SWA - Changing Flights Policy

[abner1776]

What is SWA's policy on changing flights ? I have heard that SWA will simply issue a credit for the full cost of the flights with the credit to be used at a later date, but I cannot find anything on their website. Other airlines will charge you $50 or $100 per ticket to change, so I would like to avoid paying a fee if I can.

I want to book my late Jan 08 flights when the fares open up next week, but there is a very good possibility that I may have to cancel this WDW trip to go to Geneva instead.

 

[bumbershoot]

There's no charge. You just cancel, and the $ goes IMMEDIATELY into funds. I canceled one flight and within a minute booked a Ding fare with the funds from the canceled flight.

Recently I canceled all of our flights (brakes went out on old car, realized old car was awful, bought new-used car, and will now drive instead), and the funds were held immediately for me. They are held for a year from when you made your reservation (and I think you can have that extended, but then there IS a fee).

Of course, if you booked a refundable fare (unlike my NONrefundables), if you want your money back, you call and request it.

Otherwise, just hang on to your cancellation number (which for our flights were the same as the booking confirmation number) and use that to pay, or help pay, for future flights!

 

[Taja]

The one hitch with SWA issuing credit for future use is that it must be used within one year of the original booking date. You might be able to request an extension, but no guarantee it will be granted.

 

[bumbershoot]

Wanted to mention that that's no different from other airlines.

A while back I had a trip planned with a friend to N.O., and we bought tickets on Delta. I don't remember what happened, but I had to cancel. Somehow we convinced them to give me a credit, and it was for a year. Of course, they also charged a fee to allow me to cancel. So I was out a fee, and only had a year, and I *think* I might have extended that, again for a fee, but I was never able to use it and I lost it all.