At first glance, Southwest’s fare sale might not seem as impressive as JetBlue’s much-ballyhooed version — though Southwest does have its share of $39 fares, including Oakland to Reno/Tahoe and Long Beach to Las Vegas. Most are north of that.
Let’s pause a moment to do some math, though. JetBlue charges for every bag — $20 in advance, $25 at the airport — and it’ll definitely make you pay if you want to change your travel schedule. Southwest? Nada and nada — the airline will give you two checked bags free, and it doesn’t charge for itinerary changes (though it may apply a fee covering the difference in fares, if any.)
And honestly, given the choice, we’d rather support an airline with such generous policies than one that doesn’t offer them (even if they are handing out free wifi) — or the companies behind “Basic Economy.”
The Southwest fare is especially worth considering for longer flights where you’d want a bag — truth be told, we’d be happy to get from Houston to Belize for $350 round-trip and the peace of mind that comes with knowing we can check bags and reschedule as needed. Book by 2/16 to take advantage of this deal.
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