Southwest Flight Change Policy

About Southwest Airlines

There are many cases in which passengers are forced to cancel their flights. But due to the cancellation policy of an airline, they become entitled to pay a fee. This way both the airline and the passenger face a considerable loss. To counter this situation, there is a Southwest flight change option, applied for the betterment of both the parties. But with such an option, comes a policy and regulations, which you must read before applying for flight change. Below is our guide of the change policy and also the applicability of it for different ticket types.

Southwest Flight Change Policy

Southwest Airlines(WN) is a popular and major American airline and also the largest low-cost carrier of the world. It’s successfully run scheduled flights to several destinations since 1967. Being in business for such a long time Southwest understands the constraints faced by the passengers and to help them they have created a seamless Southwest Airlines change flight system for all the passengers. 

• Southwest Airlines change policy allows you to make changes to your flight without any hassle. 
• Southwest has removed the change fee for all flights, irrespective of the ticket type and flight route.
• If you make the changes and the new flight costs more than the original one, you may have to pay for the fare difference depending upon the route.
• If your new flight costs less than the older one, then the airline will credit the fare difference in your original source of payment.
• Sometimes, the airline may not provide the credit and may hold the amount for future use in the form of a reusable travel fund for originally ticketed passengers.
• If you’ve booked a ticket from Southwest’s official website, then you can easily make a flight change through Southwest.com or their mobile app.

Southwest(WN) Flight Change For Refundable Ticket

• There are three fare types of Southwest, “ Wanna Get Away”, “Anytime” and “Business Select”. 
• As per Southwest flight change policy, anytime and business select fare is fully refundable, provided that you make a flight change upto 10 mins prior the original scheduled departure. 
• If you change your flight itinerary within the allotted time frame, then the airline will provide you an option to get a refund in your original payment gateway or reusable travel fund for future usage.
• If you’re planning to change your flight itinerary, it’s best to purchase a Business Select or Anytime fare ticket, to enjoy all the benefits provided under the flight change policy of Southwest.

Southwest Flight Change For Non- Refundable Ticket

• As per the Southwest modify flight ticket policy “ Wanna Get Away,” ticket fare is taken as non-refundable. 
• Since there is no change fee charged, the non-refundable tickets are either given a travel fund or credited a fare difference. 
• If flights are canceled after the scheduled departure has taken place or the allotted time frame gets over, then the flights will immediately become non-refundable.
• Flight tickets changed after the allowed time are considered as ‘no show’ and forfeited from claiming refund. 

Southwest Flight Change For Wanna Get Away Ticket

• Southwest flight change rules for Wanna Get Away ticket fare are a little rigid as compared to other two fare types.  
• The tickets changed under this fare type are not eligible for a refund, even if you make changes within 24-hours of booking.
• Instead of providing a refund, the airline has allotted a ticket fund option for this ticket fare. 
• You can use this travel fund for 12 month from the date it’s issued and is applicable for only originally ticketed passengers.
• If you don’t change flight itinerary at least 10 mins prior departure or do not board the flight, then all your remaining unused Wanna Get Away funds will be forfeited.

Southwest Flight Change For Anytime and Business Select Ticket

• Anytime and Business Select ticket fares enjoy a wholesome of benefits under the flight change umbrella of Southwest Airlines.
• These fares are eligible for a full refund until 10 minutes prior to the original scheduled departure.
• The refund will be credited to the original source of payment. If you’ve used travel funds from a previous reservation, then the funds will be refunded as flight credit. 

Southwest Flight Change For Tickets Booked with Vouchers

• Fortunately, you can easily make changes to your flights booked with a voucher as per Southwest Airlines change flight guidelines. 
• Bookings made via vouchers are entitled to travel funds for the amount you paid including the amount of the voucher.
• These travel funds are entitled to be used by the original traveler and must be utilized until the voucher expires. 

Steps To Change Southwest Airline Flights

You can seamlessly change your Southwest flights through the official website and through their mobile app. Here’s a step by step guide on how to make changes to your flight.

• Visit https://www.southwest.com/ from any browser(Safari or Google Chrome)
• Click on the cancel/change tab.
• Add your ticket credentials and hit the search button.
• Choose the flight you want to change.
• Click on Select new flights.
• If you had booked a round-trip, both your departure and return destinations will appear. 
• After choosing your flight, make the changes and confirm them.
• Southwest will send you a confirmation over your registered email. 

Southwest Flight Change For All Destinations 

• North America
  The flight change policy of Southwest states that all the passengers flying to all the destinations within the USA, Canada, Mexico, and other countries of North America, are entitled to make changes to their flights without paying any change fee or fare difference. However, the changed flights must be utilized within one year from the original date of purchase. 
• All International Destinations
  The Southwest Flight Change policy for international itineraries states that all passengers flying outside North America can also make changes to their flights without paying any change fee. However, when you’re flying to Latin America then a fare difference might be charged, irrespective of the ticket fare type.  

Southwest Flight Change Fee

Southwest Airlines never charges a change fee, even if your flight is non-refundable. However, in some cases you might be asked to pay a fare difference, depending upon the route and ticket fare you have purchased. This might be the first American airline to not charge any sum of penalty despite being a low-cost airline. 

Southwest Same-Day Flight Change

• Southwest same-day change guidelines are different from other airlines and follow different rules for each ticket fare.
• There is no same-day fee charged for flight tickets changed on the day of travel.
• If Passengers with WGA tickets want to change their flight on the day of scheduled departure, they must upgrade their ticket to Anytime or Business Select fare.
• With Business Select or Anytime ticket fare, you can make same day changes without any extra charges.

Southwest Flight Upgrade

• Passengers with Wanna Get Away or Anytime tickets can ask for a flight upgrade either from the airport or via the official website. 
• They can upgrade their ticket, but here’s the thing; like other airlines the ticket won’t be upgraded to first class or business class.
• This means that with a flight upgrade you will get added perks but won’t get a more comfortable seat since all passengers are allotted the same kind of seats regardless of the fare.
• With a flight upgrade to business select offers many benefits such as more reward points, full refund, priority boarding and check-in, and premium in-flight meals.
• When you upgrade a flight from Wanna Get away to Business Select, then you won’t be paying any change fee; instead, you will be asked to pay the fare difference. 

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