Cancelling/rebooking on SWA

[jayhjay]

Is it possible to book a flight and then cancel/rebook on SWA if a better rate comes up? Does anyone know what the penalties are for cancelling? Do rates get better as you get closer to your date?

I see there is a sale now but unfortunatley we aren't leaving until the first week in November so we aren't eligible. Just wondering if we book when Nov is released, if there is any chance of getting a better rate later. JJ

 

[Ballinafad]

I cancelled 3 times and rebooked. The first two times were regular rate changes (not DINGS) and I got full refund for the difference on my credit card by calling customer service, not reservations. Then I got a DING and again cancelled and rebooked on the DING for $54 BUF to MCO direct flight. The difference here was that I received a credit for the difference to be used within 1 year. Southwest is great for this.

 

[DiznNut]

I just did this last night, however, I didn't cancel my flight, I just went to SWA and clicked on Travel Center. When you get to Travel Center, click on the Change Air Reservation. Then It will ask you to put in your confirmation number and your credit card holder name and click on retrieve information. When you get to the next screen it will display your reservation, from here you select what part of the reservation you want to change. For example, last night I changed the return flight information. When I change it, it let me then select what return flight I wanted and gave me a $94.00 SWA credit that has to be used within one year of the original purchase date of my tickets. It isn't hard at all.

 

[molly2004]

Just curious. Those who have canceled and rebooked or merely changed their reservation, did you initially have refundable tickets? I read through the SWA refund policies today. I didn't get the sense that you could change any ticket, only refundable ones. Would someone explain?

Thanks in advance!

 

[WDWCPAlumni]

When you go to cancel your tickets, you will get a credit for that $$ amount with southwest. When you go to book your new flight you use the credit. You might need to pay additional money if the new ticket costs more.
I have always gotten my tickets on the cheap price of online deals, and never had a problem when I needed to switch. You can actually do ALL of it right online.

 

[ssleblanc]

Just curious. Those who have canceled and rebooked or merely changed their reservation, did you initially have refundable tickets? I read through the SWA refund policies today. I didn't get the sense that you could change any ticket, only refundable ones. Would someone explain?

Thanks in advance!

I had "internet special" non-refundable tickets (the absolute cheapest at the time I booked - it was $81 one way from New Orleans to MCO). It dropped down this week to $49 one way. For four tickets, I saved $264. There was no change-free/cancellation fee (and my confirmation number actually stayed the same). I followed the same procedures that DiznNut described - online "reservation change". The refund is in the form of a credit for future air travel (within a year) but I'm not concerned about that - I travel quite a bit with work.

 

[Ballinafad]

If your change was not a ding, and you did not change your flight # or time, you can get a full refund on credit card by calling customer service at SWA

 

[molly2004]

Does that mean a year from

- when you purchased the ticket?
- when you made the change?
- when the cancelled/changed flight would have departed?
- or does it mean within the current year, so if you bought the tix in july 2006, you have until the end of 2006 to use it?

Thanks! Turns out that if SWA comes through, we won't have to drive after all! Woohoo!

 

[Ballinafad]

It is a year from when you first booked the original tickets.

 

[soxnation]

If your change was not a ding, and you did not change your flight # or time, you can get a full refund on credit card by calling customer service at SWA

? so if i booked in may for our august trip and the flight was reduced to about 35$ less than when i booked and i did not use a ding i can call customer service for a refund of the difference of our 3 tickets?

called the 1800 number and was told that i could get a credit for future travel is there another number to call to get a full refund of the $

 

[Donald - my hero]

I'm STILL not sure how to handle this situation. Booked flights BUT lets say DING rate comes out. We all know that they dissappear in a hurry. HOW do I go about getting the advantage of this price difference? I have only been able to book flight down since We are going December 8 - 11 and am hoping I will get some sort of credit to apply once they open up next set of dates.

 

[soxnation]

the 1800 number told me that you could get a credit toward future travel if the rate goes down by changing the reservation online it gives you the option to " re fare it" and you will get the credit to use hope it helps call the 1800 number for help. i am looking for a refund because i do not usualy travel sw and have just used a refund from delta that was about to expire

 

[Ballinafad]

After you have made the change to your fare, your conf. # will be the same. Go to the southwest website and get the phone number for customer service (no 1-800 for this). Ask them if you can get the difference refunded to credit card. I did this 2 times and got the refund no problem. The 1-800 reservation people will tell you that you cannot get a refund. Try this and let us know if it worked for you too.

 

[rdsx28]

Hi, never call the rerservation people! They have no clue. Last year I was told three different stories and finally I called customer service and I was given a refund back to my credit card. Good Luck.

 

[soxnation]

Thanks for the tip will give the other number a call today!

 

[soxnation]

just called customer relations and was told my only option was a future travel credit are they just not offering credit card refunds or were the tickets people got refunds on refundable tickets just wondering the difference is abot 120 for us

 

[Ballinafad]

My refunds came from the cheapest internet rate. They would only refund $ if nothing changed on reservation ie. flight times and numbers stayed the same and only the rate changed. Also would not refund if change was made to a DING rate.