Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy

If you have a Southwest ticket and fretting about the cancellation policy, this post will walk you through every essential rule of Southwest cancellations. Let’s start with the rules and regulations of Southwest Airlines. 

What Is Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy?

Southwest Airlines cancellation policy allows passengers to cancel their flight any time before the departure without penalty. However, if you cancel after 24 hours and there is no one else who wants to take the seat, you will get a full refund minus a $75 administrative fee. If another person takes your seat, you will get a full refund minus a $150 cancellation fee.

Southwest Airlines Flight Cancellation Policy Highlights

Passengers must know about these rules before heading for Southwest 24 hour cancellation. It will help them follow airline policy accordingly. Here are the following highlights from the Southwest cancellation policy:

• There are three types of fares in Southwest Airlines- Wanna Get Away, Business Select, and Anytime. Therefore, if you cancel a flight, Wanna Get Away ticket can be reusable but not refundable. On the other hand, Business Select and Anytime fares are fully refundable and reusable.
• The Southwest tickets can be used for up to one year from the date of purchase. 
• According to Southwest Airlines cancellation policy, the ticket must get canceled at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure. All flight fares are refundable and reusable, considering they get revoked following the policy.
• In the case of Business Select and Anytime fares, the passengers opt to receive the refund in the original form of payment or travel funds. 
• If a passenger has booked the ticket with the fare points, the remaining balance will get credited back to the original account. Other taxes and fees will get qualified for a Southwest flight Cancellation refund.

Can You Cancel A Southwest Flight Within 24 Hours?

Yes, according to Southwest 24 hour cancellation policy, you can cancel your flight and get a refund because Southwest does not charge any cancellation fee within 24 hours of purchase. 

Hence, to cancel a flight within 24 hours, you can go with the online process or dial 1-800-I-FLY-SWA to speak with a travel specialist regarding flight cancellation. Also, you can use this number +1-800-865-1848 to get more fast responses from online travel agents.

Southwest 24 Hour Cancellation Policy

Sometimes, a passenger cancels the flight within 24 hours of purchase for numerous reasons. As per Southwest 24 hour cancellation, a customer can cancel a ticket within 24 hours of booking through any method. The refund will get credited to your original payment method or travel funds, as the case may be. 

As per the rules of Southwest Cancellation Refund Policy and cancellation policy, As per the rules of Southwest Refund Policy and cancellation policy, As per the rules of Southwest Cancellation Refund Policy and cancellation policy, A passenger will receive a refund only if the ticket gets canceled within 24 hours of the purchase and not a day later. A traveler can also cancel the ticket booked with a Southwest Gift Card or a LUV voucher within 24 hours of reservation. Such tickets can only get canceled by contacting Southwest Customer Relations. 

You can also change your Southwest flight ticket within 24 hours of booking and get a full refund.

Don’t want to cancel your flight? Don’t tremble because there is Southwest flight change policy 24 hours in effect. This policy allows travelers to make changes to their flight up to 10 minutes before the expected departure time. Flight modifications can be made via the Southwest app or website.

How To Cancel A Southwest Airlines Flight Within 24 Hours?

In order to cancel your Southwest ticket within 24 hours, you can contact the airline agent at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA or +1-800-865-1848 (an alternate number of OTA) to get a fast response. However, if you want to cancel it by yourself, follow the instructions below for canceling tickets online. 

• Go to the Southwest Airlines official website.
• Click on the “Manage trip” option.
• Recover your flight by providing your travel information.
• Select the flight you want to cancel.
• Click the “Cancel flight” button.

Can I Cancel A Southwest Flight Ticket After Booking?

Southwest Airlines cancellation policy states that you can cancel your flight ten minutes before flight departure. However, SW has several categories with distinct return policies. 

1- Refundable Fares (Anytime and Business Select)

If you cancel your flight before it departs, you will get a full refund to your original form of payment; otherwise, if you are late, your payment will be changed into a travel fund, which you may utilize for your next travel. 

2- Non-Refundable fares

If you cancel your Southwest flight ticket before its departure, your money will be preserved in your travel fund.

