If you're a frequent flyer with Southwest Airlines, you already know they run their schedule differently than other domestic carriers.
Instead of opening flight schedules consistently around 11 months out, Southwest opens up new flights in chunks-often a few months at a time.
As of May 18th, their new schedule is now open through January 7, 2018. That means you can book the bulk of your holiday travel over Thanksgiving and Christmas, and all with the perks of flying Southwest.
Why Fly Southwest?
For starters, the discount airline doesn't charge for checked bags. Whether you're flying on points or a paid fare, you'll get two checked bags for free.
Second, Southwest Airlines flies to a slew of popular airports nationwide, along with Caribbean destinations such as Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Nassau, Costa Rica, Cancun, Grand Cayman, and soon, Turks and Caicos.
But the biggest benefit of flying Southwest isn't where they fly, but instead the fact they're one of the only airlines that doesn't charge change or cancellation fees.
You can change flights for free, with amounts you overpaid returned to you for cheaper flights; Or, a demand for more money or points for more expensive fares. If you cancel a flight altogether, you'll receive Southwest credits good for a future flight.
If you book your flights with points, this is especially helpful. If the price of your particular flight goes down, you have the option to cancel and rebook or just "change flights" to the new, cheaper option. Any point overages will be returned to you.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Southwest Adding Flights to Turks & Caicos[/READMORE]
With the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, you can book flights with Rapid Rewards points earned through flying, credit card signups or certain kinds of spending. It's a lucrative and easy-to-navigate rewards program.
If you sign up for a co-branded Southwest credit card, you'll earn miles for every dollar you spend. In the absence of a credit card, on the other hand, you can earn points by shopping through their portal or participating in the Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining Program.
If you've been aching to book winter travel and fly Southwest Airlines frequently, now is the perfect time to dive in.
And if you want to score free travel, make sure to check out the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. With both cards, you'll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest flights and 1 point per $1 spent on everything else.
Alternatively, you can sign up for certain Chase credit cards since Chase Ultimate Rewards lets you transfer points to Southwest Airlines at a 1:1 ratio. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ink Preferred Business card, you can earn points redeemable for free flights within the U.S. or to the Caribbean with Southwest.
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