Check Cancellation Policy
Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy
You can cancel your Southwest Airlines ticket in a hassle-free manner. No cancellation charges are applicable if the ticket is canceled 10 minutes before departure, which means you will be eligible for a FULL REFUND.
The Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy can help you identify which rules apply to your situation, enabling you to act appropriately.
You can get immediate help with the process of how to cancel a Southwest flight ticket by filling out the form above.
How to Cancel a Flight Ticket Through Southwest Airlines?
- Visit the official website at www.southwest.com
- Sign in to your "Southwest Airlines Account," and navigate to the "Flight" option from the drop-down menu
- Click on "Manage Reservations" to proceed
- Provide the requested information, including your confirmation number, first name, and last name, to ensure your reservation is correctly identified
- Click the "Cancel Flight" button and then hit "Continue" to complete the process
- On the following page, a pop-up window will appear to indicate whether your flight is eligible for a refund or not. Rest assured that if you're entitled to a refund, the amount will be promptly credited back to your account
If you want to make changes to your existing Southwest flight booking, get all the information you need in the Southwest Flight Change policy.
Southwest Cancellation Fees
The Southwest Cancellation Policy guarantees a complete refund of the payment to the passenger upon cancellation without any additional cancellation charges.
To cancel your Southwest Airlines flight ticket, you need to request the cancellation at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. The table below outlines the method by which the refund will be processed and provided based on the ticket type.
| Ticket Type | Refund Type | Standby Travel Upgrade Required |
|---|---|---|
| Wanna Get Away | Reusable travel funds valid for one year; Rapid Rewards points fully refunded | Upgrade to Anytime Fare |
| Wanna get away Plus | Reusable travel funds valid for one year; Rapid Rewards points fully refunded | Upgrade to Anytime Fare |
| Anytime | Full refund in cash or Rapid Rewards points | Not required |
| Business Select | Full refund in cash or Rapid Rewards points | Not required |
Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy 2023
| Condition | Southwest Cancellation Policy |
|---|---|
| Refundable Tickets | Refundable tickets offer the easiest cancellation, and a full refund, which can be returned to your bank account or stored as a travel fund |
| Non-refundable Tickets | Non-refundable tickets can be canceled, but you must request them at least 10 minutes before departure. You will not receive a refund on the original form of payment, but a travel fund will be provided for future use |
| Bad Weather | If your flight is canceled due to bad weather, you will be reimbursed or offered a rebooked flight under Southwest Airlines' cancellation policy. |
| After Check-in | Cancellations can be made after check-in, but you must request it at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. |
| Rapid Rewards | If you booked your Southwest Airlines seat through Rapid Rewards and cannot travel, you can cancel your flight and transfer the points to your Southwest account. |
| Gift Cards | Canceling a flight purchased with a gift card will result in non-refundable funds held as reusable travel funds with a 12-month expiration period. |
Note:
- You can travel on standby without any extra cost between the same cities and on the same day
- Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy does not offer compensation for flight delays, but they can rebook you on another flight at the same time
Southwest Cancellation Policy For No-show
- Business Select and Anytime tickets: If you missed the flight and did not cancel your flight at least 10 minutes before the departure time, then according to the Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy the ticket price will be converted into travel funds that can be used within a year for future travel
- Wanna Get Away & Wanna get away Plus tickets: If you missed the flight and fail to notify the airlines of your cancellation at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time, the ticket will be forfeited and cannot be used for future travel in accordance with the Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy
Southwest Airlines Refund Policy - How to Submit a Refund Request
- Visit the official Southwest Airlines website at www.southwest.com, and click on the "Manage Booking" tab
- Enter your e-ticket number and the passenger's last name to access your booking details
- Review your existing travel credits on the next page and select the refund option
- Complete the Southwest refund request form to initiate the refund process
- Choose your preferred mode of payment to receive your refund amount
When will the cancellation refund be received?
- Credit Cards: Credit card refunds will be processed within 7 business days from the requested date.
- Cash: Cash refunds for domestic travel will be issued by check within 20 business days from the requested date. The refund policy for international travel depends on the local currency used.
- Points: Points used for booking will be refunded back to the Rapid Rewards account. Taxes/fees paid with points may be refunded as a method-of-payment refund or as flight credit for future use.
- Southwest gift card or Southwest LUV Vouchers: Southwest gift cards or LUV Vouchers will be refunded as flight credit if canceled after 24 hours from booking. Contact Southwest if canceled within 24 hours.
- Flight credit: Flight credit from a previous reservation applied to Business Select or Anytime fare will be refunded as Transferable Flight Credit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If Southwest cancels your flight, you will have a rebooking option under the Southwest Refund Policy. You may book any subsequent flight with available seats for your original ticket.
If there are no available seats, you may receive a Travel Fund that can be used to purchase a ticket for a future flight. However, if you want a refund in the original mode of payment, you may contact Southwest and request assistance as per the Southwest Refund Policy.
If a Southwest airline flight ticket is booked through gift cards and subsequently canceled, the refund will not be given in the original mode of payment under Southwest Airlines cancellation policy. Instead, the amount will be held as reusable travel funds that can be utilized to book future flights within 12 months.
If you don't cancel your flight booking at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time, Southwest Airlines will cancel your reservation. In such a case, you'll receive a Transferable Flight Credit for the value of Business Select or Anytime tickets. However, Wanna Get Away, or Wanna Get Away Plus funds will be lost and cannot be refunded.
Yes, under Southwest refund policy, if you use Rapid Rewards points to book a ticket and later decide to cancel, the points will be redeposited into your account.
No, EarlyBird Check-In is non-refundable. If you cancel your flight, the purchase of EarlyBird Check-In will be forfeited according to the Southwest Cancellation policy. However, if Southwest cancels your flight, you will receive a refund for EarlyBird Check-In.
Southwest Airlines' cancellation policy for medical reasons allows passengers to cancel their flights and receive a full refund if they have a medical emergency or illness that prevents them from flying. Passengers may need to provide medical documentation to support their claim.
The Southwest Cancellation policy allows customers to cancel or change their reservations without a fee. If you cancel a flight at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time, you can either receive a refund in the form of original payment or hold the funds as Travel Funds for future use. However, if you cancel within 10 minutes of the scheduled departure time, the ticket will be considered a no-show and the funds will be forfeited.
The Southwest refund policy states that if you cancel your flight reservation, you may be eligible for a refund, depending on the type of fare you purchased. Business Select and Anytime fares are fully refundable, while Wanna Get Away fares are non-refundable. However, the non-refundable Wanna Get Away fares may be eligible for reusable travel funds, which can be used towards the purchase of a future flight.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to cancel a single passenger ticket using the Southwest Airlines website or mobile app.
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