Southwest Airlines Covid-19 Policy

Southwest Airlines understand that the government has issued various mandates and travel restrictions due to the covid-19 pandemic outbreak. Such restrictions are potential quarantine, flight cancellations, temperature tests, covid tests upon arrival and departure, and more. If any such scenario happens, the Southwest Airlines cancellation policy offers flexibility and allows you to

• Do not pay any cancellation fee and change fees.
• Use travel funds up to one year from the original purchase date.
• Change travel funds that expire on September 7, 2022, into Rapid reward points.
• Use Rapid reward points anytime, as they never expire.

Southwest Flight Cancellations For Different Ticket Types 

Southwest is doubtless a budget-friendly airline offering domestic and international flights with many flexible options. In addition to being a budget airline, it has oriented a four-tier ticketing system and flexible boarding options to accommodate the flyer’s budgetary concerns.
Southwest Airlines offers four fare types: Wanna Get Away Plus, Wanna Get Away, Business Select, and Anytime. All the policies differ for these fares, including Southwest flight cancellations. Below is the proper breakdown of Southwest flight cancellations policy for different fares.

1 - Southwest Cancellation Policy For Wanna Get Away Plus and Wanna Get Away Tickets

Wanna Get Away Plus and Wanna Get Away tickets are the lowest fare types offered by Southwest Airlines. Most travelers book these tickets for their personal travel. Both ticket types have a moderately unyielding Southwest cancellation policy than other fare types. 
When a customer cancels their ticket (Wanna Get Away/Wanna Get Away Plus), the total cost of the ticket will be saved as reusable Southwest travel credit for subsequent reservations. Hence, you can’t request for a full refund. Instead, save them for future use. 

2 - Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy For Business Select And Anytime Tickets 

Business Select and Anytime tickets offer a more plentiful Southwest cancellation policy than Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus tickets. Moreover, these tickets are more expensive than other fare options. 
An Anytime/Business Select ticket cancellation will result in a full refund of the purchase amount to the customer's original payment method. If changes are made to your original flight, your ticket will become non-refundable. Consequently, in case of Southwest Airlines cancellations, you will not receive a refund.

Southwest Flight Cancellations Due To Illness Or Death

Traveling by air offers convenience and speed for reaching one destination to another. However, unexpected circumstances may lead to flight cancellations. In some serious instances, Southwest cancellations might result from passengers falling seriously ill or experiencing someone’s death in a family. These situations are unavoidable for all parties affected. 
If you find yourself in such a situation where you have to cancel your flight due to illness or death in the family, dial Southwest Airlines' cancellation phone number. 1-800-435-9792. If you can’t reach Southwest’s official representatives, dial +1-800-865-1848 (24/7 available Southwest Airlines phone number to cancel flight).  

Southwest Weather Cancellation Policy 

Severe weather conditions like tornadoes, extreme thunderstorms, heavy snow, or blizzards can pose significant challenges and impact flight operations. Ultimately, the situation will lead to flight cancellations or delays for passengers’ security. 

Furthermore, the specifies of Southwest cancellation policy due to weather are given below:

• Rebook flight: If your Southwest flight is canceled due to weather, you will automatically rebooked on the next flight operated to your destination.
• Online refund request: You can make an online refund request with airlines to get a refund for the ticket you did not use.
• Get a travel voucher: In addition to your refund, Southwest weather cancellation policy provides you with a $100 travel voucher as compensation that you can use to book any Southwest flight in the future.
• Compensation after claiming: Southwest Airlines compensates you for canceled flights due to weather when you file a claim. There is a service app that tracks your canceled flights and automatically files a compensation claim.

How to Claim A Refund for Southwest Canceled Flight Due To The Weather?

For the travelers who wish to claim compensation for a canceled flight, firstly, they need to Contact Southwest Airlines > Provide flight details > Review Southwest Weather cancellation policy to check eligibility > Request a refund > Follow the instructions > Wait until your refund request process.

To minimize the inconvenience faced by passengers and Southwest flight cancellations due to severe weather, Southwest Airlines ensures every passenger is informed about the potential disruptions. 

Have you received the “Southwest Airlines flight cancellations today” message/notification due to severe and turbulent weather conditions? Once you connect with them over the phone, The airline representative will solve any of your problems regarding the Southwest weather cancellation policy. The airline typically offers a rebooking and refund policy. Read Southwest Airlines Cancellation refund policy for complete information.

