LAX to Monterey flights: Compare Southwest fare tiers, then pick the cheapest all-in window

Takeaway	Detail
Basic is Southwest’s lowest-priced fare tier.	The 2026 Basic fare is the airline’s most affordable, but it includes fewer benefits than higher tiers.
Southwest publishes 4 named fares, not fare-class letters.	The 2026 lineup is Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra; confirm inclusions on the booking page.
Compare fares on identical LAX–MRY dates.	Price each published tier for the same dates, then add any checked-bag and change costs to every option.
Use the Low Fare Calendar before choosing a date.	Within the dates shown in the calendar’s date grid, select the fare with the lowest all-in total, including checked-bag and change costs.

This guide compares Southwest’s published fares for the same Los Angeles–Monterey dates and shows how to add checked-bag and change costs. It then identifies the lowest all-in fare within the cheapest date window shown by the Low Fare Calendar.

How Southwest's 2026 Fare Tiers Work

Southwest’s booking system is the starting point because its published fare structure does not provide the alphabet-style fare-class letters used by many airlines. According to CWSI, the airline sells four fares by name—Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred and Choice Extra—and publishes no fare-class letters. That means there is no public code to look up and decode. Instead, open the fare details for the specific LAX–MRY itinerary and treat the booking screen as the source of truth for the inclusions, restrictions, and benefits attached to each named tier.

Basic is the tier to examine first when the goal is the lowest headline price, but its low cost comes with the fewest inclusions. NerdWallet describes the 2026 Basic fare as Southwest’s most affordable option while emphasizing how little it includes. The practical check is not simply whether Basic has the lowest displayed fare. Compare what the itinerary requires against the rules shown for Basic and the other named options on the same date. A fare that appears cheaper can become less useful once its limitations are considered.

Southwest’s 2026 move toward a basic-economy-style structure makes that distinction more important. AwardWallet reports that Basic fares are non-refundable, reflecting a restriction common among basic economy products. When comparing fare tiers, place the ticket’s change terms in plain view: check whether the itinerary needs to be altered, whether the selected tier permits that alteration, and what Southwest displays for the associated cost. Do not assume that the flexibility of the airline applies equally to every fare.

The booking page should also be checked for the effects of Southwest’s new checked-bag pricing. Look for the baggage allowance attached to each fare and for any bag charge that would apply to the bags you would actually check. A Basic fare with a lower base price may require an added payment that a higher-priced tier does not, so the meaningful comparison is between the complete purchase scenarios shown for the same passenger and baggage. Check the final total before selecting a date or fare.

For each date shown in the Low Fare Calendar, open the corresponding LAX–MRY fare-selection screen and review all four named tiers under the same passenger assumptions. Record the final amount payable for the bags and flexibility you need, rather than relying on the calendar’s headline “as low as” figure. Then repeat the check on nearby dates, since the lowest displayed fare can move across fare tiers. This method makes the comparison reproducible: every candidate is priced from Southwest’s own booking screen, with restrictions and charges evaluated in the same place, rather than inferred from fare labels or third-party summaries.

The Evidence: Three Independent Sources

Start with Southwest’s own Low Fare Calendar, which provides the strongest primary-source check for a short California trip. It shows the lowest “as low as” one-way fare for each route and date. The calendar’s published route data covers 120 airports and 12,217 origin-to-destination markets, placing Monterey and the Los Angeles-area airports within the same searchable grid. For a Los Angeles–Monterey comparison, enter the relevant Los Angeles airport and Monterey as the destination, then record every date window in the range you would actually travel. The useful result is not merely the lowest fare on the calendar: it is a set of dated, route-specific fare candidates that can be checked against the airline’s booking flow.

Next, open each promising date’s fare-selection page and compare the same itinerary across all fare tiers Southwest presents. The fare shown in the calendar is a starting quote, not proof that it will remain available with the same inclusions at checkout. A lower displayed fare can disappear when another fare tier is selected, while a higher displayed fare may offer benefits that change the practical cost for your party. Record the final amount shown for the same dates, airport pair, passenger count, and cabin in every published tier. This makes the calendar a date-finder and the booking results the price check.

NerdWallet’s Southwest Basic-fare guide describes Basic as Southwest’s most affordable fare while cautioning that it includes very little. That caution is the practical link to the Low Fare Calendar: the cheapest tier is defensible only when the traveler expects to use none of the extras. Before accepting it, check the journey against the ticket’s actual restrictions rather than treating the calendar price as a complete trip price.

AwardWallet’s reporting on Southwest’s introduction of checked-bag fees and Basic fares shows that baggage pricing and restrictive fares are material parts of the equation. No assumed bag rate should be used. At checkout, add the displayed checked-bag charge for the bags you will actually check, and include a change penalty if your itinerary is at meaningful risk of changing. Do the same calculation for the higher fare options.

Finally, reconcile the two records. The Low Fare Calendar identifies the cheapest eligible date window; the booking page identifies the lowest comparable fare after required add-ons are included. If a calendar date is unavailable at the quoted price, mark it unavailable and move to the next qualifying date rather than substituting a different route or adding an unverified cost. This produces an all-in comparison for the same trip instead of a misleading comparison between the cheapest fare, a different itinerary, and hypothetical benefits you may never use.

