Wait, now?! Yes, I realize that no one has received confirmation that they are “in” for the 2018 Boston Marathon yet (though if you qualified by at least 10 minutes you should be pretty set). So, why am I saying to book your flights for the 2018 Boston Marathon now?
Book Your Flights for the 2018 Boston Marathon Now
courtesy TFoxFoto / Shutterstock.com
There is one domestic airline that makes it incredibly easy to secure your flights for the 2018 Boston Marathon right now – without having to pay a penalty if you need to cancel for not getting in.
Most airlines will charge you a hefty fee on the cheaper tickets (“non-refundable” tickets) if you try to change your flights. If you try to cancel, you will also pay that fee and you will only have credit to use on a future flight. But, Southwest has the best cancellation/change policy of any airline in the US and it is a no-brainer to lock your flights in for Boston – especially if you use points.
Book Southwest Flights Now
Currently, Southwest has their flight schedule open through June of 2018 so you are clear to book your Boston Marathon flights – even though you don’t yet know if you are running the Boston Marathon. Here is what you need to know.
Southwest Flights Booked With Cash Can Be Cancelled For Free
If you book your Southwest flights today for the 2018 Boston Marathon, you can cancel right up until 10 minutes before the flight leaves and get all your money back – as Southwest credit for a future flight. The credit is good for a future flight as long as it is booked and flown before one year from the date the original ticket was issued. So, if you book today and then cancel later, you can use that credit up until September 12, 2018.
If you fly Southwest, this is not a big deal. But, if you rarely use them, then consider booking your flights for the Boston Marathon with points instead.
Southwest Flights Booked with Points Is The Way to Go!
Not only can you cancel up until 10 minutes before the flight and get all your points back for free, but you can also get a pretty great value for your points! Many Southwest reward redemptions give you a value of around 1.5 cents per point.
But, there are also many flights that will give you more than that – even over 2 cents per point! That means it is a good idea to use points, not just for the cancellation policy but for the value as well. Just remember you will not earn points for an award flight.
So, Why Should You Book Flights for the Boston Marathon Now?
This is probably one of the best times to lock in your flights – even though you don’t know yet if you are going! This is because everyone else also does not “know” with confirmation from Boston that they are in yet. That means the flight availability is likely the best right now. Once confirmation notices go out to the runners, flights will start booking up.
Since you can cancel for free and either get your points back or get a credit for revenue tickets, now is the best time to buy your Boston Marathon flights with Southwest.
If you don’t have any Southwest points, consider the current Southwest card offers for 60,000 points per card.
