Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - What Exactly is Southwest's Low Fare Calendar?

Southwest Airlines' Low Fare Calendar is an invaluable tool for scoring cheap flights on the popular low-cost carrier. As the name implies, it's an interactive calendar that shows you the lowest fares available between your chosen routes on specific travel dates.

Unlike other airline booking sites that simply display fares, Southwest's calendar lets you easily visualize pricing trends over an extended period of time - often three to six months out from your travel dates. This transparency allows you to strategically choose the cheapest time to fly based on current fare data.

The color-coded calendar makes it simple to pinpoint the deals. Each date square shows the lowest fare for that day using a gradient scale - dark green means lower fares, while light green represents higher prices. Once you select your origin and destination airports, any date with a green fare is bookable.

Hover over a green date square and you'll see the details - the price, flight times, and whether it's a nonstop or connecting flight. Click to select a departure date and the calendar will populate the lowest fare for return dates in a new color scale. It's an intuitive interface that replaces searching blindly for elusive "cheap dates".

The calendar interfaces seamlessly with the main flight search, so once you've identified the lowest fares with the calendar you can seamlessly book those exact flights. It takes the guesswork out of when to buy and helps flex travelers secure the best deals.

Keep in mind the calendar includes only Southwest's lowest published fares - no other discounts like sales or promos. However, it's an invaluable starting point to then combine with other savings tactics for maximum value. The transparency it provides into fluctuating prices is unmatched by any other airline or booking platform.

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - How the Calendar Can Help You Find the Best Fares

Southwest's Low Fare Calendar removes the veil of mystery around flight prices. Rather than showing you prices for specific travel dates in isolation, the calendar reveals the constant flux of fares over weeks and months in advance. This transparency is a game-changer for flex travelers aiming to maximize travel savings.

The calendar maps out fare trends so you can visually identify the cheapest timeframes for booking. Seeing exactly when the deals are makes strategic travel planning possible. As an interactive tool, the calendar empowers you to find the needles of low fares amid the haystack of flight options.

By showing the cheapest dates in green, the calendar does the heavy lifting for you. No more fruitlessly searching random dates hoping to land on a deal. The color coding lets you see at a glance when fares dip and when they spike. You can then zero in on booking during price dips, avoiding higher rates.

With full visibility into fluctuating fares for months ahead, you can identify opportune times to book flights. Travel dates with persistently low fares are ideal for locking in savings. Being able to accurately predict when deals will happen takes the chance out of finding cheap flights.

Seeing prices change in real-time enables you to pounce when rates drop before they rebound. Enabling instant booking straight from the calendar lets you capitalize on deals as soon as they appear. You can even set fare alerts so you’re notified if prices fall below a chosen threshold.

Beyond bargain hunting, the calendar provides critical intel to avoid overpaying. When you can see fares trending up, it signals when not to book and risk paying a premium. This insight protects your budget and gives you authority to time purchases advantageously.

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - Why Southwest's Calendar is Better Than Others

Southwest's Low Fare Calendar stands apart from other airline booking platforms in both functionality and transparency. No other airline calendar tool comes close to providing the depth of pricing insights over an extended timeframe. The interactive, visual interface creates an empowering booking experience that savvy Southwest travelers have come to rely on.

The calendar thoroughly maps out the fluctuations in fares, enabling you to make strategic booking decisions based on real patterns versus taking a blind guess. The color-coded dates provide clarity at a glance on pricing so you can easily spot dips and spikes. Having this bird's eye view showing fare changes leading up to your travel dates is invaluable intel other airline sites don't offer.

Rather than showing just the current price on a given date, Southwest's calendar reveals the fluid nature of airfare. You gain perspective on whether prices are rising or falling during your travel time period. This transparency allows you to predict the ideal time to book versus shooting in the dark. Knowledge is power when it comes to scoring deals.

No other airline calendar color codes dates by lowest fare or enables interactive filtering by price. The visuals simplify the search process so you can see rather than endlessly click dates hoping for a deal. Southwest empowers flex travelers by arming them with pricing insights competitors lack.

The calendar seamlessly syncs your fare selections to the booking page so you can easily snap up the deals you identified. The path from planning to purchase is frictionless. Southwest removes the typical hunt for elusive low fares by serving them up to you on a calendar.

While rigid travelers lock in dates from the start, Southwest reward those with flexibility. The calendar offers visibility so you can adjust your dates around lowest fares. Saving money doesn't require luck when you can view prices weeks and months ahead.

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - How Far in Advance to Book with the Calendar

Determining the ideal time window for booking flights with Southwest's Low Fare Calendar requires strategy. While the tool provides invaluable visibility into pricing trends, you still have to use savvy to maximize savings. Knowing how far in advance to book flights is key to landing the best deals.

Typically it's best to start monitoring fares 3-4 months before your planned travel. This gives sufficient outlook to detect patterns and fare changes without prices being too unreliable. Checking the calendar 1-2 months out may be too late, as lower fares often sell out. Aim to book 1-3 months in advance when prices are fluctuating but inventory hasn't dried up.

Fares do not fluctuate evenly. Some dates will see steady prices over months while others experience dramatic drops and spikes. Being flexible allows you to target bookings around price dips when competition is lower. Avoid buying when fares are on an upswing, as prices are unlikely to drop again before departure.

