SWA Credit when fares drop?

[kerickson]

I thought I read about this on this board, but search isn't working for me.
I purchased tickets on SWA a few months ago, the fares are now $30 less per ticket, can I request a credit? Or do I have to cancel then rebook on my own?

 

[f15robyn]

I don't know if SWA does this because we never fly them (they don't fly in/out of our airport).

But JetBlue does this (I had over $400 in credits recently).

So I would call SWA and ask - and mention that you know JetBlue does Nothing like reminding them about the competition to encourage them to help you.

 

[Huff]

I've done this online with SWA. When you cancel your existing reservations you'll get a credit. Then you book the new flights and tell it to apply your credit. You will then have a credit balance left over for the difference. That credit must be used within one year or you lose it.

There is a risk that after you cancel your flights the one you want is not available at the price you saw. I use two internet windows to help.

Not sure but I think the Ding priced bookings have different rules and abilities to apply the credit.

 

[4everluvDisney]

I thought I read about this on this board, but search isn't working for me.
I purchased tickets on SWA a few months ago, the fares are now $30 less per ticket, can I request a credit? Or do I have to cancel then rebook on my own?

We fly SWA all the time. Yes, you can like OP said but keep in mind that the 1 year window to use the credit is from the date you originally booked.

 

[GrandBob]

You don't need to cancel your flight at all! Just click on View/Change Flight, then put a check mark next to the segment that has lowered the fare (both, if need be). Then click "Change Selected Trips", and choose the same flights you had before! It will give you back your same trip, but credit you with the difference in air fare.

I did this just last week on a SWA flight I had reserved. It's quick and easy. And you get a credit you can use for future flights.

-Bob

 

[DizMe]

You don't need to cancel your flight at all! Just click on View/Change Flight, then put a check mark next to the segment that has lowered the fare (both, if need be). Then click "Change Selected Trips", and choose the same flights you had before! It will give you back your same trip, but credit you with the difference in air fare.

I did this just last week on a SWA flight I had reserved. It's quick and easy. And you get a credit you can use for future flights.

-Bob

This has worked for me, too. Sometimes, though, the fare listed for new bookings is less than the fare given for changing flights, so you may not get your money back if that happens. In other words, if you looked up the flight for a new booking, it might say "$120" but if you requested a flight change, the fare might come up as "$150" for the same flight. In that case, I would call and ask an agent.

 

[lntsmom]

Southwest is one company that still offers customer service.

You know how they give you the warning page before you confirm your purchase, telling you your name must be identical to what's on your photo ID?

Well, yep...I made a mistake on my first name when ordering tickets for WDW last year. I fully expected to be charged for the name correction.

NOPE! The gal at their 1-800 line was wonderful! She corrected it and sent me a corrected confirmation letter and was even kind about it.

I just LOVE Southwest! To be honest, I've kind of gotten to the point of thinking that if Southwest somewhere, then that's not a place I need to go!

 

[KCmike]

Does Southwest let you change your tickets without a fee if you want to go a day earlier?

 

[GrandBob]

Yep, you can change time, date, even destination! You get credit for the difference if the price is lower (or pay the difference if higher). Just remember, though, that you'll pay the current price when you do so. So if you wait until less than 14 days before, you'll end up paying full fare (minus what you paid before).

 

[ORMom2Four]

I just tried this today with Alaska Air. Our flight went down $20/ticket. We had to buy 6 tickets, so that would be a $120 refund!

They would only credit our frequent flyer numbers with a $20 credit for each of us. They said that they could not give us a cash refund since we had non-refundable tickets. I'm not quite sure how the $20 ff credit works though....

 

[disneyfaninaz]

This has worked for me, too. Sometimes, though, the fare listed for new bookings is less than the fare given for changing flights, so you may not get your money back if that happens. In other words, if you looked up the flight for a new booking, it might say "$120" but if you requested a flight change, the fare might come up as "$150" for the same flight. In that case, I would call and ask an agent.

There are a limited number of seats available at the lower price, when you go to change your reservations, if you have more people than seats available, it won't show the lower fare.

 

[brenda1966]

I love southwest. They usually always have the best fares and they have the best ticket change policy. For the first time ever my fare went down and I was able to "change" tickets for my flight out and my flight back and get 2 credits. I always book the legs separately. I have not yet found any discount for booking round trip.

I know some people book each ticket separately incase a fare goes down and there's only one seat. It's always a good idea to search for 1 ticket and see what the fare is, as well as searching for your needed number.

 

[gowensby]

Love these boards! I'm planning a trip to Disneyland and had a free ticket on Southwest. But I paid for two tickets to Phoenix and this move juts saved me $120!!! LOVE SOUTHWEST! Great customer service.

 

[ACDSNY]

You don't need to cancel your flight at all! Just click on View/Change Flight, then put a check mark next to the segment that has lowered the fare (both, if need be). Then click "Change Selected Trips", and choose the same flights you had before! It will give you back your same trip, but credit you with the difference in air fare.

I did this just last week on a SWA flight I had reserved. It's quick and easy. And you get a credit you can use for future flights.

-Bob

This works great unless the best new fare is through Ding fares. Then I've opened two sessions, one to pull up the new reservation and the second to cancel the original reservation.

 

[Sherwin]

I just tried this today with Alaska Air. Our flight went down $20/ticket. We had to buy 6 tickets, so that would be a $120 refund!

They would only credit our frequent flyer numbers with a $20 credit for each of us. They said that they could not give us a cash refund since we had non-refundable tickets. I'm not quite sure how the $20 ff credit works though....

I was also credited back $25 per ticket for 3 tickets from Alaska recently. You can just apply the credit towards a future trip within a year, I think? They should have emailed you codes. When you purchase tickets for a new flight, you enter the given code, and it will be X dollars off!

 

[kerickson]

Thanks for the info! I've used online credits before so I know how this works, and my husband travels alot (I have a companion pass) for SW, so I know we'll use the credit. Thanks again!

 

[kerickson]

Just got $60 in credits through the Change Itinerary section in Travel Tools. It was easy! Every little bit helps! That's a princess dress for my daughter or two character meals!! (Of course it will go right back into Disney!)

 

[KCmike]

Thanks to this thread I was able to get in a day earlier for no additional fee. Southwest has a customer for life. Plus there were alot of cheaper flights for some reason right now.

 

[ORMom2Four]

I was also credited back $25 per ticket for 3 tickets from Alaska recently. You can just apply the credit towards a future trip within a year, I think? They should have emailed you codes. When you purchase tickets for a new flight, you enter the given code, and it will be X dollars off!

The only thing they e-mailed me was a new receipt with the new fares shown. Because of the new receipt, I checked my credit card to see if they credited me, but they had not. I have not received any codes. Do they do this after your flight? Thanks for any help!

 

[gowensby]

Southwest places the credit on your Rapid Rewards account/number but does not refund the difference to a credit card. Mine appears in my RR account as a credit toward future travel.

If you do not have a Rapid Rewards account/number then I assume they send you some type of code to be redeemd for future travel. Not sure about that though.