Southwest Vacation Packages: What You Need to Know

Booking vacation packages can be a great way to cut down on trip planning stress. Instead of spending weeks trying to sort out all of the details of a trip, you can book transportation and accommodations together. Plus, doing it this way can even save you money.

If you’re looking at Southwest and are thinking of booking a trip, you may have some questions about the process. Here’s what you need to know about Southwest vacation packages:

Southwest Vacations packages offer travelers the chance to book hotels, flights, rental cars and activities together. Doing this can make it possible to trim trip expenses, and it allows travelers to book their whole trip all at once, rather than having to spend time booking flights and hotels separately. All you do is search and book.

To book a package, head over to southwestvacations.com and you will see a screen where you can input your trip details and search for a package.

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Southwest all-inclusive vacations are available, too

Southwest also offers all-inclusive vacation packages in Mexico and the Caribbean. All-inclusive stays will offer drinks, dining, entertainment and various activities included at no additional cost. If you’re the type of traveler who likes to stay in all-inclusive resorts, see if you can save money by booking through Southwest’s portal.

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When you book Southwest Airlines vacation packages and add extras like hotels and rental cars, you can save money on the total trip, which could mean a bigger spending budget to use at your destination.

Another benefit is that you can take advantage of Southwest’s Lowest Price Promise. This means if you see a lower price on SouthwestVacations.com for the same trip that you’ve booked, you're eligible for a travel credit for the price difference. To get this credit, all trip details must be exactly the same — for example, hotel, room type, trip dates, flight fare types and flight number.

When you book Southwest Airlines vacation packages and add extras like hotels and rental cars, you can save money on the total trip, which could mean a bigger spending budget to use at your destination.

Another benefit is that you can take advantage of Southwest’s Lowest Price Promise. This means if you see a lower price on SouthwestVacations.com for the same trip that you’ve booked, you're eligible for a travel credit for the price difference. To get this credit, all trip details must be exactly the same — for example, hotel, room type, trip dates, flight fare types and flight number.

Yes, you can save money. In some cases, the savings might be minimal (or nonexistent), but often, it can make good financial sense. Be sure to compare the details of your trip as individual components before booking a Southwest Vacations package.

Here’s an example of trip savings that are possible:

For this long-weekend couples’ trip to Chicago, the Southwest Vacations total is $598.87 or $299.44 per person.

To check if this is a better deal than making reservations separately, here's a look at the reservation prices: The total flight price is $355.92 for two people.

The hotel reservation total is $349.82. This price also includes a discount because of a promotion that the hotel is running.

When booking separately, the cost of the hotel and flight is $705.74 vs. $598.87 if you booked the trip as a vacation package. As you can see, the Southwest Vacations package total is a better deal, with a savings of $106.87.

Southwest Vacations Deals

If you want to save as much as possible when booking a Southwest vacation package, be sure to check out Southwest Vacations Deals. This section of the SouthwestVacations.com website lists discounts and savings opportunities, and these deals change over time. If you book a qualifying trip, you may be able to cut the trip cost even further or may be eligible for resort coupons and credits.

Yes. When booking Southwest Vacations, you’ll be eligible to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points on the flight portion of the package. Additionally, Southwest sometimes runs promos where you can earn Rapid Rewards points on the land portion of packages.

No. While you have the opportunity to earn Rapid Rewards points on Southwest Vacations, you’re unable to use your points toward the purchase price of a vacation package.

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Southwest doesn’t charge cancellation fees for the air portion of a vacation package. But hotel, rental car or excursion modification or cancellation fees are subject to supplier penalties, which means there's always a risk of fees for these items if you make changes after booking.

One way to avoid this is to purchase Southwest Vacations Travel Protection — a type of travel insurance that is an optional add-on available for purchase before completing your transaction. This protection provides a full refund of your vacation package; you’ll be eligible for an air credit for the flight portions of the package and a refund to the original form of payment for other elements in the package.

For more protection, consider purchasing a standalone travel insurance plan for your vacation. Costs typically vary depending on the estimated price of your vacation.

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You can reach Southwest vacations customer service by email, phone, or regular mail.

Email: If you have questions before or during your trip, email [email protected]. After your trip, you’ll want to email [email protected].

Phone: If you need to get in touch before your vacation, call 1-800-243-8372. If you’re outside the U.S., the number is 1-414-934-3017. Phone support is available:

• Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. CT.

• Saturday-Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CT.

If you’re calling during your trip, the number is 1-800-775-7105, and support is available 24 hours per day.

Mail: If you’d rather send a letter, the address is: Southwest Vacations, Attn: Customer Service, 8969 N. Port Washington Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53217.

Southwest Vacations can help you get a deal on your next trip. Before finalizing a Southwest vacation package booking:

1. Compare the price of all of the elements of your trip to the bundled price offered by Southwest Vacations.

2. Enter your Rapid Rewards account number during checkout to maximize your points-earning potential.

3. Check out Southwest Vacations Deals to find special discounts and savings opportunities. Consider buying Southwest Vacations Travel Protection for greater flexibility.