Southwest Airlines Cancellations Rules For Rapid Reward Points

If you cancel a Southwest flight you paid cash for, you’ll receive all your money back as travel credits. Additionally, if you used your rapid rewards for booking, you will get your points back while canceling your reservation under Southwest flight cancellations guidelines. 
Regardless of whether you used your rapid reward points to purchase Business Select, Anytime, Wanna Get Away, or Wanna Get Away Plus tickets. After a flight is canceled, you can receive your points back according to Southwest Airlines Cancellation refund policy. 

Can You Cancel Flights On Southwest Airlines?

Yes, customers can easily and quickly cancel their flight reservations through an official website using the manage my trip option. Further, if you don't want to avoid proceeding with this online process, you can request over the phone at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA or use this alternative number +1-800-865-1848 to connect with OTA. The airline customer service executive will help you any time of the day, so don't hesitate to call them directly for cancellations.

How To Cancel A Southwest Airlines Flight?

A passenger often believes that ticket cancellation is a chaotic task. But, the policy of Southwest Airlines cancellations offers flexible methods for canceling a flight ticket. You can use any of the following modes at your convenience:

Method 1 - Southwest Airlines Ticket Cancellation Online

Ticket cancellation through online mode is the most simple yet effective method. A passenger can use it by following a few steps. Here is the step-by-step procedure for Southwest cancellations through the website:

• Browse the Southwest website or download its application.
• Navigate “Look Up Reservation” in the menu.
• Passengers who have purchased flights via Rapid Rewards can revoke or change their Southwest ticket by logging into their account.
• Fill in the confirmation number and the passenger’s name in the required field.
• You will find the travel funds and flight refund balance attached to your booking.
• If you have a Southwest refund, you can either choose to receive a refund or convert it into travel funds.
• Click on the “Cancel Flight” option to cancel the ticket. If your ticket has more than one passenger, you can select the specific passenger from the booking.
• According to the Southwest Airlines cancellation policy, the air ticket refund will reflect in the account statement within one or two billing cycles.

Method 2 - Southwest Airlines Ticket Cancellation Over The Phone

A customer can cancel the ticket by calling the customer representative. It is an offline method that passengers can use anytime at their convenience. The calling method will have the following steps:

• Ring the Southwest Airlines cancellation phone number at +1-800-435-9792.
• Provide the booking reference number and passenger name to the airline agent.
• Tell the travel expert to cancel the reservation.
• Keep a close eye on the Travel funds or refundable value.
• The refund amount may take one to two billing cycles to reflect on the account statement.

Method 3 - Southwest Airlines Ticket Cancellation At The Airport

A passenger can cancel a ticket at the airport if he requests cancellation at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure. The customer must reach the airport counter and ask the airline representative to cancel the ticket. To make a request, you must have the passenger’s name, booking reference number, and other necessary details. 

The agent will ask you the reason for your cancellation and guide you through the cancellation process. You need to follow the instructions carefully for Southwest 24 hour cancellation.

Note: In case of confusion or anything regarding these methods or Southwest cancellations, you can contact us at +1-800-865-1848. We will help you cancel in simple steps. 

To avoid the cancellation hassle, you must first identify where you are getting things wrong. Read the Southwest name change policy to learn how to amend errors in your name on your airline ticket. Our policy allows you to correct up to three characters in your misspelled name. You will save time by not having to reschedule your flights.

How To Cancel A Southwest Airlines Flight on App?

Following the below-mentioned steps will direct you on how to cancel a Southwest Airlines flight using the mobile application.

• Open the Southwest mobile application and click the three vertical lines on the left corner.
• Tap the “Look up reservation”.
• Enter the flight confirmation number and passengers first & last name.
• Tap on the retrieve reservation to see your recent reservation details.
• If you hold a non-refundable ticket, only the “Hold for future use” option will be visible. For refundable fares, the “Refundable option” will be visible.
• Tap on the “Cancel flight” option, and you will be redirected to a confirmation page.

Southwest Airlines Cancellation Compensation Policy

A Southwest Airlines passenger is entitled to compensation if the flight gets delayed at least three hours or more before the scheduled departure. A flier will get the following compensation for Southwest cancellations:

Flight Distance	Compensation Amount (USD)
Less than 1500 Km	325
Between 1500 Km and 3500 Km	475
More than 3500 Km	725

However, not every passenger gets the compensation. A passenger will get the payment under the following circumstances:

• Southwest Airlines will pay compensation in the case of health emergencies like the host country has put travel restrictions.
• If a flight gets canceled due to bad weather, then according to the rules of Southwest weather cancellation policy, a passenger will receive compensation.
• A flier will get compensation for the canceled flight in the case of a medical emergency.
• In case of a state of emergency or riots, Southwest Airlines will give compensation.
• According to the Southwest 24 hour cancellation policy, passengers will receive compensation in case of airport strikes, airline bankruptcy, etc. 