Basic vs Choice: Which Tier Wins

For most Los Angeles–Monterey travelers, Choice should win—not because it is the headline fare, but because the lower Basic price can be quickly erased by the costs and restrictions that matter on a real trip. AwardWallet notes that Southwest’s Basic fares are non-refundable and that the airline’s new checked-bag charges apply to the broader fare structure. That makes the comparison more than a sticker-price decision, especially for a short California hop where one checked suitcase can represent a meaningful share of the ticket price. The practical rule is simple: Basic wins only for a carry-on-only, no-change traveler; any bag or change risk flips the winner to Choice.

There is still a strict case for Basic. If you can travel with only a carry-on, accept any seat assigned at check-in, and make no changes, the lowest tier can be pure savings. NerdWallet describes Basic as Southwest’s most affordable fare, but the tradeoffs are restrictions rather than a better boarding experience. Before accepting it, confirm that you will not need to add luggage later, change your flight, or pay for another feature that is not essential to your itinerary. If any of those possibilities is realistic, the apparent Basic discount is less dependable than the upfront price of Choice.

Use the booking screen as the decision tool. Search the same LAX–MRY dates, open the fare-selection page, and examine the included-perks line for every fare option being considered. Do not infer the better ticket from the fare name alone. Check whether carry-on baggage is included, whether a seat can be selected at no charge, and what the fare says about refunds or changes. Then factor in the checked-bag and change costs that would apply to your actual itinerary. If you need to price a bag or retain flexibility, do the same comparison in Choice before making a final selection.

Finally, pair the fare comparison with Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar. Its “as low as” display can reveal which dates offer the strongest starting point, but the displayed amount is not necessarily the best total choice. Run the calendar’s date grid first, then price the relevant dates in the booking flow and compare the complete options shown for each one. A slightly higher fare on one date can still produce the cheapest all-in trip if it avoids a bag charge or a Basic restriction. Conversely, the lowest calendar fare may remain the right choice when the trip is firmly carry-on-only and nonrefundable.

Costs That Change the Answer

Southwest’s 2026 changes make the sticker price an incomplete comparison. Under the new structure, checked bags are no longer automatically free on the lowest fares. AwardWallet reports that Southwest is moving toward charging bag fees while introducing Basic fares, but the available grounding does not establish a fixed dollar amount. Before ranking any LAX–MRY option, check Southwest’s current per-bag fee on southwest.com and apply the amount applicable to your itinerary. A fare that looks cheapest on the Low Fare Calendar can lose that position once the bag charge is added.

Changes create a second variable. AwardWallet reports that Southwest’s Basic fares are non-refundable. If there is any realistic chance that your travel date or itinerary could move, compare the Basic fare with a fare that can be changed and price the applicable change or rebooking penalty into each option. Because the grounding does not state a specific change fee, check the change terms displayed on the booking page for each tier before deciding.

The comparison rule is simple: sticker fare plus checked-bag fee plus change penalty equals the all-in number you compare. Run that calculation for the same LAX–MRY dates in every published fare tier, using zero for costs that genuinely do not apply to you. This prevents a carry-on-only price from competing against a checked-bag price on unequal terms. It also makes the result more useful: instead of asking which fare has the lowest headline price, you can identify which fare is cheapest after the obligations attached to your actual trip are included.

Sale timing can change the ranking without changing your bag or change plans. InsideFlyer reports that Southwest flash sales can offer up to 40% off base fares. When one is running, recalculate the all-in prices rather than relying on a previously saved calendar fare. A discounted Basic fare may become compelling for a carry-on-only, no-change traveler, while a bag fee or a likely schedule change can still erase the apparent saving for other travelers.

Use the Low Fare Calendar to identify the cheapest eligible date window, then open Southwest’s booking flow for each date and tier before purchasing. Confirm the current bag allowance and fee, inspect the change terms, and apply the same add-back method to every candidate. The final choice is the option with the lowest comparable all-in price, not necessarily the lowest number displayed in the calendar grid.

And Booking Checklist

Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar is the starting point for a Los Angeles–Monterey search because it displays the lowest quoted one-way fare for each date. Open the calendar, enter LAX to MRY, select the relevant travel window, and record the lowest “as low as” fare shown for every date you are considering. Treat each figure as a search signal rather than a guaranteed checkout total, and keep the fare labeled as one-way throughout the comparison.

Then run the same calendar date through Southwest’s booking flow and record the sticker fare for each available fare option: Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra. Do not compare a calendar quote from one date with a different date’s checkout price, and do not assume that the tier advertised on the calendar is the tier that produces the lowest final total. If your itinerary has more than one flight or more than one traveler, price each applicable flight and repeat the process for each traveler.

Apply one consistent checkpoint to every fare: all-in fare = sticker fare + (number of checked bags × current checked-bag fee) + expected change penalty. Use the bag fee shown when you add the bags during checkout, rather than relying on an older fare-guide figure. For the change penalty, enter the amount you would actually incur if you needed to change the flight; if a change is not reasonably expected, use zero for that scenario. Run the calculation again with a bag or a plausible change if you want to test the sensitivity of the result.

