Southwest Cancellation Policy

Southwest Airlines cancellation policy is one of friendliest on the market. It allows you to cancel your flight without penalty if you cancel within the prescribed time limit. However, the Southwest cancellation policy varies, depending on the ticket you’ve purchased.

• Cancelling Wanna Get Away Tickets
  Under the Southwest flight cancellation policy, Wanna Get Away tickets are reusable but non-refundable. Southwest allows you to cancel (and reuse later) a Wanna Get Away ticket up to 10 minutes before your flight’s departure. After you cancel your ticket, you must use your travel funds within 1 year of the purchase date of your ticket (remember, purchase date—not flight date).
  
  Hot Tips
  • Save the confirmation number of your cancelled flight because you will need it to access your travel funds later. 
  • If your travel funds have expired, Southwest may reinstate them for a fee of USD 100.
    
• Cancelling Anytime, Business Select, and Senior Tickets
  Anytime and Business Select are costlier but refundable. Southwest Airlines cancellation policy allows you to cancel an Anytime, Business Select, or Senior ticket at least 10 minutes before departure and receive a 100% refund to your original form of payment. This is applicable to tickets purchased by cash or Rapid Rewards points. 

Southwest Airlines flight cancellation policy states that if you no-show for an Anytime, Business Select, or Senior ticket—i.e., you don’t cancel at least 10 minutes before your flight’s departure—the value of your ticket will be converted into travel funds. 

You must use the travel funds within 12 months from the date of original purchase. If you purchased your ticket with Rapid Rewards points, all your points will be redeposited back to your account. 

Alternatively, you can reuse it for future travel. However, if you cancel, you must do it at least 10 minutes before your flight’s scheduled departure time.

Southwest 24-Hour Cancellation Policy 

According to the Southwest 24-hour cancellation policy, you can cancel any ticket—including a non-refundable Wanna Get Away ticket—within 24 hours of booking and receive a full refund. 

You can cancel the ticket online via Southwest.com, via the app, or by phone. You have the option to receive the refund to your original form of payment or convert the value of your ticket into Travel Funds for future travel. 

You’re also allowed to cancel a ticket purchased fully or partially with a Southwest Gift Card or an LUV Voucher within 24 hours of booking. But you can only cancel such tickets by contacting Southwest Customer Relations at 1-855-234-4654.

Southwest Cancellation Policy for Flights Paid with Companion Pass and Gift Cards 

Southwest Airlines cancellation policy allows you to cancel both Companion Pass fares and flight tickets purchased with Gift Cards as explained below.

Companion Pass

Southwest cancellation policy allows you to cancel a Companion Pass fare. After you cancel, any taxes paid by you will be refunded to your original form of payment. 

Gift Cards

According to Southwest Airlines ticket cancellation policy, tickets purchased with Gift Cards are non-refundable. Different rules apply to them as opposed to the rules that apply to tickets purchased with cash or points. 

Under the Southwest cancellation policy for tickets purchased with Gift Cards, the value of your cancelled ticket will be converted into reusable Travel Funds for future use. Travel Funds typically have an expiry date of 12 months. However, if you used a different form of payment to purchase your ticket, the earlier expiry date will apply. 

If you cancel your gift card-purchased ticket (fully or partly) within 24 hours of departure, you must contact Customer Relations.

How to Cancel a Flight on Southwest Airlines 

The Southwest cancellation policy allows you to cancel your Southwest ticket by phone or online.
To cancel online: 

An illustration of Southwest Airlines Change/Cancel button 

1. Go to Southwest.com 
2. Select the Change/Cancel tab from the top right side 
3. To retrieve your flight booking:
   1. Enter your: 
      1. Confirmation number 
      2. First name 
      3. Last name 
   2. Select the Cancel flight option 
4. Click on Search 
5. Select the flight you want to cancel 
6. After you have selected your flight: 
   1. Confirm the cancellation
   2. If your ticket is fully refundable, you will have the option to request a refund to your original form of payment or hold it as a Travel Fund for future use 
   3. If your ticket is non-refundable (Wanna Get Away), you can request a Travel Fund for future use 

You can also cancel your Southwest Airlines flight(s) with the mobile app. 

Southwest COVID-19 Travel Waivers 

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Southwest Airlines allows you to:

• Use the Travel Funds created out of a Wanna Get Away ticket for up to 1 year from the date of original purchase.
• Convert Travel Funds that expire on September 7, 2022 into Rapid Rewards points at current point rates.

• Since Rapid Rewards points never expire, you can use your new points whenever you want. Check if you have qualified travel funds soon — you can only convert your qualified travel funds through December 15, 2020.

Note

If you’ve purchased your flight ticket from a travel website or agency, you can contact them directly to cancel your flight booking.

How to Use Southwest Airlines Travel Funds

To access your Travel Funds, you must know the confirmation number associated with it. Travel funds can be used to purchase flight tickets, taxes, and fees. However, they cannot be used to purchase someone else’s ticket. 

To view your Travel Funds balance and expiry dates: 

• Click on Check Travel Funds 
• Enter your name (first and last) and confirmation number
• Click on the Check funds button 

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Frequently Asked Questions on Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy