Finally: You Can Search for Southwest Tickets With Google Flights

We’ve got some great news for flyers everywhere: Southwest Airlines flights finally appear on Google Flights.

Previously, Southwest’s fares were not visible within the flight search tool and could only be found directly on the airline’s website or, recently, via Chase Travel.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about this exciting development!

Southwest Fares Visible in Google Flights

For long, Southwest resisted allowing search engines like Google Flights or other online travel agencies (OTAs) to access its fares.

Recently, that began to change as you can book Southwest flights via Chase Travel. Today’s news is perhaps even more exciting than that, as it allows flyers to see just about every possible flight option in 1 place and compare prices between the carriers.

While you can’t complete a Southwest booking directly within the Google Flights interface, you can see all of the airline’s fare options, including Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select. Even international itineraries are now visible on Google Flights.

Once you’ve decided which fare type is right for you, you’ll click through to Southwest.com, where you can complete your booking.

Best Ways To Book Southwest Flights

When booking a Southwest flight with cash, we recommend using a travel rewards credit card that will earn you a sizable return for your purchase. For example, The Platinum Card^® from American Express will earn you 5x points per dollar spent on airfare booked directly through the airline or via AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points).

Of course, you can also redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points for flights, but note that Rapid Rewards points have a fixed value, meaning they’re tied directly to the cost of a ticket, so it may not always be the best value to do so. However, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio, so it’s easy to earn Rapid Rewards points.

However, there’s an even more enticing way to book Southwest flights now that they can be booked through Chase Travel.

Those with certain Chase credit cards can redeem their points at elevated rates of either 1.25 cents (with the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card) or 1.5 cents per point (with the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®) within Chase Travel, allowing Southwest flyers to earn both Rapid Rewards points and elite-qualifying points since tickets booked with Ultimate Rewards points via Chase Travel are considered “revenue tickets” by the airline.

Bottom Line:

Final Thoughts

This is a monumental change from Southwest, which has long been furiously opposed to opening its fares to platforms other than its own.

Now, however, that’s all changing. While Southwest doesn’t typically offer bargain-basement prices like Frontier or Spirit, the airline has a fierce following and offers perks like 2 free checked bags that go above and beyond what the legacy carriers (American, Delta, and United) offer.

Giving travelers the ability to compare prices between essentially all major airlines in the U.S. in a single place will allow them to find the best flight for them.