Editor’s observe: This publish has been up to date with new data.
One of many longstanding perks of reserving with Southwest Airlines is the flexibility to reap the benefits of the airline’s periodic gross sales and worth drops by banking a number of the Fast Rewards factors used when the associated fee goes down and/and even getting a credit score to make use of towards a future flight when the worth goes down on a money reserving.
Particulars on methods to re-price your Southwest flights are all the time value figuring out, however it’s a talent particularly value brushing up on now, with a widespread 40%-off sale on many Southwest flights this fall occurring via June 15.
This can be your alternative to stretch your Southwest factors and money for flights even additional by simply pushing a number of buttons on the proper time. If that is complicated to you, learn on and we’ll aid you out.
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Why Southwest’s change coverage is notable
Reserving an airline flight can really feel like a bet. You by no means know what the worth is perhaps a number of days or months down the road, and it’s arduous to know in case you’re reserving the bottom doable price. Must you guide now? Maintain off a number of days? Just a few months? It may be a irritating course of, particularly when shopping for tickets for a whole household.
Though most airlines dropped their hefty change fees through the pandemic, there’s no assure these insurance policies will final. If these charges — which used to soar into the $200 vary — begin creeping again, it almost certainly received’t be value it to rebook.
Nevertheless, with Southwest, whether or not you booked utilizing points or paid money, you’ll be able to all the time rebook your flight and get the distinction again. Another airways do waive their charges for these with standing, however on Southwest it doesn’t matter who you might be. All prospects can rebook a flight to get the most effective worth out there, no matter elite standing.
Southwest even means that you can rebook an infinite variety of occasions as much as 10 minutes earlier than the flight’s departure. Plus, all fare courses are eligible for rebooking. It’s an enormous perk and an awesome choice for vacationers who wish to scale back their total prices, whether or not that be in factors or {dollars}.
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Many Southwest members — myself included — have been in a position to rebook upcoming flights and get the fare distinction again of their pockets.
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What occurs once you discover a cheaper price
If you happen to occur to discover a cheaper price, you’ll both obtain a Journey Funds credit score or your factors again, relying on the way you initially paid for the fare.
- If you happen to paid for the flight: If you happen to booked the lowest-price Wanna Get Away fare, you’ll obtain a Journey Funds credit score for the distinction within the fare. You’ve got one yr from the date you initially booked the flight (not the date you rebooked) to make use of the credit score. Journey Funds credit from these fares are nontransferable and may solely be used for a similar passenger. For the brand new Wanna Get Away Plus fares, you’ll obtain transferable flight credit that permit you to switch your flight credit score to another person. Notice that you could each be Rapid Rewards members, and just one switch is permitted. The expiration date is 12 months from the date the ticket was booked. For costlier Enterprise Choose and Away fares, you’ll obtain a money refund as a substitute of credit.
- If you happen to used factors for the flight: The distinction in Fast Rewards factors will mechanically return into the account from which these factors had been deducted.
Associated: How to redeem points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program
Steps to rebook your Southwest flight
Whether or not your flight was booked with factors or money, the method to rebook (and thus re-price) is extraordinarily simple.
First, register to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. On the “My Account” web page, you’ll see all your upcoming flights. Click on on “Change flight.”
Then, choose your flight. Your authentic departure and arrival airports, in addition to the date, will mechanically populate. Change these in order for you, after which click on “Discover choices.”
You’ll see the quantity the actual flight has elevated or decreased in factors or money. In case your authentic flight has decreased (famous by a minus signal), choose the fare to get a credit score.
Then, click on “Evaluation modifications.”
You will note the credit score you might be receiving on the backside of the web page. If you wish to proceed, click on “Evaluation Passenger and pricing.”
The passenger data will already be populated on the following web page, and also you’ll simply want to verify your modifications.
After confirming, you need to obtain an electronic mail inside a couple of minutes. You’ll discover your flight affirmation quantity has stayed the identical. If you happen to used factors, the distinction will probably be credited again to your Fast Rewards account instantly. If it was a money reservation on a nonrefundable fare, you need to now have Journey Funds out there.
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While you go to guide a future flight, choose the “Apply Flight Credit, LUV Vouchers, and reward playing cards” hyperlink within the cost technique part to redeem these Journey Funds.
You’ll see a brand new part open up. Choose the “Flight Credit score” tab and enter the unique affirmation quantity that the funds are tied to, in addition to the passenger’s first and final title.
Notice: If you’re paying for only a portion of your flight with Journey Funds, any extra funds added will inherit the earliest Journey Funds expiration date. That is essential to know in case you find yourself canceling your flight.
Re-pricing a flight is an especially simple course of, and when you get the hold of it, it shouldn’t take greater than a minute or so to finish.
Associated: How to change or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight
How does rebooking a flight work with the Southwest Companion Move?
If a flight goes down in worth and also you rebook at that decrease price, there are a number of further steps to comply with when you have added a Companion Pass to your reservation.
As chances are you’ll already know, the Companion Move means that you can deliver a delegated buddy or member of the family for (nearly) free on any Southwest flight you are taking. You’ll simply have to pay the taxes and fees, like you would on an award ticket. You should use the Companion Move on each paid and award tickets, which lets you redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points for your self after which deliver your companion with out utilizing any further factors.
However earlier than you’ll be able to change your flight to get a lower-priced one, you’ll have to cancel your Companion Move reservation. Nevertheless, because you solely paid for the taxes and costs on the companion’s ticket, be certain that to request the quantity paid again to your authentic type of cost. It will credit score the cardboard you used, so you aren’t left with a journey voucher.
When you rebook your flight on the cheaper price, it is advisable to add your companion’s reservation back onto your authentic reservation. Don’t forget this step, as you don’t wish to go away your companion with no seat if the flight sells out.
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What occurs if I paid for EarlyBird Verify-In?
If you happen to’ve already paid for EarlyBird Check-In, rebooking your flight is not going to cancel this add-on choice. So long as the affirmation quantity stays the identical, you might be 100% within the clear.
The true subject is once you cancel a reservation after which rebook. For essentially the most half, that is primarily a problem once you rebook a reservation booked with a Companion Move. Since this reservation is canceled and also you obtained a brand new affirmation quantity, your EarlyBird Verify-In is wiped away. The cash you paid initially for this passenger is nonrefundable, and it’ll not be credited again to your account. You’ll be on the hook once more for the payment if you wish to proceed to incorporate this feature on a brand new reservation.
If you wish to buy EarlyBird Verify-In, I recommend you maintain off on paying for the EarlyBird Verify-In add-on for the Companion Move till you’re fairly assured that fares is not going to go decrease. Remember, although, that your boarding place with EarlyBird Verify-In relies on a number of elements, together with how early you add it to your reservation.
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Backside line
My No. 1 tip for all Southwest vacationers is to periodically verify all upcoming Southwest flight costs — particularly throughout massive gross sales.
Southwest flight costs change very often, and there’s no cause you shouldn’t get the most effective worth out there. The method of re-pricing is very simple, and it may finally prevent lots of of {dollars} (or the equal quantity in factors) with hardly any further effort.
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Further reporting by Melissa Klurman and Summer season Hull.
