Yes. Unexpected changes to your travel plans can happen due to any uncertainties. When faced with such scenarios, having flexible flight options will allow you to avoid losing your booking. If you booked your flight with Southwest Airlines, you can benefit from their flexible change policy, allowing you to modify your travel plans without incurring any flight change fees. You can easily make these adjustments through their official website or by contacting their customer service team. Let’s discuss the Southwest Airlines Change Flight policy in detail through this blog.
Southwest Airlines Flight Change Policy
When you change your flight with Southwest Airlines, you won’t be charged a change fee, regardless of your fare type, as long as you make the change at least 10 minutes before departure. However, you must follow the airline’s guidelines for changing flights. Here are some important points to remember when modifying your Southwest flights:
- The airline does not impose a change fee for most flight routes even to non-refundable fares.
- You can make changes up to 10 minutes before scheduled departure.
- According to the Southwest Airlines Change Flight policy, passengers can change their schedules even after checking in.
- Changes made within 24 hours of departure allow you to change your booking for free, regardless of fare category or destination.
- For basic or standard fares, changes made within one day of departure are subject to Southwest Airlines flight change fees and availability.
- If you do not change your booking and fail to travel on the scheduled date, you will be considered a No-Show, and the airline will forfeit the booking value.
- The airline also permits you to change a return flight; however, you will need to pay fare differences and the timing of your booking.
- Passengers with nonrefundable fares can upgrade to refundable ones at no additional fees, but they must pay the fare difference and any applicable taxes.
Please Note
For flights booked with a companion, you must first cancel their itinerary before making changes. If you cancel your upgraded flight, you will receive a refund for fare differences, while the original fare will be converted to travel credit. To get appropriate support, contact the customer service team at 1 (800) 435-9792.
What Is The Southwest No-Show Policy?
If you are unable to board your flight, the airline will terminate your booking under no-show clause. However, Southwest Airlines has a Flight Change policy that requires you to change your reservation at least 10 minutes before the departure time. There are exceptions to the no-show policy, which apply in the event of flight delays or flight cancellations by the airline.
Exceptions
| Flight Routes | Delay Duration |
| Domestic Flights | Three or more hours |
| International Flights | Six or more hours |
Please Note
If you do not cancel your reservation within this timeframe, your booking will be canceled, and you may lose the value of your ticket. Connect with the team at 1 (800) 435-9792 to check other alternatives.
Business Select and Anytime Fares
- Business Select or Anytime tickets are eligible for a refund, which will be issued as flight credits for future travel.
- If you booked a Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus ticket using reward points, those points will also be forfeited, along with any applicable taxes and fees.
Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus Fares
- Bookings made with Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus fares will be non-refundable and forfeited by the airline.
- On the other hand, Anytime or Business Select reward travel reservations will have the points redeposited into their Rapid Rewards account.
Reasons That Hinder You From Changing Your Southwest Flight
The airline offers one of the most flexible flight change options. However, certain restrictions may prevent you from changing your flight. Let’s discuss the factors here:
- Non-refundable fares do not allow changes within 10 minutes of departure.
- If the desired flight is full or has limited seats, a change may not be possible.
- Reservations made through a third-party website are not considered valid for flight changes.
- Business Select and Anytime fare holders can make changes till the date of departure for free.
For accurate information regarding your situation, you must reach out to Southwest Airlines directly and review their flight change policy.
What To Do When Southwest Airlines Changes Your Flight?
When you experience an involuntary flight change with Southwest, you can contact the customer service team to check the changes that have occurred. Reach out to them and follow the steps above.
- Check the alternative flights they offer to see if they meet your needs.
- If the new flight suits you, you can accept the changes and confirm your booking.
- You can change your flight date or time at no extra charge up to 14 days before your original booking date.
- If you are not comfortable with the new itinerary, Southwest allows you to cancel your booking and claim a refund to your original payment method.
- In some cases, the airline may provide alternative options, such as travel credits and lounge access, to improve your experience.
How Much Does Southwest Charge For Changing Flights?
The airline offers one of the most flexible change policies available. You can modify your travel plans up until the departure date, and the best part is that changes are allowed even just 10 minutes before the flight departs at no additional cost. You heard right; you can change your travel date for free, even on the same day of departure.
Premium fare holders do not incur any flight change fees. However, if you do not make changes in time or fail to board your flight, the airline will forfeit the booking value. This means you may have to pay up to 100% of the airfare as Southwest Airlines Flight Change Fees.
On the other hand, if you are traveling with non-refundable fares, you won’t be able to make changes for free after the allotted timeline. If your flight change isn’t your fault, the airline will let you rebook for free on the next available flight, no matter the fare class or destination.
Does Southwest Airlines Have A Same-Day Change Policy?
Southwest has updated its Flight Change Policy for greater flexibility, allowing same-day changes as well. Continue to learn more:
- Rapid Rewards members can change their flights for free, though fare differences may apply based on circumstances.
- The airline permits same-day standby for selected routes. To do so, you must visit the airport gate and ask an agent for assistance.
- Changes to Business Select and Anytime Fares can be made on the same day. They can adjust flight schedules up to 10 minutes before scheduled departure.
According to the Southwest Airlines flight change policy, you can make schedule changes for free, but you will need to pay any applicable taxes and fare differences. You can change your flight date multiple times, even on the day of departure. However, it’s important to check the specific rules according to your fare type. To get assistance, you can contact the customer service team at 1 (800) 435-9792 to manage your booking accordingly.
How To Submit The Southwest Airlines Flight Change Form?
You can change your flight schedule by contacting the customer service team through an official toll-free number or by visiting the nearest airport desk. For a hassle-free experience, you can also make changes directly on the official website. Let’s go over the methods in detail:
Online
- Head to the official website.
- Complete the login procedure.
- On the homepage, tap on the Change/Cancel tab.
- Enter the following information in respective fields
- Confirmation number
- First Name
- Last Name
- Select the Change option.
- Tap on the search tab.
- Select the journey.
- Follow on-screen instructions and make the required changes in your schedule.
Offline
- Dial 1 (800) 435-9792.
- Listen to IVR and connect to an available agent.
- Share booking credentials.
- Select your journey.
- Request changes as per your need.
- Pay fare differences, and the assigned representative will make all required changes to your scheduled itinerary.
Please Note
You might need to pay service charges if you are making changes to your schedule through offline channels.
Conclusion
Changing flights with Southwest Airlines is quite simple. Depending on your fare type, the airline allows free changes even on the same day of departure. The airline accepts change requests up to 10 minutes before departure, giving you the flexibility to adjust your plans according to your needs. If you need to change your flight date, contact the customer service team to understand the Southwest Airlines Change Flight policy based on the fare type.