How To Get Southwest Cancelled Flights Compensation Through Email?

In accordance with the Southwest flight cancellation policy, call, and website-based methods are available to get your compensation for the canceled flights. Apart from that, you can follow these steps to get compensation through email:

• Visit the Southwest Airlines official website.
• Scroll down and select the “Contact Us” option.
• Look for the "Email us" button on the next page.
• Select “ Travel disruption> expense reimbursement request.”
• When you are exempted from an international tax, you have to enter some details, such as Your complete name, Flight confirmation number, ticket number, and A document that proves the status of exemption.
• Attach the documents carrying your expenses due to booked flights.
• At last, send your email.

What Is Southwest Vacations Cancellation Policy?

Under Southwest Vacations cancellation policy,  If you booked with Wanna Get Away or with Wanna Get Away Plus fare class and canceled your flight at least 10 minutes before departure, you will receive a Southwest Airlines air credit for the air portion of your reservation.

Moreover, Anytime and Business Select fares are refundable back to the original form of payment, or you can choose to convert to an air credit.

Southwest Vacation Cancellation Policy: Terms & Conditions

At times, your plans may get canceled for numerous reasons. In such a case, you must immediately notify the airline and cancel your flight ticket. Here are the vital highlights from the Southwest vacations cancellation policy:

• If there is no added travel insurance to your vacation package, you will get a refund in your travel credit.
• As per Southwest Cancellation Refund Policy,As per Southwest Refund Policy, a passenger will get a refund in travel credit if the vacation package includes Wanna Getaway Fare. In this case, the flight must be canceled at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure. 
• If a passenger cancels any hotel or car rental reservation, it will be subject to supplier’s penalties. 
• According to the Southwest cancellation policy, there is no charges for cancellation done within the specified time.

What Happens If I Cancel My Southwest Flight?

When you cancel a flight on Southwest Airlines, a couple of things can happen, depending on the fare you bought. 

If you purchased a wanna-get-away fare, the cheapest fare, and you paid in dollars, then you will get a Southwest travel fund, a credit good that must be used by the same person named on the flight ticket. It's good to pay with points, however, if you have them, because when you cancel a flight, the points simply go right back into your Southwest account instantly, no matter whose name was on the flight ticket.

If you purchased a non-refundable fare, including Anytime fares and Southwest business select fares, the money will be refunded to your original payment method in full.

How Much Does It Cost To Cancel A Southwest Flight?

Southwest Airlines has a unique cancellation policy in which they do not charge passengers when their flights get canceled. This is compared to other major airlines, where the cancellation price ranges from 200 USD up depending on whether or not there was enough time left before your trip began. 

Furthermore, you can make changes to your Southwest flight without penalty until you check in for it. If you want to cancel your ticket after this, there will be a fee involved depending upon the kind of fare that you purchased. Here is the overview in which you can determine How Much It Cost To Cancel A Southwest Flight.

Fare Type	Ticket Type	Refund Type	Cancellation Fee
Non-refundable	Wanna get away	Reusable	Free
Wanna Get Away Plus	Reusable	Free
Refundable	Anytime	Refundable	Free
Business Select	Refundable	Free

How To Talk To A Live Agent At Southwest Airlines For Flight Cancellations?

Method 1 - Talk to a live Southwest Agent via Phone

Dial 1-800-435-9792 to talk to official Southwest representatives. However, when you can’t connect with them quickly, don’t delay and dial +1-800-865-1848. This is an alternative Southwest Airlines cancellation phone number, which is always available to provide customers with prompt assistance. 

Method 2 - Connect To The Live Agent Via Email 

Southwest flight cancellation policy also offers an email customer service option, which is also convenient. First, open Southwest's official website > navigate to Contact Us > Go to the “Email Us‘ section > click on the “Send us an email” link > Choose the appropriate option that suits your situation > Wait for their response.  

Can I Cancel My Southwest Flight And Get A Refund?

Yes, Southwest Airlines allow passnegre to cancel their  flight and it will provide complete refunds to the customers, even for non-refundable flight tickets. The amount for cancellation refund takes up to seven to twenty business days, and the duration depends on the original form of payment.

