Editor’s notice: This put up has been up to date with new info.
One of the longstanding perks of reserving with Southwest Airlines is the power to make the most of the airline’s periodic gross sales and value drops by banking among the Rapid Rewards factors used when the price goes down and/and even getting a credit score to make use of in direction of a future flight the value goes down on a money reserving.
Details on reprice your Southwest flights are all the time price figuring out, however it’s a talent particularly price brushing up on at this time with a widespread 40% off sale on many Southwest flights this fall that is happening via June 15, 2023.
This could also 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 assist you to out.
Related: Airlines that give you a credit score if the value drops
Why Southwest’s change coverage is notable
(Photo by Ben Smithson/The Points Guy)
Booking an airline flight can really feel like a big gamble. You by no means know what the value is perhaps a number of days or months down the road, and it’s arduous to know in case you’re reserving the bottom attainable price. Should you ebook now? Hold off a number of days? A number of months? It generally is a annoying course of, particularly when shopping for tickets for a whole household.
Although most airways dropped their hefty change charges through the pandemic, there’s no assure these insurance policies will final via the longer term. If these charges — which used to soar into the $200 vary — begin creeping again, it most certainly gained’t be price it to rebook.
However, with Southwest, whether or not you booked utilizing factors or paid money, you may all the time rebook your flight and get the distinction again. Some different 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 perfect value out there, no matter elite standing.
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Southwest even means that you can rebook a limiteless variety of instances as much as 10 minutes earlier than the flight’s departure. Plus, all fare lessons are eligible for rebooking. It’s an enormous perk and an ideal choice for vacationers who wish to scale back their total prices, whether or not that be in factors or {dollars}.
Many Southwest members — myself included — have been capable of rebook upcoming flights and get the fare distinction again of their pockets.
Related: These are the perfect Southwest Airlines bank cards
What occurs if you discover a lower cost
If you occur to discover a lower cost, you’ll both obtain a Travel Funds credit score or your factors again, relying on the way you initially paid for the fare.
- If you paid for the flight: If you booked the lowest-price Wanna Get Away fares, you’ll obtain a Travel Funds credit score for the distinction within the fare. You have one yr from the date you initially booked the flight to make use of the credit score (not from the date you rebooked). Travel Funds credit from these fares are non-transferable 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. Note that you should 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 Business Select and Away fares, you’ll obtain a money refund as an alternative of credit.
- If you used factors for the flight: The distinction in Rapid Rewards factors will routinely return into the account from which these factors had been deducted.
Related: How to redeem factors with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Program
Steps to rebook your Southwest flight
Whether your flight was booked on factors or a money ticket, the method to rebook (and thus re-price) is extraordinarily straightforward.
First, check in to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. On the “My Account” web page, you’ll see your whole upcoming flights. Click on “Change flight.”
Then, choose your flight. Your authentic departure and arrival airports, in addition to the date, will auto-populate. Change these if you’d like, after which click on “Explore options.”
You’ll see the quantity the actual flight has elevated or decreased in factors or money. If your authentic flight has decreased (famous by a minus signal), choose the fare to get a credit score.
Then, click on “Review changes.”
You will see the credit score you might be receiving on the backside of the web page. If you wish to proceed, click on “Review Passenger and pricing.”
The passenger info will already be populated on the subsequent web page, and also you’ll simply want to substantiate your modifications.
After confirming your change, it’s best to obtain an e mail inside a couple of minutes. You’ll discover your flight affirmation quantity has stayed the identical. If you used factors, the distinction will probably be credited again to your Rapid Rewards account instantly. If it was a money reservation on a nonrefundable fare, it’s best to now have Travel Funds out there.
Related: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier and Plus bank cards
When you go to ebook a future flight, choose the “Apply Flight Credits, LUV Vouchers, and gift cards” hyperlink within the fee technique part to redeem these Travel Funds.
You’ll see a brand new part open up. Select the “Flight Credit” tab and enter the unique affirmation quantity that the funds are tied to, in addition to the passenger’s first and final title.
Note: If you might be paying for only a portion of your flight with Travel Funds, any further funds added will inherit the earliest Travel Funds expiration date. This is essential to know in case you find yourself canceling your flight.
Re-pricing a flight is a particularly straightforward course of and when you get the grasp of it, it shouldn’t take greater than a minute or so to finish.
Related: How to alter or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight
How does rebooking a flight work with the Southwest Companion Pass?
If a flight goes down in value and also you rebook at that decrease price, there are a number of additional steps to observe if in case you have added a Companion Pass to your reservation.
As you could already know, the Companion Pass means that you can carry a delegated good friend or member of the family for (virtually) free on any Southwest flight you’re taking. You’ll simply have to pay the taxes and costs such as you would on an award ticket.You can use the Companion Pass on each paid and award tickets, which lets you redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards factors for your self after which carry your companion with out utilizing any additional factors.
But earlier than you may change your flight to get a lower-priced one, you’ll have to cancel your Companion Pass reservation. However, because you solely paid for the taxes and costs on the companion’s ticket, ensure that to request the quantity paid again to your authentic type of fee. This will credit score the cardboard you used, so you aren’t left with a journey voucher.
Once you rebook your flight on the lower cost, it is advisable add your companion’s reservation again onto your authentic reservation. Do not neglect this step as you don’t wish to depart your companion and not using a seat if the flight sells out.
Related: Lessons discovered from having the Companion Pass for over a decade
What occurs if I paid for EarlyBird Check-In?
If you’ve already paid for EarlyBird Check-In, rebooking your flight won’t cancel this add-on choice. As lengthy because the affirmation quantity stays the identical, you might be 100% within the clear.
The actual challenge is if you cancel a reservation after which rebook. For essentially the most half, that is primarily a problem if you rebook a reservation booked with a Companion Pass. Since this reservation is canceled and also you obtained a brand new affirmation quantity, your EarlyBird Check-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 charge if you wish to proceed to incorporate this feature on a brand new reservation.
If you wish to buy EarlyBird Check-In, I recommend you maintain off on paying for the EarlyBird Check-In add-on for the Companion Pass till you’re fairly assured that fares won’t go decrease. Keep in thoughts, although, that your boarding place with EarlyBird Check-In is predicated on a number of elements, together with how early you add it to your reservation.
Related: Top Southwest worldwide locations for households
Bottom line
My No. 1 tip for all Southwest vacationers is to periodically examine all upcoming Southwest flight costs — particularly throughout huge gross sales.
Southwest flight costs change very often, and there’s no motive you shouldn’t get the perfect value out there. The strategy of repricing is very simple, and it may finally prevent lots of of {dollars} (or the equal quantity in factors) with hardly any additional effort.
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Additional reporting by Melissa Klurman and Summer Hull.
Source: thepointsguy.com”