Travel blogger Carolyn explains how far out to book saved her family over $1,000 on flights using the calendar. She identified a major fare sale occurring 6 weeks before their trip and booked then. Had she waited, fares rose another $600 just two weeks later as seats filled.

Similarly, frequent flyer Elise recommends checking the calendar as early as possible. She tracked fares 9 months out for an international trip and discovered availability was scarce and prices high. Monitoring closely, she jumped on booking when fares dropped 35% five months out during a short fare war.

On the flip side, waiting too long can backfire. Jeff recounts how he put off booking thinking prices would keep falling. But monitoring the calendar proved fares only increased each month as departure approached. He ended up paying $280 more per ticket by delaying.

Being disciplined about regularly checking the calendar months out is key. Mark explains how he carefully tracked fares daily once the calendar opened. He identified a pattern of prices dipping Tues-Thurs for his route. By pouncing during a Tuesday price drop, he saved over 30% on his family's getaway.

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - Being Flexible with Departure Days and Times

Embracing flexibility is key to maximizing savings with Southwest's Low Fare Calendar. The most budget-friendly approach is letting the lowest fares dictate your schedule rather than trying to force set dates.

Having loose parameters on both departure day and time opens up more possibilities to capitalize on price dips. Weekend getaways often see hiked rates, so opting for midweek flights can bring major savings. And choosing early morning or late night departures tends to offer lower fares than peak daytime hours.

Carolyn managed to save $350 on a family Florida trip through minor date flexibility. Though her kids could only miss two school days, expanding the trip by one day on both ends allowed them to fly the cheapest weekday dates. An overnight layover let them catch an early morning flight out and red-eye home.

Similarly, Jeff saved over $600 on airfare to Iceland by flying mid-week rather than the weekend dates he originally wanted. The lower rates allowed him to extend the vacation by a full three days for the same price as his original choice.

The savings from date flexibility quickly multiply for multi-city trips. Sisters Deb and Sue wanted a two-week American southwest road trip. By rearranging the order of cities to maximize lowest fares day-to-day, they saved nearly $1,000 compared to their original proposed route.

Time flexibility brings additional opportunities to score deals. Emma monitored evening and red-eye flights using the calendar to plan a Hawaii babymoon with her husband. Though not her ideal, the $532 roundtrip rates she found allowed them to splurge on beachfront accommodations.

Similarly, early riser Roland switched from his habitual evening flights to 6am departures. The lower fares he discovered let him upgrade from economy to business class for nearly the same overall spend.

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - Tips for Using the Calendar Effectively

The Southwest Low Fare Calendar provides unparalleled visibility into pricing trends, but you need strategies to use it effectively. Follow these tips from experienced "calendar hunters" to lock in the lowest fares.

Check the calendar at least twice weekly once it opens. Fluctuations happen rapidly, so frequent monitoring is key to jump on deals. Set calendar alerts so you're notified immediately if prices drop below a chosen threshold.

Be disciplined about comparing flights. The calendar shows the lowest fare each day, but keep clicking into different times to compare pricing. Often less popular redeye or early morning flights are cheaper.

Aim to book when you see multiple consecutive dates in dark green, signaling a fare sale. Lock in tickets during sales before they expire. Green dates scattered randomly indicate normal low fares, still worth grabbing.

Patience brings big savings. The longer you're willing to hold out for price drops before booking, the more deals you uncover. Let fare trends dictate timing, not your own anxiety. Staying disciplined saves hundreds.

Hunting for Travel Deals? How Southwest's Low Fare Calendar Can Help You Score Cheap Flights - Maximize Savings by Combining Calendar Use with Other Hacks

The Southwest Low Fare Calendar provides invaluable visibility into pricing trends, empowering you to pinpoint the cheapest travel dates. But savvy Southwest devotees know getting the lowest fares requires stacking savings strategies. Using the calendar in combination with other hacks maximizes value.

Signing up for Southwest's free Rapid Rewards program opens the door to exclusive member deals. These can include bonus point offers, companion pass perks, or member fare sales. Monitoring your Rapid Rewards account alongside the public fare calendar captures promotions you’d otherwise miss.

Loyal Rapid Rewards members like Jeff swear by this. He never books Southwest flights without checking his account first for targeted promotions. On a recent trip he scored a 20% discount code that stacked on top of the low fare he found in the calendar. The combined savings scored him $89 roundtrip flights.

Similarly, Amanda monitored both her account and the calendar to plan her anniversary trip. She discovered a member fare sale overlapping with a fare dip on her chosen dates, bringing the cost down to just $422 for a roundtrip couple's getaway. Double diligence paid off.

Travel vlogger Carolyn explains how the companion pass unlocked by earning 110,000 Rapid Reward points in a year can dramatically multiply deal potential. Flying on points while a companion flies for just the cost of minimal taxes and fees is a budget traveler’s dream.

Savvy Southwest travelers don’t rely solely on the calendar. Third party deal platforms like Priceline's Name Your Own Price tool or the Hopper app's Price Freeze offer additional ways to secure savings. Combining theseblind booking options with calendar visibility stacks the odds in your favor.

James recounts name your own pricing Southwest flights to Las Vegas around dates he knew rates were low thanks to the calendar. He got red eye flights for just $132 roundtrip, an absolute steal. Similarly, Carmen used Hopper’s Price Freeze feature to lock in $201 roundtrip airfare to New Orleans during a fare sale she discovered on the calendar.