Just wanted to share this SW tip with you

[rdsx28]

This may sound crazy it did to me but I wanted to let you know about this. I had booked a flight to Orlando on SW. The only flight I could get at a good price was at 5:00 pm on my departure day. I booked 3 tickets and a more expensive flight home9Also the only one I could get). Yesterday,I received a special E-mail with not only a cheaper flight 49.00vs79.00 but a much earlier time. I was so excited that we wouldn't waste a whole day traveling. I called SW and asked how to change my flight on line and use the credit from the flight I was cancelling. I was told that I could not do that without cancelling my return flight as well. Unfortunately, there were no other return flights available as it is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and I was lucky to get that flight for 149.00.So , I was told to rebook the new flight down and by not showing up for my original flight out they would automatically credit me for not being on the flight. I had never heard of this and didn't want to take the word of the operator at reservations so I called customer service and was told that yes this was the only way I would be able to retain my return flight at the 149.00 which he told me is now well over 200.00. He said I would be reimbursed the 49.00/ticket and given the rest in SW credit. Is this crazy or what.I am sure they could easily sell my three seats down so why should I have to rebook again. Sounds crazy to me but I was just thrilled to get an earlier flight. Just wanted to share this info with you all. Have a great day!

 

[TIGGER'SFRIEND]

I was able to rebook a flight online for just the departing one way leg with no problem (same day different flight time). All you need is your reservation number, go SW site, click travel center, pick change air reservation and try. I did not have to do anything with my return flight and the reservation # stayed the same. Worth a try.

 

[NancyIL]

Hmmm...generally, if you don't show up for your outbound flight, the airline can cancel your whole ticket. I would be very careful about this, so be sure to speak to a supervisor, and read the fine print at Southwest's website.

 

[Shelly S]

I always book one way so it is very easy to change when a lower price comes along. I just changed my flight to MCO on Nov 25th for the third time. Finally got it down to $49. The new internet specials are now lower than the dings have been for BDL to MCO.

 

[Rpsemont]

I did something similiar to this just recently when the return home flight was discounted, but I couldn't change the return without changing the outbound, so I purchased a cheaper return ticket, and AFTER we arrive in Fl, I cancelled the "back half" or the RT ticket that I was holding and used MY OW, which was the cheaper flight

A couple things I would be concerned about, which have been mentioned above:
- I would try to be 100% sure that when you don't use the front half of your ticket, they won't cancel your back half. This is generally the rule with other airlines. SWA is noteably NOT other airlines, but you certainly don't want to be at the airport to return home and find out your reservation has been cancelled.
- If whether the money is refunded or credited really factors into your decision, I would double check that too. I know many people have gotten refunds, but almost all my SW changes/cancellations are say they are a credit.
- For future reference, and because of my experience in October, I now ALWAYS book One way.

 

[katallo]

Does anyone know if you book each leg of your trip separately are you more likely to be selected for additional security checks? Also, are there problems with printing your boarding passes? I've read where some people receive messages that they need to go to the airport to get their boarding passes.

 

[Rpsemont]

We have flown on OW tickets many times and so far have not been subjects to extra checks and have had no trouble printing the Boarding passes.

 

[rdsx28]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I will call SW again on Monday just to clarify my return status.This just seems so dumb to me that if you change one it cancels the other. I read the fine print and did not see anything about cancelling the return flight if I didn't show for the outbound. I'm a little nervous now so I will check again.... live and learn next time I will book one way at a time.Thanks again all!

 

[disneyfreak71]

SW I originally got $79 each way x 2 people or 353.80.

I went on the other day and they had an internet special for $49. I rebooked the flight back but the flight done was booked. I just checked and got my flight for the $49. Savings of $120 total!!!

 

[MyTalula]

I have also gone to Travel center 3 times in the last couple weeks and changed just the return flight! (My original $49 flight down, stayed the same price.) In travel center they give you the option of chaning flights by each segment. I would try that first, and see if it works for you. I now have travel credits ($$ in SW act) and better flights!
Good Luck!!

 

[Rpsemont]

I have also many times changes just one segment of a flight. However, there are some fares (it might be the fun fares) where is says if you cancel one leg, it cancels the whole ticket and you have to rebook the whole ticket. This becomes a problem if 1/2 the ticket is booked during a potentially busy flight time, so the lower fares aren't available. In my case, it was the Friday of Columbus day weekend, so there wer no cheaper seats open and, if fact, only higher fare seats available. If would not let me change just the back half, I had to change both segments.

 

[safetymom]

Please check again. I know with the major airlines that if you don't show up for the first flight your other flights will be cancelled. Be sure to get someones name also if they say it is OK.

I would also visit www.flyertalk.com and visit the Southwest board. They will be able to confirm on deny what happens if you don't take the first flight.

 

[delilah]

Does anyone know if you book each leg of your trip separately are you more likely to be selected for additional security checks? Also, are there problems with printing your boarding passes? I've read where some people receive messages that they need to go to the airport to get their boarding passes.

It would seem that way. My husband always gets special security checks when we fly out of Indianapolis on ATA. I am not sure why this is. We use different surnames, and maybe his is on a list. I know that once or twice he flew down to Florida and drove back, when he was selling his mother's house, and moving her belongings north. He also has had tiny pen knives in his bag once or twice, which were confiscated, of course. When we traveled in June, he got the super duper, behind closed doors, search. This past time, the security person wanted to do a special test on his bag for "chemicals", and he got a wand down. On the other hand, I quit wearing underwire bras on the plane, and, since there is nothing to set off the metal detector, I am not searched any further. Last trip, I made the observation that ATA can remember for years that you tried to bring a pen knife barely big enough to pop a balloon, but, can't remember seat assignments from August 1 to October 29.

I say, ATA, because we never have been checked on NWA.

 

[madge]

Please check again. I know with the major airlines that if you don't show up for the first flight your other flights will be cancelled. Be sure to get someones name also if they say it is OK.

I would also visit www.flyertalk.com and visit the Southwest board. They will be able to confirm on deny what happens if you don't take the first flight.

I was told the same thing by SWA customer service a couple of weeks ago. Here's the answer on FLyertalk:

7. Does no-showing a flight cancel your return reservation?

a. (nsx) No. On Southwest, unlike other airlines, you can no-show the outbound half and still keep your return reservation. Furthermore, if you purchased a round-trip fare, you will be able to fully re-use the funds from the unused outbound half of your trip after you complete the return. Southwest is moving away from fares which require round trip purchase, so there should no longer be any need to book a round-trip when you only plan to fly one direction. After your travel dates have passed any segments that you no-showed remain usable for purchasing future travel. If you want the fastest re-usability of funds, book one-ways instead of round trips.

b. (WN LUVS U) If you want to promptly re-use all the funds from a reservation (see item 8), cancel the reservation before the day of travel. If you wait until less than one hour before departure (and especially if you have checked in and then not phoned to remove yourself from the flight), your funds may be locked until the Help Desk can release them for you.

 

[Worktoplay]

I just rebooked my return trip from MCO on Southwest and saved $139 towards future travel. It was all easily done online. Thank you all on this site or I would have never known!

 

[antmaril]

Hmmm...generally, if you don't show up for your outbound flight, the airline can cancel your whole ticket. I would be very careful about this, so be sure to speak to a supervisor, and read the fine print at Southwest's website.

This is exactly what I was thinking. On most airlines, if you have booked a roundtrip ticket and you don't show up for the outbound, the return is cancelled. Be careful before you do this.