How can I cancel a flight with Southwest Airlines?

Confirm the seller first, then open Manage Reservations and identify the current fare bundle before cancelling. Choice Preferred and Choice Extra are refundable; Choice and Basic are non-refundable and normally return conditional flight-credit value. Cancel at least ten minutes before departure, and check the whole-round-trip rule when any segment is Basic.

What this answer depends on

  • Confirm flight or package in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm fare on every segment in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm hours since booking in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm minutes to departure in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm whole round trip in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm refund or credit in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm credit expiration in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm partner or Southwest disruption in the exact booking before submitting.

Important exceptions

  • The older Wanna Get Away names should not be used to infer current Southwest cancellation terms.
  • Missing the ten-minute deadline can forfeit funds on Basic or Choice, while Getaways and partner itineraries use different rules.

Important unknowns

  • Seller or merchant: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Who issued the ticket: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Flight only or package: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Operating carrier: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Fare or award product: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Booking time: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Departure time: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Unused or partly used segments: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Check in or no show state: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Payment method: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Point of sale and jurisdiction: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Live cancellation result: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.

What to do next

  1. Confirm the seller and whether the booking is a Southwest flight rather than a Getaways package or partner itinerary.

  2. Retrieve the reservation and identify Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred or Choice Extra for every segment.

  3. If within 24 hours of booking, inspect whether a method-of-payment refund or credit option is offered.

  4. For Basic in a round trip, verify whether the whole itinerary must be cancelled or the Basic segment upgraded first.

  5. Complete the action at least ten minutes before scheduled departure and record the credit type and expiration if applicable.

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