Southwest has extended their schedule through the early days of next year. The reservation system now allows you to now book flights through January 5, 2020. That means you get about 6-7 months worth of window to book. Previously you were only able to book through the beginning of November, so the extension now open up the dates for some of the most popular travel times. With this Southwest schedule extension you can book flights for Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Year’s. If you have the Southwest Companion Pass this gets twice as good.

Other US airlines have been selling holiday season tickets for a while. But Southwest is the nation’s largest domestic carrier and plenty of loyal fans. So when this Southwest schedule extension is announced, it’s a big deal as they rush to grab their tickets on their favorite airline, which often offers the lowest prices on many routes. You can check flight schedules here.

Book With No Worries

Southwest now makes it easy to compare prices for a flight you have already booked. They also make it easy to get a refund in case the price of your flight goes down, whether it’ a paid fare or award. If you have a paid fare, you will get a voucher for the difference in fare price that ca be used one year from the date the flight was originally booked. The voucher is non-transferable. If you booked using Rapid Rewards points, then you get reimbursed the difference.

Guru’s Wrap-up

It’s a good idea to start looking for travel dates early, especially for peak times. With Southwest’s refund policy, there’s not much to worry about. Even if you working towards a Companion Pass but don’t have it yet, you can book now and add a companion later. You can also buy discounted Southwest gift cards for even cheaper flights.