Can I manage or change this Southwest Airlines booking online?

The key checks for this Southwest Airlines booking are how the booking is retrieved, the purchased fare rule and the final price and charges. Open the exact record before deciding whether an online change, the original seller or an assisted path applies.

What this answer depends on

  • A traveler who neither changes nor cancels at least 10 minutes before scheduled departure enters a separate no-show branch.

Important exceptions

  • Compare flight only versus getaways package before choosing the change path.
  • Compare basic versus upgrade eligible fare before choosing the change path.
  • Compare before deadline versus no show before choosing the change path.

Important unknowns

  • Confirm where the booking was purchased.
  • Confirm which airline or seller issued the ticket.

What to do next

  1. Retrieve the exact booking

    Open the current Southwest Airlines reservation with the exact booking reference and passenger details, then use only the actions shown for that record.

  2. Read the fare-specific rule

    Read the exact fare or ticket restriction attached to the booking before selecting a replacement flight or confirming the change.

  3. Review the final price before submitting

    Review the replacement fare, each fee and any tax adjustment in the final screen, then save the total before submitting payment.

More booking questions

How do I retrieve this Southwest Airlines booking?

Eligible Southwest reservations can be retrieved through Manage Reservations, where the exact itinerary shows the available Change action.

Checked againstSouthwest change flightSouthwest rebook or change tripSouthwest fare information

Which fare or ticket rule controls this Southwest Airlines change?

A current Basic fare requires an upgrade to an eligible fare before a voluntary change; other Southwest fares may follow different rules.

Checked againstSouthwest change flightSouthwest rebook or change tripSouthwest fare information

What amount should I review before confirming changes with Southwest Airlines?

Southwest may collect a fare difference for a higher-priced replacement flight even when a separate change fee is not displayed.

Checked againstSouthwest change flightSouthwest rebook or change tripSouthwest fare information

What should I do with my Companion Pass reservation if I change or cancel my Southwest ticket?

For Companion Pass travel, check both the Member's reservation and the Companion's reservation after any change. Southwest's terms say the Member and Companion must be booked on the same flights and dates. If the Member changes their ticket, the Companion's ticket must also be changed to match or the Companion's ticket will be canceled. If the Member's ticket is canceled, Southwest says the Companion's ticket is canceled too. That linked cancellation does not by itself determine what refund or flight-credit value applies to the Member's ticket; check the fare and ticket rules separately. Do not treat a confirmation for only one reservation as confirmation that both travelers still have matching flights.

What this depends on

  • The Member and Companion must be booked on the same flights and dates.

Confirm before booking

  • The linked Companion cancellation does not determine the refund or flight-credit value for the Member's ticket.

What to do next

  1. Check both the Member's reservation and the Companion's reservation after any change.
  2. If the Member's ticket is canceled, check the fare and ticket rules separately for refund or flight-credit value.
  3. Do not treat confirmation for only one reservation as confirmation that both travelers still have matching flights.

Checked againstSouthwest — Rapid Rewards Terms & Conditions

Changing your designated Southwest Companion: plan around existing reservations

A Companion Pass member has one designated Companion at a time and may change that person up to three times per calendar year of status. Existing Companion Pass reservations must be canceled before the designation changes. Southwest permits requests online, in its app or by phone and says to allow twenty-one business days. Companion travel still requires an available seat.

Confirm before booking

  • Confirm current instructions for your actual ticket or account with the airline. The effective date and individual outcome are not established.

What to do next

  1. Identify the account
  2. First decide whether you are changing the person or just changing the travel plan. Moving the same Member and Companion to different flights is a different task from replacing the designated individual. State which task you want before requesting any cancellation.
  3. Use the official recovery route
  4. Review upcoming reservations involving the current Companion. Make a private list of the trips affected and the travel you would like the replacement Companion to take. Keep the designation request separate from a request to obtain new flights; completing one does not demonstrate that the other has succeeded.
  5. Keep your request focused
  6. Ask about the consequences of canceling each existing Companion reservation before authorizing the action. If money, points or other value is involved, request the applicable settlement separately. This guide does not establish the refund, credit or fee result.
  7. Check the result
  8. Allow for the published processing period when considering your dates. Ask Southwest to confirm the designation shown in the account and any unresolved steps. Do not describe the twenty-one-business-day allowance as a guaranteed completion date.
  9. Scope and limitations
  10. Before relying on a replacement travel plan, inspect the actual reservation outcome. A changed designation is not an automatic new booking or a promised seat. Keep any pending flight request visible until its status is clear; do not assume a name change on an existing ticket is the permitted way to replace the Companion.

Checked againstSouthwest — Rapid Rewards Terms & Conditions

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