Are you currently staring at your Southwest Airlines flight confirmation, a sudden thought sparking panic: "What if I need to change this?" Or perhaps you've already had a change of plans and are wondering about the financial hit. Good news, savvy traveler! Southwest Airlines has long been known for its customer-friendly policies, especially when it comes to changes. While there have been some updates to their fare structure and policies as of May 28, 2025, the core principle of no standard change fees largely remains for most fares.
This comprehensive guide will break down exactly how much it costs to change a flight with Southwest Airlines, offering a step-by-step approach to navigating the process and understanding the nuances of their updated fare system.
The Southwest Airlines Advantage: No Standard Change Fees (Mostly!)
One of Southwest's standout features, and a major reason many travelers choose them, has been their commitment to no change fees. This means that if you need to alter your itinerary, you typically won't be charged an arbitrary fee just for making the change itself, unlike many other airlines. However, the cost of changing your flight primarily revolves around the fare difference between your original flight and the new one.
It's crucial to understand that Southwest introduced some significant policy changes on May 28, 2025, including a new "Basic" fare and updates to flight credit expiration. These changes do impact the flexibility and potential costs associated with changing your flight, so paying attention to your specific fare type is more important than ever.
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| How Much Does It Cost To Change A Flight With Southwest Airlines |
Step 1: Identify Your Fare Type – This is Crucial!
Before you do anything, take a moment to look at your booking confirmation. Do you know what kind of Southwest fare you purchased? This is the single most important factor in determining the cost and flexibility of your flight change. As of May 28, 2025, Southwest has four primary fare types:
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Basic (New as of May 28, 2025): This is Southwest's lowest-priced and most restrictive fare. If you booked a Basic fare, listen up!
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Wanna Get Away Plus® (Formerly Wanna Get Away® for bookings prior to May 28, 2025, but now a distinct fare): This fare offers more flexibility than Basic.
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Anytime®: A more flexible and often refundable fare.
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Business Select®: Southwest's most flexible and premium fare.
Why is this so important? Because the rules for changing flights vary significantly across these fare types.
Step 2: Access Your Reservation
Once you know your fare type, the next step is to access your flight reservation. Southwest makes this quite easy through their online platforms.
Sub-heading: Via the Southwest Airlines Website
Tip: Reading on mobile? Zoom in for better comfort.
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Go to Southwest.com: Navigate to the official Southwest Airlines website.
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Click "Change/Cancel": On the homepage, you'll typically find a "Change/Cancel" or "Manage Reservations" option.
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Enter Confirmation Details: You'll be prompted to enter your Confirmation Number, First Name, and Last Name.
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Retrieve Reservation: Click "Search" or "Retrieve Reservation."
Sub-heading: Via the Southwest Airlines Mobile App
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Open the App: Launch the Southwest Airlines app on your smartphone or tablet.
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Log In (Optional but Recommended): If you have a Rapid Rewards account, logging in will show you all your upcoming trips.
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Find Your Trip: Either select your trip from the main screen or use the "Look Up Trip" function if you're not logged in or the trip isn't immediately visible.
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Select "Change Flight": Once your reservation is displayed, look for an option to "Change Flight" or "Modify Trip."
Step 3: Initiate the Change Process and Understand Fare Differences
Now that you've accessed your reservation, you can begin the change process. This is where the "cost" typically comes into play.
Sub-heading: The Fare Difference Explained
When you change your flight, Southwest will show you available alternative flights and their corresponding prices.
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If the new flight is MORE expensive than your original flight: You will need to pay the difference in fare. This is the most common "cost" associated with changing a Southwest flight. For example, if your original flight was $100 and the new flight is $150, you'll pay $50.
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If the new flight is LESS expensive than your original flight: This is where the fare type truly matters:
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Business Select® and Anytime® Fares: If you booked one of these more flexible fares, the difference in fare (the credit) will typically be refunded to your original form of payment or converted to a Transferable Flight Credit™.
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Wanna Get Away Plus® Fares: The difference in fare will be converted to a Transferable Flight Credit™.
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Basic Fares: This is where it gets tricky. Basic fares are non-refundable and generally do not allow for changes without an upgrade. If you change a Basic fare, you must upgrade it to a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare. This means you will effectively pay the difference to upgrade and then potentially any further fare difference for the new flight. If the new flight is cheaper, you will forfeit the difference for Basic fares.
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Sub-heading: Special Considerations for Basic Fares (New as of May 28, 2025)
The introduction of the Basic fare fundamentally changes the flexibility Southwest was known for. If you purchased a Basic fare:
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You cannot directly change your flight to another Basic fare.
