Southwest's FLOWERS Promo Code Has Ended: When to Pay Cash vs. Redeem Points

Southwest's Mother's Day sale offers flights from $49. We calculate whether to book with cash or points, plus how Southwest credit cards boost your return.

TL;DR: Southwest's FLOWERS code offers $49-79 flights for May 14-17. Cash beats points on these short routes. Southwest credit cards earn 3x points on purchases, making cash fares even better. Save your points for flights over $150 where redemptions deliver 1.5+ cents per point value.

You've saved 25,000 Southwest points for a Mother's Day trip. Now Southwest drops their FLOWERS promo with $49 one-way fares. Should you burn points or pay cash? Here's the math.

What the FLOWERS promo actually delivers

Southwest's code FLOWERS unlocks fares starting at $49 one-way for travel May 14-17, 2026. Sale ends April 30, 2026. (Verified 2026-04-22 — Southwest.com booking page)

The fine print:

Limited seats at lowest prices
Select routes only
Must book by April 30
Non-refundable fares on some routes

Cash vs. points: the redemption math

Southwest points typically redeem at 1.2-1.4 cents each. For the general math behind why the same point can be worth very different amounts, see our explainer on what a point is actually worth. On sale fares:

$49 flight: Costs 3,500 points (1.4 cents/point value)
$79 flight: Costs 5,600 points (1.4 cents/point value)
$149 flight: Costs 10,700 points (1.4 cents/point value)

At these sale prices, you're getting standard point value — not a deal. But when you pay cash, you also earn points.

How Southwest credit cards change the equation

Paying cash for a $49 flight earns:

Base earnings: 294 points (6x on Southwest purchases)
With Southwest card: 490 points total (10x — 6x base + 4x card bonus)
Net cost: Your $49 flight effectively costs $43.10 after point earnings

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card ($229/yr) delivers:

4x points on Southwest purchases
7,500 anniversary points (worth $90-105)
Group 5 boarding for you and up to 8 passengers on the same reservation
25% back on inflight purchases

What the marketing doesn't tell you: The best "deal" isn't using your saved points on sale fares — it's paying cash to double-dip on earning while prices are low.

When to actually redeem Southwest points

Points beat cash when:

Expensive last-minute flights: $300+ one-way fares deliver 2.0+ cents per point
Business Select fares: Premium cabin often yields 1.8-2.2 cents per point
With Companion Pass: Your companion flies free, doubling redemption value
Peak travel dates: Christmas, Thanksgiving when cash prices spike

The redemption sweet spot: flights over $150 one-way where you consistently get 1.5+ cents per point. If you're also sitting on transferable points, our May 2026 transfer bonus roundup covers which transfers are worth chasing this month.

Strategic booking for this sale

Best approach: Book $49-79 FLOWERS fares with cash using a Southwest credit card. You'll:

Save your points for expensive future flights
Earn 10x points on the purchase (worth $5-7)
Qualify faster for A-List status (25 flights/year)
Build toward Companion Pass (110,000 points/year)

Skip cash if: The route you need prices above $150 even with the sale. At that point, points deliver better value. We've run this same cash-or-points test on a Hilton wedding-weekend deal too, if you want to see the math applied somewhere other than airfare.

Bottom line

Southwest's FLOWERS sale makes cash the winner on short routes under $80. With a Southwest credit card earning 3x bonus points, you're getting $5-7 back on a $49 fare. Save your 25,000 points for expensive holiday flights where they'll deliver $375-450 in value instead of $300.

This is educational content, not financial advice. Credit card terms change frequently — verify current terms at the issuer's official site before applying. RewardsGuru.club does not currently receive compensation from any issuer for recommendations.