What is southwest airline's refund policy?

[rnorwo1]

I have looked all over their website and cannot find this info... I know the wanna get away fares are not refundable, but I thought that if the fares dropped after you booked it, you could rebook and get a credit or something for the difference? Does anyone know if this is true? If so, does the credit have an expiration date? If you book with points, you will get all of your points back if you rebook, right?
TIA!

 

[Sweettears]

I have looked all over their website and cannot find this info... I know the wanna get away fares are not refundable, but I thought that if the fares dropped after you booked it, you could rebook and get a credit or something for the difference? Does anyone know if this is true? If so, does the credit have an expiration date? If you book with points, you will get all of your points back if you rebook, right?
TIA!

WGA fares are non-refundable. You get a credit that has to be used by the same person within a year. You can rebook if a lower fare is available. The resulting credit is treated like a cancellation credit. Points are completely refundable in all cases.

 

[Maybelle]

Very easy to change flights and re-book with Southwest if a lower fare comes along, at least if you book one-way flights. I always book one way flights with SW, so that I can do just that. The credit stays on your account to be used for a future flight within 1 year.

 

[ccgirl]

As others have said, they will give you a travel credit for any fare (even non-refundable). The credit has to be used within a year of the original booking date. At least, that's how I remember it. It's on their website somewhere (sorry don't have time to search right now).

 

[rnorwo1]

Thanks. We are taking a cruise in May and need flights to Ft Lauderdale, but the prices right now will cost us over $2100 for the 5 of us. Will make me nervous to wait too long but guess I should wait at least til after the holidays and see if they come down any more. I don't know that we'd fly again within a year to use the credit If we rebook.
Thanks again!

 

[disneylove69]

Do it all the time. Just hold onto the confirmation # for future use. You have a year to use it for the same person. If you book on line you will enter the confirmation number and it will subtract from the total.

 

[SnowWhite2]

I love Southwest for that perk! I only wish they would incorporate SW policies on AirTran quickly. DD's college town is only serviced by AirTran and I'm playing the waiting game with fares that I'd never have to do with Southwest.

 

[HM]

The credits will expire one year from your original purchase date, not from when you made the change.

 

[PrincesCJM]

The credits will expire one year from your original purchase date, not from when you made the change.

When redeeming the credit, does the flights you apply it to need to fly out on or before the one year date? Or can the flight occur after - you just need to apply the credit before it expires? I ask because I have a credit and am trying to plan when and what do to with it.

 

[crashbb]

When redeeming the credit, does the flights you apply it to need to fly out on or before the one year date? Or can the flight occur after - you just need to apply the credit before it expires? I ask because I have a credit and am trying to plan when and what do to with it.

The flight has to be before the credit expires. There are ways to extend it (I believe it is $50 for a 6 month extension) though.

 

[ccgirl]

I love Southwest for that perk! I only wish they would incorporate SW policies on AirTran quickly. DD's college town is only serviced by AirTran and I'm playing the waiting game with fares that I'd never have to do with Southwest.

AirTran will give you a credit if the price goes down too. I've done it before and the credits were enough to pay for my checked bags.

When redeeming the credit, does the flights you apply it to need to fly out on or before the one year date? Or can the flight occur after - you just need to apply the credit before it expires? I ask because I have a credit and am trying to plan when and what do to with it.

As PP stated, travel must be made before the expiration of the credit. There have been reports of people extending the credit but there is a fee associated.

Hope that helps.