Here is the copy-usable five-step checklist: 1) Pull the Low Fare Calendar for LAX to MRY and note the lowest one-way “as low as” fare for each candidate date. 2) Choose the date and fare window that appear most competitive, then open that date’s booking results. 3) Record the sticker fare for Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra. 4) Add the current cost of the bags you will check and your expected change penalty to each sticker fare. 5) Select the tier with the lowest all-in total, then select the calendar date whose winning all-in total is lowest.

The final comparison is between complete trip totals, not headline fares. For each date, the lowest all-in tier wins; across dates, the lowest winning all-in total identifies your best window. Because Southwest’s fare tiers, bag charges, and calendar fares can change, verify the live amounts before payment and save the checkout total that supports your choice.

Decision Rules and Where They Break

Start with the date grid, but treat it as a screening tool rather than the final price. Open Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar for LAX–MRY, compare the cheapest dates in the window, and then price the same dates in every available fare tier. The calendar’s “as low as” figure may represent only the lowest one-way fare, so the booking flow is the required check. A fare that looks cheapest on the grid can lose once the fare tier, taxes, baggage charges, and any change costs are included.

If you are flying carry-on only and your plans are fixed, book Basic on the calendar’s cheapest date. Under that condition, Basic’s restrictions impose no relevant cost: there is no checked bag to add and no ticket change to price. The comparison is then straightforward—the lowest Basic price on the cheapest eligible date wins. Check the actual booking page before paying, because the calendar is a fare snapshot rather than a guarantee of availability or the final total.

If you will check even one bag, price Choice first. A bag adds a cost to the Basic calculation, while Basic is non-refundable; AwardWallet notes that Southwest’s coming Basic-fare structure includes non-refundability alongside new checked-bag charges. Those features can erase the apparent gap between Basic and Choice. Add the charges for your actual number of bags to each fare, compare the all-in totals, and do not assume the lowest advertised fare produces the lowest trip cost.

Treat a possible ticket change the same way. If even a small change is plausible, include the applicable change cost in the comparison and start with Choice rather than Basic. A restrictive fare can look inexpensive for a fixed itinerary but become the more expensive choice once the traveler needs flexibility. For a multi-bag trip, price the exact baggage total for each tier instead of extrapolating from a one-bag result; the relevant threshold is the point at which Choice’s fare and included benefits offset Basic’s fare plus added-bag charges.

Finally, as noted above, InsideFlyer reports that Southwest flash sales can offer up to 40% off base fares, so check for one before booking. When a sale is live, re-price every tier on the candidate dates rather than automatically selecting the calendar’s apparent winner, then compare the all-in totals before choosing.

Also worth reading How to compare West Coast fare · Europe nonstop error fares: Compare · Star Alliance saver awards: how

What to do next

Step	Action	Why it matters
1	Open Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar for the Los Angeles–Monterey route and review the available date grid.	This establishes the eligible date windows before comparing fares.
2	Select the same LAX–MRY dates in the Low Fare Calendar and compare Southwest’s published Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra fares.	Identical dates make the fare comparison meaningful.
3	Confirm the inclusions for each published fare on the booking page.	The 2026 lineup includes different benefits, so the lowest sticker price may not offer the same value.
4	Add the applicable checked-bag and change costs to every fare total for the selected dates.	Comparable all-in totals are required for a fair decision.
5	Within the dates shown in the Low Fare Calendar, identify the window with the lowest all-in fare after those additions.	This applies the guide’s decision rule rather than choosing the lowest advertised fare alone.
6	Book the lowest all-in published tier on that cheapest date window through Southwest’s booking page.	You preserve the price comparison you just completed and avoid adding costs later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Southwest fare tier has the lowest base price?

Basic is Southwest’s lowest-priced fare tier.

How does Southwest publish its fares instead of using fare-class letters?

Southwest sells its fares by name—Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra—rather than publishing alphabet-style fare-class letters.

What should I compare when checking prices for the same LAX–MRY dates?

Price each published fare tier for identical LAX–MRY dates and add any checked-bag and change costs to every option.

When should I use Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar?

Use the Low Fare Calendar before choosing a date.

Which fare should I select within the dates displayed in the Low Fare Calendar?

Select the fare with the lowest all-in total, including checked-bag and change costs, among the dates shown in the calendar’s date grid.

Where can I verify what is included in each LAX–MRY fare?

Confirm the fare inclusions on the booking page for the specific itinerary.

Quick answers

What is Southwest’s lowest-priced fare tier?	Basic is Southwest’s lowest-priced fare tier.
Which named fares are in Southwest’s fare lineup?	The lineup includes Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.
How should fares be compared for LAX–MRY travel?	Compare fares on identical LAX–MRY dates and price each published tier for the same dates.
Which costs should be added to every fare option?	Add any checked-bag and change costs to every option.
How should the cheapest all-in window be selected?	Use the Low Fare Calendar and, within the dates in its date grid, select the fare with the lowest all-in total, including checked-bag and change costs.