.

[MJSailors]

I need Southwest flights for the middle of January and the beginning of March.

I called Southwest to ask about dates when  the schedule would be opened up and was told July 12.

[kayjay76]

2 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

I need Southwest flights for the middle of January and the beginning of March.

I called Southwest to ask about dates when  the schedule would be opened up and was told July 12.

We're waiting for our Feb cruise. Southwest website says this right now :  We are currently accepting air reservations through January 5, 2020. On August 8, 2019 we will open our schedule for sale through March 6, 2020. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.

 

BUT last week it said opening JULY 10th for flights thru March 6th. So we'll see!!!

[MJSailors]

Then, I think the best idea is to check Southwest web site occasionally from July 10 onward to be able to book flights as early as possible.

[tallnthensome]

This is the Norwegian Cruises forum. Airline questions here: Cruise Air Forum Link

[Buckeye10640]

I book SW frequently and the best thing to do is check back every few days.  I have seen that "we will start booking by...." date change and be moved up sooner or pushed out.  I too am looking to check pricing/book for the late Feb/early Mar timeframe

[Oakman58]

Normally with Southwest the booking window is six months in advance, beyond that nada.

[Zach1213]

3 hours ago, Buckeye10640 said:

I book SW frequently and the best thing to do is check back every few days.  I have seen that "we will start booking by...." date change and be moved up sooner or pushed out.  I too am looking to check pricing/book for the late Feb/early Mar timeframe

 

For the last schedule release, it bounced all around the place. About a week before it was supposed to open, they pushed it out another month, then a few days later they pushed it back again, and then it shifted again by a few days. They're pretty clear about it on their website.

[Zach1213]

10 hours ago, MJSailors said:

I need Southwest flights for the middle of January and the beginning of March.

I called Southwest to ask about dates when  the schedule would be opened up and was told July 12.

 

Keep in mind, Southwest is always a risk. It's not like the old days when they were always the cheapest. Now, you risk losing out on a cheaper fare with another airline by waiting for Southwest. It's a gamble. This happened (kind of) recently to me - I wasn't completely sure if I was going on a trip, but I was starting to price tickets on United/Delta/American. They were about $480pp roundtrip. By the time I figured out I was going a couple months later, Southwest had just released and was $685pp roundtrip, with the others being even more. Now, I could not have booked early, but if I had waited for Southwest to release I would have paid $200pp more than on the others a couple months earlier.

 

Just something to think of.

[CruiseDigits]

It's now listed as August 15th, "We are currently accepting air reservations through January 5, 2020. On August 15, 2019 we will open our schedule for sale through March 6, 2020. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently."

 

This is the source page: https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-schedules/index.html

[waterbug123]

13 hours ago, kayjay76 said:

 On August 8, 2019 we will open our schedule for sale through March 6, 2020. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.

 

BUT last week it said opening JULY 10th for flights thru March 6th. So we'll see!!!

 

It's quite possible that they are pushing the date back as they continue to figure out the best way to adjust schedules to compensate for not being able to fly their 737 MAX planes.