Want to book holiday flights? Southwest to start selling Thanksgiving, Christmas tickets this week

Travelers have been asking Southwest Airlines for weeks when it plans to open its schedule for bookings through the busy holiday travel season.

The answer has changed a couple times, and at one point was as late as June 20, almost a month later than normal — freaking out plan-ahead travelers trying to finalize their year-end trips.

The airline now has a firm date, and it's almost here: Thursday, May 30.

That's the day Southwest, which opens its schedule in increments rather than nearly a year in advance like most major airlines, will extend the booking window through Jan. 5. Southwest's schedule is currently only open through Nov. 2.

Southwest did not reveal what time the schedule will open on Thursday. The airline only sells its tickets on its website and over the phone.

Most of Southwest's competitors, including American, Delta and United, have been selling holiday tickets for months.

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But Southwest is the nation's largest domestic carrier and has legions of loyal fans who turn to the airline first when booking flights. It's also a price leader on many routes, so fares usually get a shake-up the day its schedule opens.

That doesn't mean that Southwest's fares are the cheapest — they often aren't any more — or that travelers with flexible schedules should book holiday tickets this far in advance. Fares might go down — or up — in the next several months. Most people don't buy their holiday flights this early. Last year, nearly 40% of travelers waited until November to search for Thanksgiving and Christmas flights, according to Hopper, a mobile travel app.

One plus on Southwest: if you book a nonrefundable flight now and the fare goes down on that flight or another flight, you can cancel and rebook without paying an onerous ticket change fee. The airline issues a Southwest credit for any difference. The credit can only be used by the named passenger.

Southwest isn't the only airline yet to begin holiday travel bookings.

Frontier Airlines is currently accepting reservations through Nov. 13. The airline expects to begin holiday bookings at the end of June, spokesman Zach Kramer said.

Spirit Airlines is only accepting reservations through Dec. 18. The airline plans to extend the booking window "relatively soon,'' spokesman Derek Dombrowski said.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Want to book holiday flights? Southwest to start selling Thanksgiving, Christmas tickets this week