The blog deals with Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy.

It’s not about earning a living; it’s about designing a life. You’re sitting in your office, waiting for the clock to hit six, aching to leave for your trip. However, just then your boss calls and tells you about this really important meeting.

Meanwhile, let’s be honest, you don’t care, but a job is a job, and your trip is down the drain. Moreover, you lose your money on that flight fare.

Although, don’t give up so easily, what if you can cancel your ticket & not lose your money. That is to say, with Southwest Airlines, you can postpone your travel. On the other hand, if you don’t want to travel, they will refund your amount too.

Come on! Keep reading to find out more about Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy.

What is Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy?

In short, Southwest Airlines Cancellation Policy is a set of guidelines, that dictate:

  • Cancellation Period for Reservations
  • Whether a Fare is Eligible for a Refund
  • Flight Cancellation Charges
  • What Constitutes a No Show?
  • No Show Penalty

Therefore, let us start by discussing the process of canceling a Southwest flight.

If you need: Southwest Airlines Manage Booking

A Guide to Canceling a Southwest Flight

Southwest Airlines allow passengers three channels to cancel a flight. Therefore, below are the steps to cancel a flight using all three methods.

  • Desktop Website
    • Firstly, visit the official website for Southwest Airlines.
    • Secondly, click on Flight on the top category bar. Then under the Flight section, select Manage Reservations.
    • Thirdly, put in your reservation details & click on Search. On the other hand, click on Cancel Flight under the Change or Cancel Flight heading.
      • Confirmation Number.
      • First Name
      • Last Name
    • Once your booking is retrieved, click on the Cancel option. 
  • Mobile Website
    • Firstly, go to the official Southwest Airlines website.
    • Secondly, tap on the menu icon on the top left corner of the screen.
    • Then, under the Flight section, tap on Manage Reservations.
    • After that, enter your booking details and tap on Retrieve Reservation.
      • Confirmation #
      • First Name
      • Last Name
    • Lastly, tap on Cancel.
  • Southwest Mobile Application
    • Firstly, download & install the Southwest Airlines app for your OS.
      • Android
      • iOS
    • Secondly, tap open the Southwest App. Then, tap on the menu icon in the top left corner.
    • Thirdly, tap on the Look Up Reservations, under the Flight section.
    • Then, enter your booking information & tap on the Retrieve Reservation button.
      • Reservation Number
      • First Name of the Passenger
      • Last Name of the Passenger
    • Once the reservation is opened, tap on the Cancel button below your reservation.

Lastly, you will need to select the method of refund to finalize the cancellation.

  • Once you’ve selected the Cancel button on the Website/App, select the Refund Method option.
  • Then select the method of refund you prefer.
    • Hold for Future Use (Travel Funds).
    • Refund to Credit Card.
  • After that, select Cancel Flight once again.

*Your flight will be canceled & you’ll receive a cancellation confirmation mail. In addition, your refund request will start to process.

How to Check Your Travel Funds on Southwest Airlines?

  • Website
    • At first, visit the official Southwest Airlines website.
    • Then, select the category bar on top of the window.
    • Then, select Check Travel Funds under the Flight Tab.
    • Once open, fill in the booking details & select Check Funds.
      • Confirmation #
      • Passenger’s First Name
      • Passenger’s Last Name
  • Mobile App
    • Tap open the Southwest mobile application.
    • Then, either Sign In or continue as Guest.
    • After that, tap open the menu on the top left corner & select Check Travel Funds.
    • Lastly, fill in the reservation details & tap on Check.
      • Confirmation Number for Your Booking.
      • First Name
      • Last Name

Southwest Cancellation Policy – Terms & Conditions

  • Firstly, Southwest Airlines offer three types of fares to their passengers. Also, their refundability depends on their type.
Fare TypeEligibility
RefundableReusable as Travel Funds
Wanna Get Away®NoYes
AnytimeYesYes
Business Select®YesYes
  • Secondly, the minimum cancellation window is 10 minutes before departure. To clarify, passengers need to cancel their flights at least 10 minutes before the departure time. 
  • However, failing that, they will be termed as No-Show & their fares will automatically convert into travel funds.
  • Thirdly, in certain cases, like with Wanna Get Away®, there is no Refund Method option. Consequently, your fare is only eligible for Travel Funds.
  • Fourthly, all travel funds are not valid for the same amount of time. That is to say, their validity depends on the purchase method for the fare.
Method of PurchaseTravel Fund Validity
Credit Card
12 Months from the Booking Date
Gift Card12 Months from the Booking Date
Southwest LUV VoucherValidity Period of the LUV Voucher
  • In addition, Southwest Airlines offers its passengers 24 hours cooling-off period. That is to say, any fare canceled within 24 hours of booking will be eligible for both:
    • Full Refund
    • Conversion to Travel Funds
  • Also, Southwest Airlines will process your refund request within 7 working days. However, the banks may take an additional 10 days to process the payment.
  • In case a passenger wishes to claim their Travel Funds as a Refund amount-
    • Contact Southwest at:
      • 1-800-435-9792 (English)
      • 1-800-826-6667 (Spanish)
    • Mail Southwest at:
      • Southwest Airlines
        Refunds Department
        P.O. Box 36649
        Dallas, Texas 75235-1649

However, only refundable tickets are eligible.

  • Lastly, a passenger with refundable tickets, who are termed as a no-show, will:
    • At first, have their Rapid Rewards Point submitted back into the Rapid Rewards Account.
    • Also, the taxes, fees & fare amount will be converted into Travel Funds.

Contact Information


Contact Number 		(English)  (Spanish)
1-800-435-9792 1-800-826-6667 
Rapid Reward Customer Service1-800-445-5764
Automated Flight Information1-888-792-8747
Twitter@Southwestair
Emailhttps://support.southwest.com/email-us/s/

Facebook		Profile
Messenger

Mail		P.O. Box 36647-1CRDallas, Texas 75235

Customer Service		https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/index.html?clk=GFOOTER-SERVICE

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you cancel southwest airlines?

In short, yes, you can cancel your Southwest flight through the website or the app. However, you must make the cancellation request at least 10 mins before departure.
Also, after cancellation, you can either convert your fare amount into travel funds. In case you don’t need a refund.

How late can you cancel the flight on Southwest Airlines?

In short, you can cancel your Southwest flight as late as 10 minutes before departure. However, failing that, you will be termed as a no-show. Also, your fare amount will be converted into Travel Funds.

How can I cancel my Southwest Airlines booking?

To sum up, there are two ways to cancel your Southwest Airlines booking.
Manage Reservation Section

Can I cancel my Southwest flight within 24 hours of reservation?

In conclusion, yes, you can cancel any type of fare within 24 hours of booking. Additionally, Southwest has 24 hours cooling-off period. To clarify, fares canceled within 24 hours of booking are fully refundable.

Which Southwest fares are refundable?

In short, the Anytime & Business Select® class of fares is fully refundable. However, you must request cancellation at least 10 minutes before departure. Also, due to the cooling-off period, even Wanna Get Away® funds are fully refundable. In case, they are canceled within 24 hours of booking.

Can you fly standby on Southwest?

In case a passenger misses their flight but arrives at the airport within 2 hours after departure. Then they can travel on standby on an alternative flight, regardless of the fare type.
However, in any other circumstance, only Anytime & Business Select® are eligible for flying standby.

Are masks required on Southwest flights?

In short, yes, in accordance with the CDC guidelines & Federal Laws. However, there are some medical exemptions.