Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy

The Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy is simple and straightforward. You can cancel your flight for free without any hidden charges, as long as you do it within the specified time frame. Making last-minute changes to your travel plans can result in exorbitant cancellation fees, often exceeding $100, and occasionally even surpassing the cost of the ticket itself. You have two options to request a Southwest flight cancellation: online or by phone call.

What are the Key Details of Southwest Cancellation Policy?

  • There is no Southwest cancellation fee.
  • There is no fee for making changes.
  • You don’t have to wait for annoying phone calls for your Southwest flight cancellation.
  • To cancel, you have two convenient options: the official website or the mobile app.

What is Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy?

Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy

Southwest Airlines has three types of fares: Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select.

Here are the primary highlights of Southwest’s cancellation policy:

  • The Wanna Get Away fare on Southwest Airlines can be used again, but it cannot be refunded according to their refund policy.
  • The Anytime and Business Select fares can be fully refunded and reused.
  • According to Southwest Airlines cancellation policy, if you have a Wanna Get Away, Anytime, or Business Select fare, you can use it for a future trip within one year from the date you originally bought the ticket. However, only the person who was originally ticketed can use it. 
  • You can reuse and get a refund for fares if you cancel them according to Southwest cancellation policy. This means you need to cancel your flight at least 10 minutes before it was supposed to depart. 
  • If you have an Anytime or Business fare with Southwest Airlines and you need to cancel your flight, you can choose to get a refund in the same way you paid or receive Travel Funds to use for a future trip. 
  • When you cancel Southwest Airlines flights that were booked using fare points, the points you used will be returned to your account.
  • You can get a refund for any taxes and fees paid for a Southwest Airline flight.

Southwest 24-Hour Cancellation Policy

According to Southwest 24 hour cancellation policy, you have the option to cancel your flight booking either online or through the app within 24 hours of making the booking. If you want to get a refund for your Southwest flight, you can receive it in the original form of payment. Alternatively, you have the option to generate Travel Funds instead. 

If you need to cancel a flight, simply call the cancellations helpline within 24 hours of making the booking. 

What is Southwest Cancellation Fee?

Southwest Airlines Cancellation policy didn’t typically charge Southwest cancellation fee. However, their policies can change, so it’s important to check the most up-to-date information on the official Southwest Airlines website or contact their customer service for the latest details on their cancellation policies.

Here are some key points related to Southwest cancellation fee policy as it was in early 2022:

  1. No Cancellation Fee: Southwest Airlines generally did not charge a separate cancellation fee for changing or canceling a flight. This flexibility is one of the airline’s customer-friendly features.

  2. Reusable Funds: When you canceled a flight with Southwest, the funds spent on the original reservation were typically converted into reusable travel funds. These funds could be applied towards a future flight with Southwest Airlines.

  3. No Expiration Date: The travel funds did not have an expiration date, which gave passengers the flexibility to use them for future travel whenever it was convenient for them.

  4. Cancellation Window: You could cancel a flight and receive travel funds up to 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

How to Cancel a Southwest Flight?

To cancel your Southwest flight, you have a few options. You can do it online through their website or mobile app. Another option is to give them a call. Lastly, you can cancel at the airport counter, but make sure to do it at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

Southwest Flight Cancellation Online

Here is a simple guide on how to cancel your Southwest Airlines flight online:

  • To find your reservation on Southwest Airlines, you can either use the desktop website or the mobile app. Simply go to Southwest.com on your computer or open the Southwest Airlines app on your phone. Then, click on the menu and select ‘Look Up Reservation’.
  • If you booked a flight with Southwest Airlines using Rapid Rewards, you can easily cancel or change your reservation by logging into your account and finding the booking. This is in accordance with Southwest cancellation policy
  • Please provide the six-digit confirmation number and the passenger’s name in the required field.
  • When you receive your booking confirmation, you will find information about any travel funds or Southwest Airlines flight refund balance that you have available. 
  • If Southwest has canceled your flight and you are eligible for a refund, you have the option to receive a refund or convert the value of the airfare into travel funds.
  • To cancel the flight, simply click on the ‘Cancel flight’ button. If you have a booking confirmation for Southwest Airlines with multiple passengers, you can choose a specific passenger to cancel. 
  • According to Southwest refund policy, it may take one to two billing cycles for the airfare refund to show up on your account statement.

Southwest Flight Cancellation Over The Phone

Passengers have the option to cancel their flight and request a refund from Southwest Airlines by calling them over the phone.

  • Please call the Southwest Airlines cancellation policy phone number.
  • To easily find your booking, make sure you have the passenger’s name and the six-digit booking reference nearby.
  • Please request the travel expert to cancel the booking. Make sure to monitor the Travel Funds or refundable amount linked to your booking. 
  • It may take one to two billing cycles for the refund from Southwest Airlines flight to show up on your account statement.

Southwest Flight Cancellation at Airport Counter

If you’re a passenger on Southwest Airlines and need to cancel your flight, you can do so at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Just go to the airport counter and speak to one of the airline’s customer representatives. 

Can Southwest Compensate for Flight Cancellation?

Southwest Airlines promises compensation to passengers whose flights are delayed at least three hours before departure.

  • The cost of the flight is 325 USD for distances less than 1500 km.
  • The cost of the flight is 475 USD for distances between 1500 and 3500 km.
  • The cost for flights that are longer than 3500 km is 725 USD.

Passengers can receive compensation for a Southwest Airlines flight cancellation in the following situations:

  • Health emergencies
  • Weather cancellation 
  • Medical emergency
  • Riots or State Emergency
  • Severe traffic 
  • Airport strike
  • Airlines bankruptcy
  • Flight fails to reach the final destination or stopover
  • Passengers fail to board the connecting flight

What is Southwest Refund Policy?

Yes, you can get a full refund for Southwest Airlines flights. Here are the key points from Southwest refund policy:

  • Some fares offered by Southwest Airlines cannot be refunded. When you cancel a Southwest flight with the Wanna Get Away fare,
  • The fare can be reused, but it cannot be refunded. However, the Anytime and Business Select fares are both fully refundable and reusable.
  • Southwest Airlines will refund the canceled flight by returning the money for the part of the ticket that was not used. 
  • You can get a refund for fares that are refundable and have no restrictions. This refund can be used for future travel or for canceling a flight reservation within 12 months from the date it was issued. 
  • Any refunds for original flights will be credited back to the original payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions-FAQ's

Southwest Airlines has a straightforward cancellation policy. You can cancel your flight for free within a specified time frame. There are no hidden charges, and you have two options to request a cancellation: online or by phone call.

Southwest Airlines has no cancellation fee, and there is no fee for making changes. You can cancel your flight through the official website or mobile app, avoiding the need for phone calls.

The refundability of your ticket depends on the fare type. Wanna Get Away fares cannot be refunded but can be reused. Anytime and Business Select fares are fully refundable and reusable. If you cancel according to Southwest’s no-show policy, you can get a refund for these fares.

You can cancel your flight booking within 24 hours of making it either online or through the app. You have the option to receive a refund in the original form of payment or generate Travel Funds. If you need to cancel, simply call the cancellations helpline within 24 hours of booking.

To cancel your Southwest flight online, go to the Southwest website or mobile app and select ‘Look Up Reservation’ in the menu. If you booked with Rapid Rewards, log into your account with the confirmation number and passenger’s name. Click the ‘Cancel flight’ button, and you’ll receive a refund or Travel Funds.

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