Southwest Airlines $59 Flight Sale

Southwest Airlines is playing favorites this week.

The low-cost carrier has put select markets on sale and with cheap flights starting as low as $59 one way, and we’ve decided we’re OK with the favoritism.

The Southwest sale cities include Albany, Chicago, New York, Fort Myers, Little Rock and Las Vegas, Denver and Fort Lauderdale. The fares are valid for travel between Dec. 2 and March 9, 2010. However, blackout dates do apply around the holidays, between Dec. 18 and Jan. 4, 2010.

Discount Airfare: Southwest $25 Fare Sale

Option A: Check your bag for $25

Option B: Book a flight for $25

It doesn't require much thought as to which is the better option. While some airlines are charging fliers $25 to check a bag, Southwest Airlines is offering fliers one-way airline tickets for $25.

Southwest launched the fare sale today -- book Southwest flights for as low as $25, based on the length of the flight. For example, travel up to 375 miles is $25 one-way; $50 for travel between 375 and 549 miles; and $75 for flights between 550 and 999 miles.

Airline News: Southwest Settles Lawsuit Over Safety Issues

Southwest Airlines will pay investors' lawyers $3.5 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit that grew out of safety violations, the Associated Press is reporting.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2008. According to reports, the Federal Aviation Administration fined Southwest $10.2 million for operating planes that had not passed a required inspection for structural soundness. Southwest settled by agreeing to pay a $7.5 million penalty.

In addition to paying $3.5 million, the low-cost carrier agreed to add "safety-related employees" throughout the company and "increase training for maintenance workers for at least two years," according to the AP.

© Cheapflights Ltd

Southwest Goes Green With a New, Carbon-Cutting Plane

If Southwest’s CEO, Gary Kelly is tired, you’d never know it: The low-cost carrier has pumped out more news this week than we’ve seen in a while.  Now, the airline is talking about its new green plane.

The company said it looks to the future, when climate change will be commonly integrated within the airline industry. Not only does the move to build green planes help the environment, but it also saves Southwest money and makes good business sense.

What makes a plane green? The bottom line is that planes emit a lot of carbon emissions into the air every day, so the more you can reduce those emissions, the better. This is done by using less fuel. Since it takes more fuel to carry heavier loads, the goal then changes to reducing the weight of the plane. Southwest isn’t trying to boot any of its passengers in order to save weight, so instead it used more weigh-efficient materials, and the new plane ends up saving approximately five pounds per seat. Less weight, less fuel, less emissions = less money to spend for Southwest.

Southwest Adds More Flights From Denver

Southwest has had quite the week. First, it announced that it would fly into the newly constructed Northwest Florida International Airport in May, and then it said it would be adding nine daily flights in and out of St. Louis. 

Now, the low-cost carrier is adding more flights to its Denver route list.

Adding flights into Colorado’s territory puts them in direct competition with another low-cost carrier, Frontier, which was recently acquired by Republic Airways. Frontier just announced new routes to New Orleans and Louisville from Denver.

Southwest Announces Nine Daily Flights from St. Louis

 
During its Media Day yesterday, Southwest Airlines announced it would launch nine new daily flights to six new cities from St. Louis in 2010.

Beginning in May, Southwest Airlines will begin flying two daily nonstop round-trips between St. Louis and Nashville and two daily nonstop round-trip flights between St. Louis and Los Angeles. In addition to those routes, the airline will fly one nonstop round-trip flight on a daily basis from St. Louis and San Diego, Seattle, New Orleans and Raleigh/Durham.

Southwest announced earlier this year that it would begin providing nonstop daily service between St. Louis and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Yesterday, the airline said it would add a second route. The two flights will begin operating in January.

Southwest Announces Service from New Florida Airport in 2010

This year, Southwest has launched many new routes and expansions throughout the country, including cheap flights from Boston to Baltimore and other routes from New York LaGuardia and Minneapolis-St. Paul. In a trend of building up their business-city reputation, Southwest makes a surprising move in its next announcement.

In May of 2010, Southwest will be operating flights out of Northwest Florida International Airport. Sound familiar? Probably not, because it hasn’t been built yet. The new airport is being built near Panama City, Florida, and is now under construction.

Southwest plans to run two round-trip flights a day from the Northwest Florida International Airport to four cities (that have yet to be named) around the country for a total of eight daily nonstop flights.

© Cheapflights Ltd Andrea Mooney

Southwest May Add Fees for its RapidRewards Program in 2010

Southwest might not charge for checking first or second bags like other airlines in the country, but in 2010, other fees may appear. Apparently due to a $16 million loss in its third quarter, Southwest has announced that it may add fees to its frequent flier program, RapidRewards.

No details have been stated on when exactly next year the changes will occur, or what specifically the carrier plans to charge for, but news outlets like the New York Times and USA Today have guessed that fees may build for things like changing tickets or making reservations.

Currently, Dallas-based Southwest doesn’t charge for the first two checked bags, but does charge for a third bag or an overweight bag – both violations typically make around $40 million each year.

Southwest Adding Flights from BWI

 
Attention travelers who frequent Baltimore-Washington International – Southwest Airlines is making your life a lot easier this spring. The low-cost carrier has announced that it is adding 28 new flights from Baltimore, totaling 100 new flights across the country.

The schedule change is effective from March 14- May 7, but you can start booking now.

When asked how they’re doing it, the Dallas-based airline says that it isn’t adding to its fleet, it’s just taking advantage of the seasonal decrease from winter to spring. Southwest plans to decrease its flight times by five minutes on 3,200 flights.

Southwest Winter Fares, Cheap Flights from $82

Winter’s almost here, so while you’re digging out your hats and coats, prepare for one more winter event – vacation. Southwest is already offering its winter sale fares, but seats are limited, so hop on board before these deals freeze.

Fares are based on one-way flights and can be combined with other deals. Travel is not valid on Fridays or Sundays, and you must purchase tickets 14 days in advance. Book by Oct. 15th, and travel through Feb. 11, 2010.