Saving & Spending

6 Nearly Secret Things To Do If You Fly Southwest

Southwest Airlines 737-800 Max aircraft
Last updated July 14, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

AIRLINE NEWS: Southwest Airlines will soon move to an assigned seating model — a departure from its policy of allowing passengers to choose any available seat upon boarding.

Maybe you're excited for this change, or maybe not. But if you love flying Southwest, the money moves on this page were practically made for you. Because being a savvy traveler doesn't always mean getting the window seat.

Read on to learn how you can earn extra cash, save more money, cancel unwanted bills and much, much more.

Earn a bonus worth $200 to use toward your next flight or hotel 

If you're planning a trip, apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) here and you can earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $500 in the first 3 months — that's worth $200 toward travel!

There is no extra work beyond the spending requirement to earn the early spend bonus, no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fee. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card also lets you earn 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 

Redeem miles for flights, hotels, and car rentals, OR statement credits, gift cards, and transfers to over 15 airline or hotel partners! If you travel even once a year this card could is worth it and could net you with $100s in rewards to use toward travel. Don't delay — apply today!

Recommended for good or excellent credit.

Click here to apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card now

Use this genius trick to save money on flights

Travel can be pricey. But this new extension could make your travel plans way cheaper than you thought possible.

Capital One Shopping can help you find lower prices on flights, hotels, and other travel necessities. It can automatically apply available coupons and compare prices across sites — if there is an available deal on a flight or hotel, it’ll show it to you. It also works with Amazon and other websites to find you even more deals.

Download the extension now before you go to book your next flight. It only takes a few seconds to install, but if you don’t get it you could be missing out on savings the next time you travel.

Get the extension

Set up direct deposit - pocket up to $500

If you aren't banking with Bank of America, you could be missing out on a huge boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.

Earn a bonus of up to $500 when you open a Bank of America Advantage Banking account through this page by September 30, 2026, and set up and receive Qualifying Direct Deposits into your new account within 90 days of account opening. Your bonus amount will be based on the total amount of your qualifying direct deposits received in the first 90 days.

This is practically passive income and a great way to supercharge your earnings. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following the steps above.

Open your account and earn up to a $500 bonus

Pay no interest into 2027

Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% intro APR on a big purchase or balance transfer (APR then 17.49% - 26.49% Variable; Balance transfer fee applies). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading low-interest cards — the Discover it® Cash Back (Rates and fees).

Cardholders get a generous intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (APR then 17.49% - 26.49% Variable) — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest into 2027! 

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (APR then 17.49% - 26.49% Variable). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!

The best part? The Discover it® Cash Back card is accepted by 99% of merchants (according to the February 2025 issue of the Nilson Report), boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

Need to change your ticket? No problem (and no fees)

Let's say you fall in love in Belize and want to stay an extra two weeks (we can dream), or something comes up at work and you can't take that weekend trip you had planned. Things happen in life you don't expect, and the Southwest Airlines flight change policy reflects that fact.

While other major airlines might charge up to $150 to change your ticket to another date, Southwest will never charge a change fee. You might pay a difference in the cost of the fare, but you'll never have to pay more than that to change your ticket.

If the price drops, you can get a credit toward a future trip

Another great feature of Southwest's change policy is that you can rebook your ticket if the fare price drops. You'll receive the difference in credit toward a future flight. This allows you to book your flight well in advance and still take advantage of last-minute deals.

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2026 AWARD WINNERBest No-Annual-Fee Travel Card
  • Excellent earning potential for a $0 annual fee
  • Offers a welcome bonus
  • No spending caps on rewards categories
  • Cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible)
  • Apply Now
  • Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
  • Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
  • Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
  • $0 annual fee.
  • 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter.
  • Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
  • Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
  • Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
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