Southwest Airlines kicks off fall/winter fare sale

Travel demand and fares typically tumble during the slower fall and winter months, and this year is no exception–  some relatively low fares are starting to trickle out for cool weather trips.

Today, Southwest Airlines kicked off a “dead weeks” fare sale, and I expect other airlines to start matching these low fares in the next 24-48 hours.

So if you felt priced out of peak summer season– or just stayed away due to the record crowds, take a look at what Southwest has on offer during between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and into the cold, dark early winter months.

Unlike Southwest’s similar winter sale last year, these fares do not include travel in November, pre-Thanksgiving. The sale only extends to trips through mid February whereas last year, the deals were good through the end of the month. Generally, fares are slightly higher than last year’s similar sale, which means that there’s still strong demand for air travel– a good sign for the travel industry, but not such great news for bargain hunters.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in several steps to around $300.

Sample approximate round trip fares from California/Bay Area airports below (see Southwest Fare sale page for other cities:

$100: All intra-California and CA-Las Vegas + SFO/OAK/SJC/LAX-Boise, Portland, Reno, Salt Lake City

$180: Denver, Phoenix, Seattle

$200: Dallas, Austin, Indianapolis, San Antonio

$280: Chicago, St Louis, Houston, Orlando, Minneapolis.

$300: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO/OAK, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle.

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below). Keep in mind that even with matches, Southwest’s fares are cheaper if you plan on checking baggage- it offers two bags for free. Major airlines’ fare matches will likely be with those unloved, fee laden “basic economy” fares.

This sale is good for flights during annual dips in air travel demand– this means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it’s a great time to take a cheap trip. It’s also a good time to get home and see the family if pricey peak holiday season fares keep you grounded.

For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year’s high fares, this is a great opportunity save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Christmas or drop by during the cold dark months of January and February.

Details of Southwest’s three-day sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, October 4 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel windows: November 28-December 19; January 3-February 13, 201

>Domestic deals not available on Fridays or Sundays (bummer for business travelers or weekenders). International deals only good Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

>Black out dates: Christmas/New Years peak season from December 20- January 2

>Very limited time: Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: TBD

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at [email protected] or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.