Southwest Refund

[VogelFamily]

Sorry to ask a question I see on her frequently, I have used the search function and have found lots of important information but much of it is quite out-dated. I have been waiting on airfare from IND to MCO to drop and have seen a little of a drop this am for October flights. However, I am inexperienced in this airfare thing and am still hoping for Ding fares at an even better rate. If I book the internet only special at this time and then a Ding becomes available, am I able to call the NON 1-800 customer service number and get a refund to credit card? I am certain on my flight times and dates. There would be no change to flight itself, just a lower price if available. Anybody have the patience to walk me thru this or advise me on best way to proceed? I am certain I would not use a future credit as we rarely fly, but have been kicking myself the last two months as airfare has climbed. I hate to miss out on a sure thing while anticipating a "maybe thing". Who knows if a ding will come around.
I know there is no magic ball to see what will happen, just hoping somebody has some experience with this and it's not me. As always, thanks for your time......Heather

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You will get a credit towards a future flight, although I believe that I have read of people getting a refund to their credit card.

 

[pooch]

I was issued a refund after we completed our trip. Got a Ding but did not change flight, only the price.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Sorry to ask a question I see on her frequently, I have used the search function and have found lots of important information but much of it is quite out-dated. I have been waiting on airfare from IND to MCO to drop and have seen a little of a drop this am for October flights. However, I am inexperienced in this airfare thing and am still hoping for Ding fares at an even better rate. If I book the internet only special at this time and then a Ding becomes available, am I able to call the NON 1-800 customer service number and get a refund to credit card? I am certain on my flight times and dates. There would be no change to flight itself, just a lower price if available. Anybody have the patience to walk me thru this or advise me on best way to proceed? I am certain I would not use a future credit as we rarely fly, but have been kicking myself the last two months as airfare has climbed. I hate to miss out on a sure thing while anticipating a "maybe thing". Who knows if a ding will come around.
I know there is no magic ball to see what will happen, just hoping somebody has some experience with this and it's not me. As always, thanks for your time......Heather

You can't call the toll free res. #. You need to call the Refund Dept. at 214-792-4223. M-F 8am-5pm central time. As long as you didn't change any flight dates or times you will get a refund. good luck!

 

[disneynutz]

You can't call the toll free res. #. You need to call the Refund Dept. at 214-792-4223. M-F 8am-5pm central time. As long as you didn't change any flight dates or times you will get a refund. good luck!

Great information,

Is the refund based upon the cheapest fare for that flight? ie: traveling in Dec., book flight on 6/27, price goes down a couple of times before Dec., when do you request a refund, after your flight or before?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

You don't have to wait until after your flight to call. A coworker of mine called for a refund for an upcoming July flight and it's already been credited to her cc account.

 

[kelleigh1]

I need to remember this!

 

[KJF]

I've done this twice already for my upcoming flight 11/2, with the most recent time being a half-hour ago:

-Go to the website, select "View or Change Flight" on the right side.
-Enter your confirmation number & name.
-Select your new flight - doing the same exact flight allows you to get the credit back.
-Continue processing until confirmed.
-Call 214-792-4223. Select the refund department.
-Tell them you just switched your flight cost & would like a credit to your credit card. They'll need your confirmation #.
-They'll process it to your card. It shows up pretty fast.

I have no experience w/ a ding fare (yet), but my understanding of them is that you have to take the credit for a future flight - I can't confirm that yet though.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Great information,

Is the refund based upon the cheapest fare for that flight? ie: traveling in Dec., book flight on 6/27, price goes down a couple of times before Dec., when do you request a refund, after your flight or before?

sorry I didn't answer all of your question.
The refund is the difference between your original cost and new cost. If they show a cheaper price but it says "unavailable" you can't book it. You have to be able to actually book at the cheaper price to get a refund. If you change flight times you can still rebook but then you'll get a credit for future use, not a refund to your cc.

 

[Schucraig]

Does it matter whether or not it is a ding or a internet special?

 

[HLAuburn]

Just an FYI...

I called today and asked if a lower DING comes out after I booked a DING, what are my options. The SW rep said that I can cancel the flight, get a credit, and then use that credit towards booking at the new fare. Any balance remaining, she said, would be towards future travel. I didn't specifically ask about putting it back on a credit card, but she did say that the credit is "transferable" and doesn't have to be used by a certain person. So I took that as selling it! I looked on eBay and sure enough, you can sell "credits" for SW on eBay.