Southwest Airlines cancellation Refund Policy

A passenger gets a refund on a Southwest 24 hour cancellation policy in a few circumstances. To get a valid refund, a traveler must fall under the following conditions:

• A traveler will not get a refund on a Southwest flight cancellation. A Wanna Get Away fare can be usable but not refundable, while Anytime and Business Select fares are fully refundable and reusable. 
• As per the Southwest Airlines refund policy, a passenger will get a refund on the unused portion of the ticket.
• A refund that does not carry any restrictions will get into the future travel funds and can be used within 12 months from the date of issuance.
• An original ticket refund for Southwest cancellations will get credited to the original form of payment.

A passenger may get a 100% refund on non-refundable tickets at the time of Southwest 24 hour cancellation. In this case, the ticket must be canceled within 24 hours of the booking. The refund amount will either get credited back to the original form of payment or choose to get it in the form of Travel funds for future travel. 

How To Cancel A Southwest Flight And Get A Refund?

If your airfare is eligible for a full cancellation refund, you can cancel on the Southwest official website or through its mobile app by navigating to the manage reservation option. From there, tap on the “Cancel flight” button.

Upon canceling, you will be able to select whether you want the money back as travel funds or returned to the original form of payment. If you booked your flight on Southwest Points, you will get the points refunded to your Rapid Rewards account. You can choose whether you would prefer the taxes and fees to be refunded to your original payment form as a future flight credit.

For non-refundable fare, follow the same steps to cancel your Southwest flight, but you will only get the option to get travel funds. Further, you can call Southwest at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA, or if this number is not reachable, dial +1-800-865-1848 to get immediate assistance from a travel expert.

How To Cancel A Southwest Airlines Flight And Rebook It Online?

In order to rebook a canceled Southwest flight, one has to first cancel it. It works similarly to how you make a new reservation. The procedures listed below can be used to reschedule your Southwest flight:

• Visit the Southwest Airlines official website.
• On the home page, click on the log-in button.
• View all of your canceled flights.
• Select the one flight you want to rebook.
• Click on the rebook option to proceed to the payment page.
• Since the website does not charge any change fee, all you have to do is pay the fare difference.

How Late Can You Cancel A Southwest Flight?

In the event that you are not a Southwest Rapid Reward member, you can easily cancel your flight up to 24 hours before your scheduled departure. If you are a Rapid Rewards member, you can cancel your flight up to 10 minutes before departure for no cancellation fee.

How To Use Southwest Airline Travel Funds For Cancellation?

Southwest Airlines allows passengers to apply for flight credit on the purchase page. However, it is only available when purchasing a ticket online through the website or app. These flight credits are rewarded when the travelers cancel a non-refundable ticket. Here is how you can use these reward points through the website:

• First, head to the official Southwest Airlines website and initiate a new reservation process.
• Click on the book tab and enter your travel details, such as departure venue, arrival destination, departure date, and number of passengers. 
• After that, the passenger has to create an itinerary by entering the passenger name, or contact information and selecting seat, fare type, and cabin class. 
• After that, indicate a mode of payment. Here, select the apply travel funds option. 
• On this page, enter the confirmation number against which you were issued the funds. It will be the confirmation number of the ticket you previously canceled.
• Click on Apply funds, and the website will auto-deduct the necessary amount.
• If your travel funds are insufficient, you will have to pay the balance using other methods.

Southwest Airlines Cancellation Fee

Sometimes, a passenger has to pay an amount as cancellation charges for canceling the flight before the scheduled departure. Southwest cancellation fee varies depending on several factors, such as fare picked, booking class, time of cancellation, and other factors specified by the airline. Southwest doesn’t charge any cancellation fee, while other airlines charges around $200. 

Having flown Southwest Airlines frequently, you should be aware of Southwest Airlines reservation policy. Understanding flight reservation regulations and constraints allows you to get amazing deals. You can also obtain full reservation information by dialing +1-800-865-1848 from the convenience of your own dwelling.

Note: Flying Rules are intended to provide passengers with information regarding airline policies. Therefore, all information presented here is authentic and has been taken from official sources. Nonetheless, as a service provider, we strive to enhance your travel experience, regardless of the airline. Please take note that we at Flying Rules are not liable for the actions of the official airlines and will not be held accountable for them.