Can someone clarify what Southwest's "no change fee" policy means?

[Dallas_Lady]

We are planning to fly this time around and I remember reading (and hearing on TV) that Southwest allows you to change your flights for free. I'd like to fly out of Dallas, but right now flights out of Austin, TX would save my family about $500 total. IMO, that's worth the 3 hour drive (especially since our lasts two trips to WDW involved a 20 hour drive). But what if the Dallas fares come down? I can switch it to Dallas with no fees? What if the price is less? Will they refund me? (the idea of an airline giving money back is pretty foreign to me!)

Thanks!

 

[Jestocost]

We are planning to fly this time around and I remember reading (and hearing on TV) that Southwest allows you to change your flights for free. I'd like to fly out of Dallas, but right now flights out of Austin, TX would save my family about $500 total. IMO, that's worth the 3 hour drive (especially since our lasts two trips to WDW involved a 20 hour drive). But what if the Dallas fares come down? I can switch it to Dallas with no fees? What if the price is less? Will they refund me? (the idea of an airline giving money back is pretty foreign to me!)

Thanks!

That's what it means. With SWA you get full credit for the price you paid for your original tickets (most other airlines subtract a change fee of up to $150 per ticket) toward whatever the new ticket is. If the new ticket costs more, you pay the difference. If the new ticket costs less, you get a credit that can be applied toward a future flight on SWA. Credits are good for one year after the purchase date of the original tickets and must be used toward a ticket for the same person that the original ticket was for.

 

[tjmw2727]

We are planning to fly this time around and I remember reading (and hearing on TV) that Southwest allows you to change your flights for free. I'd like to fly out of Dallas, but right now flights out of Austin, TX would save my family about $500 total. IMO, that's worth the 3 hour drive (especially since our lasts two trips to WDW involved a 20 hour drive). But what if the Dallas fares come down? I can switch it to Dallas with no fees? What if the price is less? Will they refund me? (the idea of an airline giving money back is pretty foreign to me!)

Thanks!

Yes - there are no "additional" fees to change your flights including time, dates and yes even airports. You would have to pay a fare increase if the fares go up and you would get a credit for future use if fares go down.

Keep in mind that the credit is good for a year from purchase (not flight) and can only be used for the person named on the ticket. So if 4 of you are flying and the flight goes down $10 you will get 4 separate credits of $10 for future flights.

IMHO using the credits is also very easy to do and if you create a FF account and set up a user account you can keep track of your credits and reward points there quite easily.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Thanks!