So in case you do get "stuck" with a credit and don't think you'll use it within a year, you have the choice to "transfer" it to someone else.

 

[kelleigh1]

I looked on eBay and sure enough, you can sell "credits" for SW on eBay.

This is another one of those things I don't think I'd ever buy off ebay.

Good to know though that I could transfer the credit to a friend or family member if necessary.

 

[CarolA]

You can't call the toll free res. #. You need to call the Refund Dept. at 214-792-4223. M-F 8am-5pm central time. As long as you didn't change any flight dates or times you will get a refund. good luck!

This is NOT automatically true.

If you read the terms and conditions on SWs sight you are only guranteed a refund IF you booked a refundable fare. (The one on the far left with the HIGH price LOL!)

Now so far SW has seemed to waive this, but if you read thier press releases etc over the past few days they seem to have realized that NOW that the fuel hedges have expired they are in the same boat as every other airline out there (Fighting to make money) At any time they would be within thier rights to quit giving these refunds.

 

[Cricket2]

I just today got a refund with zero problems. If you are just changing the fare on a one way trip, you don't even need the 2 window method. Just change the flight directly in your original reservation. It updates it for you all in one step without canceling your original flight and you keep the same confirmation # even. I'm not sure why there is a 2 window method unless you are changing your flight to another time or day.

 

[Goofy4Disney!]

Wow, that was the easiest thing I've ever done. I just happened to check the Southwest website today, to see if the prices had changed for the flights I booked the end of August. Well they did!!! 20 bucks each way! So I just went to "change flight" and changed it to the new fare (same flights, same days etc.) and got credited 200.00 BUCKS! Love it.

And that wasn't even a Ding. Just happened to check it.

 

[suzydisney971]

I check the flights everyday and this was the first time that they were down $30 less than what I originally paid for them. I went ahead and just changed the price and kept the original flight times. I originally called to find out how to change it without realizing how easy it was. But when I asked if I could get a refund I was told no. However after reading this board, I called again and spoke to a rep from the refund department and they are able to refund $60 (2 tix) to my cc. Thank you for the wonderful knowledge and advice from the DIS folks. Now I'm crossing my fingers that my return flight will go down too. Thank you all.

 

[Cricket2]

Did it used to be more difficult? I'm still not sure where the 2 window thing came from everybody talks about. I'm wondering if they changed something to make it easier.

 

[brandt79]

I just called the refund department and was told I was not eligible for a refund because even though I rebooked the exact same flights, same day and time, my original booking was a "Discounted fare" and my new booking is an "Internet fare" so it's not eligible for a refund.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Did it used to be more difficult? I'm still not sure where the 2 window thing came from everybody talks about. I'm wondering if they changed something to make it easier.

This idea came about because to rebook with a Ding fare you must first cancel your old ressie. Then book the ding.

Some people are afraid that in the time that passes between cancelling and booking the ding, it's possible the ding could sell out, leaving you with no airfare. People have discovered that if they go thru the ding booking process right up to the page where you enter old travel funds as payment, then open a new window and quick cancel the old ressie, then enter old ressie # for travel funds, there's less chance you'd lose out on the ding.
I'm not sure that any of this has been proven or at exactly what point you lock your seats/price to your ressie.

Example, this past schedule extension I discovered on my lunch break (1 hr. after release) that our dates were quickly selling out and knew they would be nothing available by the time I got home. Too bad my mom had $300 in credits at home too! Flights were selling out just while discussing flight times on the phone with my mom! I had to book 3 ressies for extended family members too. So I quick opened 3 windows and took them all to the page where you enter cc info. I finished my parents and bro/sil's and they were fine. When I got to mine, I got an error message and when I tried again, it was sold out. I know I was less than 5 mins., I'm a very fast typer. I don't know exactly how much time they allow you to fill out cc page but IMHO I don't think you're locked in until you get the conf. #!

 

[Cricket2]

This idea came about because to rebook with a Ding fare you must first cancel your old ressie.

Ok, so it's for Ding fares, I get it. Mine was a general price reduction in the same category so that must have been why it was easier for me.