southwest airlines new routes just made your summer travel cheaper, but you need to book by Friday.
The budget-friendly carrier just dropped a massive route expansion, including long-awaited nonstop flights to hot vacation spots like Cancun and Hawaii from smaller cities that traditionally required a connection. For travelers in places like Nashville, Kansas City, and Sacramento, this could mean saving up to $150 per ticket by avoiding airport layovers and hidden hub fees. One consumer advocate flagged the real winner here: leisure travelers who were getting gouged on short-haul flights now have more leverage. Southwest's signature "bags fly free" policy still applies, so you can pack your sunscreen without a penalty. However, the sneaky fine print is that these new routes are only available for booking through the weekend, and prices are already climbing. If you wait until Monday, expect to pay an average of 20% more for those coveted nonstop seats. Smart money move: grab the deal now, even if you aren't sure about your exact dates—Southwest allows free changes.