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Southwest Week of WOW sale: $39 fares through Oct 2

Southwest 737s queue for takeoff under clear skies, illustrating the Week of WOW sale with budget-friendly flight deals and assigned seating timing.
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5 min read

Southwest Airlines revived its Week of WOW sale with one-way fares from $39. Travelers have until October 2 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific to book. Discounted travel runs October 21, 2025, to March 4, 2026 for continental U.S., international, Hawaii, and San Juan routes, with inter-island Hawaii valid October 21 to November 18, 2025. Blackout dates apply around peak holidays. Southwest's move to assigned seating takes effect January 27, 2026, affecting trips later in the window. Midweek departures and high-frequency base city pairs typically show the widest sale coverage.

Key points

  • Why it matters: Sale drops entry fares to $39 one-way ahead of winter and shoulder season.
  • Travel impact: Best availability midweek; multiple holiday blackout periods reduce options.
  • What's next: Assigned seating begins January 27, 2026 for travel after that date.
  • Inter-island Hawaii window is shorter, October 21 to November 18, 2025.
  • Sale ends Thursday, October 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Snapshot

Sale fares require a 21-day advance purchase and are limited by seat inventory, markets, and days of week. Validity spans October 21, 2025, through March 4, 2026 for continental U.S., Hawaii, international, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with separate rules for inter-island Hawaii. Southwest lists multiple holiday blackouts, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's ranges, plus Presidents' Day periods. Continental U.S. sales concentrate on Mondays through Thursdays, with specific day-of-week rules for Hawaii, international, and San Juan. Fares apply to nonstop where indicated; otherwise, single-connection itineraries qualify. Taxes and government fees apply to cash and points bookings. For route hunting, start with core bases such as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), where frequency can widen options.

Background

Southwest's Week of WOW has become a recurring promotional tentpole, pairing fare cuts with partner offers. 2025's return lands as the carrier transitions from open seating to assigned seats, with customers able to book assigned seats for flights operating on and after January 27, 2026. The airline has also refreshed fare bundles, with Basic replacing Wanna Get Away, and tiered products offering earlier seat selection and other perks. Operationally, Southwest continues to rely on a network of 12 crew bases, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago Midway, Dallas Love Field, Denver, Houston Hobby, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Oakland, Orlando, and Phoenix, supporting dense weekday schedules that often align with sale coverage. Travelers should expect sale depth to vary by city pair, time of day, and day of week, especially near blackout periods.

Latest developments

How to find the lowest $39 Week of WOW fares

Southwest's sale hub confirms one-way fares "as low as $39," with a booking window from September 29 to October 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT and a 21-day advance purchase rule. Valid travel runs October 21, 2025, to March 4, 2026 for most networks, while inter-island Hawaii runs October 21 to November 18, 2025. Day-of-week limits apply, and several holiday blackouts block peak dates. Start with midweek searches on high-frequency base routes to improve odds of hitting the floor price. The Low Fare Calendar remains the fastest way to scan a month for the cheapest departure days, then refine by nonstop versus connecting. Remember that points bookings exclude taxes and fees from $5.60 per one-way, and Basic fares are nonrefundable outside the 24-hour cancellation window.

What assigned seating means for trips later in the window

If your itinerary departs on or after January 27, 2026, Southwest will use assigned seating across four fare bundles. Basic assigns a Standard seat at check-in, while higher bundles allow earlier selection and access to extra-legroom rows, paired with a new group-based boarding flow. Flights departing on or before January 26, 2026, keep open seating. When shopping within the sale window that stretches into 2026, verify whether your return legs fall before or after the switchover. That detail affects when and how you choose seats, potential upgrade pricing, and the boarding experience.

Read the fine print: blackout dates and valid days

Southwest's terms list specific blackout ranges that cover Thanksgiving week, late-December holidays, early January peaks, and Presidents' Day periods. Continental U.S. fares generally apply Mondays through Thursdays; travel to and from Hawaii, international destinations, and San Juan follows separate weekday rules. Inter-island Hawaii is limited to Tuesdays and Wednesdays within its shorter October-November window. Nonstop is required where indicated, but many markets allow single-connection itineraries to qualify. Because seats, days, and markets are limited, shoppers should price flexible dates, nearby airports, and earlier or later departures to surface inventory that still meets the sale rules.

Analysis

Southwest timed Week of WOW to stimulate off-peak and shoulder demand while holding firm on peak holiday pricing via blackouts. The $39 lead fare remains a powerful hook, but availability concentrates on midweek in competitive, high-frequency lanes. Practical savings come from flexibility more than any single route promise, especially given day-of-week limits that vary by network segment. The overlay of assigned seating mid-window is notable. Travelers combining late-January or February returns should note that a round-trip spanning the January 27 switchover may mix open seating one way with assigned seating the other. That shift favors booking early if you want specific seats, or sticking to pre-January 27 departures if you prefer the legacy open-seating dance. Finally, base city pairs such as BWI-MDW or BWI-MCO often expose deeper sale shelves due to frequency, but blackout pressure will thin options around holidays. Use the Low Fare Calendar to target Tuesdays and Wednesdays first, then widen radius to alternate airports where Southwest's network density can keep sub-$100 one-ways in play beyond the headline $39 routes.

Final thoughts

The Week of WOW sale is a solid chance to lock winter and shoulder-season trips at or near Southwest's floor fares, provided you can travel midweek and steer clear of blackout periods. Double-check whether your flights fall before or after the January 27, 2026 assigned-seating change, and search across base-city pairs for more inventory. Book by October 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT to capture the best combinations under the Southwest Week of WOW sale.

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