Cancelling a flight that is close to departure is never easy or fun. It costs you a lot of money as most airlines charge a lot of fees for cancellation.  That is why it is important to know the different policies, including the cancellation and refund policy, before booking a ticket with any airline. However, if you are planning to fly with Southwest Airlines, you should know this airline is known for its easy and flexible policies. Before booking your Southwest flight, make sure you read its cancellation and refund policy, its rules, and whether it's refundable or not. If you haven't read about it, here is a brief overview regarding the Southwest Airlines cancellation policy and how it works.

What is the Cancellation Policy for Southwest Airlines?

Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy is a very simple and easy process. Southwest Airlines is known for its customer-friendly policies. Southwest allows its passengers to cancel their scheduled flight at least 10 minutes before the departure. Passengers won't be charged any fees if the cancellation is done 10 minutes before the original departure, making the cancellation process simple and convenient. The cancellation process of a Southwest Airlines flight can be done both online and offline, making it convenient for passengers to cancel the flight.

Rules of Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy

Passengers must know these Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy Rules & Regulations before cancelling their flight. It will help them understand the cancellation process thoroughly. Here are some of the key highlights of the cancellation policy:

• If the flight cancellation request is made within 34 hours of the flight booking, then you are eligible for a full refund.

• The Southwest flight ticket can be used for one year from the date of its purchase.

• The airline allows passengers to cancel their reservation up to 10 minutes before the flight departure.

• For passengers who booked their ticket using the points, the balance will get credited back to the original account. The other fees will be eligible for a Southwest Airlines flight cancellation refund.

• If the cancellation happened due to any medical issue, then passengers can submit the relevant document related to their health and get a complete refund.

• The booking made using any offers, package vouchers, etc., will be getting travel coupons as a refund.

• Southwest Airlines has three types of fare: Business Select, Anytime, and Wanna Get Away. If you cancel a business select or anytime ticket, both are refundable and reusable. On the other hand, Wanna getaway tickets are not refundable, but they are reusable.

• The refund received by the Anytime or Business Select ticket holder can be either in the original form or travel funds.

What is Southwest Airlines 24 Hours Cancellation Policy?

According to Southwest cancellation policy, travelers can cancel their flight ticket within 24 hours of booking the flight and get a complete refund. The refund will be credited to the original payment method. Passengers can also cancel their flight within 24 hours of booking with a LUV gift voucher or any Southwest gift cards.

 

Fare Type of Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines offers three types of fares to its passengers:

Business Select: This fare type is refundable and can be reused. The refund can be asked in the form of travel credit or the original payment method.

Wanna Get Away: This fare ticket is non-refundable. Passengers can reuse it but can't get a refund. Credit points are given if this ticket type gets cancelled.

Anytime: Anytime fare types are reusable and refundable. Refunds can be requested in the form of travel credits for future use or other forms of payment.

Southwest Airline Cancellation Fees

Southwest Airlines does not charge any fees when it comes to the cancellation of flights. However, the cancellation must be done 10 minutes before the flight's departure. If the passenger does not cancel 10 minutes before the scheduled departure or if it's a 'no show,' then the passengers are not allowed to claim a refund.

Passengers with the 'Anytime' or 'Business Select' ticket types can request a full refund or travel credits if they cancel their flight on time. However, if the passengers fail to cancel their flights, the refund will automatically be converted to travel funds.

Regarding passengers with "Wanna Get Away" tickets, if they forget to cancel their flight, the value of the ticket will become null.

How to Cancel a Southwest Airline Flight Ticket?

To cancel a Southwest Airlines flight ticket, passengers can use both online and offline methods. Passengers can visit the Southwest Airlines official website to cancel their booking. Cancellation of a Southwest flight can also be done by dialling their customer care number 1-800-435-9792 and connecting with a Southwest agent. If unable to reach the airline's customer care, call 1-855-570-0146 for faster assistance regarding the flight cancellation.

Conclusion

Southwest's cancellation policy is customer-friendly, convenient, and flexible. It is important to educate yourself about the policies of the airline you are flying with. For more details regarding the cancellation policy, check out the official website of Southwest Airlines. You can visit Top Airline Rules to know about the different airline rules in one place.

 

FAQ's

Q- What is the cancellation policy for Southwest Airlines?

Southwest Airlines allows its passengers to cancel their flight 10 minutes before the scheduled departure without charging any fees.

Q- Is there a penalty for cancelling a Southwest flight?

Southwest Airlines does not charge any change fee if the passenger cancels their flight 10 minutes before the flight departure.

Q- What is the no-show policy for Southwest?

If the passenger doesn't cancel their flight within the given time period, then the Business select and anytime fare ticket will be refunded in the form of travel credit. For the Wanna Get Away fare type, the refund will be forfeited.

Q- What happens to my money if I cancel my Southwest flight?

If you cancel your Southwest flight, you can get a full refund on your original payment method only if the ticket is refundable. For no refundable tickets, you will get travel credits for future use.

Q- How do I cancel my flight?

You can easily cancel your flight by visiting Southwest Airlines official website or calling their customer care department. If you are not able to reach the airline, contact 1-855-570-0146 for faster assistance.

Q-How I get Refunds for canceled flights?

For refundable tickets, you can get refunds using your original payment methods or travel credits. However, for non-refundable tickets, you will get travel credits as refunds.