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You must upgrade to a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare to make a change.
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This upgrade will involve paying the difference between your Basic fare and the upgraded fare, plus any fare difference to the new flight.
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If you cancel a Basic fare, you will receive a flight credit that expires six months from the date the fare was purchased and ticketed. This credit is also non-transferable.
Step 4: Confirm Your Changes and Payment
Once you've selected your new flight and reviewed any fare differences, the system will prompt you to confirm the changes and, if applicable, make a payment.
QuickTip: Scan the start and end of paragraphs.
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Review New Itinerary: Double-check the new flight details (date, time, destination, and passenger information).
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Review Cost Breakdown: Ensure you understand any additional costs (fare difference, or upgrade costs for Basic fares).
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Process Payment: If there's an outstanding balance, you'll be prompted to enter your payment information. Southwest accepts various forms of payment.
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Receive Confirmation: After successful payment (if any), you'll receive a new confirmation email with your updated itinerary. Keep this handy!
Step 5: Consider Same-Day Changes/Standby
Southwest also offers options for same-day changes and standby, which can be beneficial if your travel plans are flexible on the day of departure.
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Sub-heading: Same-Day Change
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Eligibility (as of May 28, 2025): Free same-day confirmed changes are available for Business Select®, Anytime®, and Wanna Get Away Plus® fares.
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Basic fares are no longer eligible for free same-day changes, even for A-List elites.
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Process: On the day of travel, you can switch to another flight with space available departing on the same calendar day between the same origin and destination airports.
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Cost: While there are no airline charges for eligible fares, you may still be required to pay any government taxes and fees associated with the itinerary change. Your original boarding position is not guaranteed.
Sub-heading: Same-Day Standby
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Eligibility: You can list for same-day standby if you have A-List or A-List Preferred status, or if you are flying on a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare.
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Basic fares are generally not eligible for free same-day standby unless you have A-List/A-List Preferred status (but even then, the rules have become more restrictive for Basic fares).
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Process: You can request to be added to the standby list at the airport with a Southwest Customer Service Agent or via the Southwest app/mobile web.
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Cost: There are no airline charges for eligible fares, but additional taxes and fees may apply. Being on standby means your seat is not guaranteed; you will only be accommodated if space is available.
Important Things to Remember:
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Cancel at Least 10 Minutes Before Departure: Regardless of your fare type, if you do not plan to travel, you must cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes prior to the original scheduled departure time to avoid forfeiting your travel funds (especially for non-refundable fares like Basic or Wanna Get Away Plus).
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Flight Credits Have Expiration Dates (Post May 28, 2025):
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Flight credits created on or before May 27, 2025, do not expire.
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Flight credits created from reservations booked and ticketed and/or voluntarily changed on or after May 28, 2025, will have a specified expiration dat
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Transferable Flight Credits™: Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, and Business Select® fares are eligible for a Transferable Flight Credit™ if you cancel. This means you can transfer the credit to another Rapid Rewards member. Basic fare flight credits are not transferable.
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Points Bookings: If you booked with Rapid Rewards points and cancel, the points will be returned to the Rapid Rewards account holder.
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Dividing Reservations: If you need to change a flight for only one traveler on a multi-person reservation, you will likely need to divide the reservation first. This can often be done online.
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Partner Itineraries: If your booking involves a partner carrier, their fare rules and change policies will apply. You'll need to contact the partner airline directly.
10 Related FAQ Questions:
How to check my Southwest fare type?
You can find your fare type listed on your Southwest Airlines booking confirmation email or by logging into your Rapid Rewards account and viewing your upcoming trips on the Southwest website or mobile app.
Tip: Reread slowly for better memory.
How to change a flight for free on Southwest Airlines?
You can change a flight for free (meaning no airline change fee) on Southwest if you are flying on a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare and there is no difference in fare. If the new flight is more expensive, you will pay the fare difference. Basic fares require an upgrade and fare difference.
How to avoid paying a fare difference when changing a Southwest flight?
To avoid paying a fare difference, you would need to find an alternative flight that has the exact same fare class and price as your original booking. This is often challenging, especially closer to the travel date.
How to change a Basic fare on Southwest Airlines?
To change a Basic fare, you must upgrade it to a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare. This will involve paying the difference in fare between your Basic fare and the upgraded fare, plus any additional fare difference to the new flight.
How to cancel a Southwest flight and get a refund?
Refund eligibility depends on your fare type. Business Select® and Anytime® fares are refundable to your original form of payment if canceled at least 10 minutes before departure. Wanna Get Away Plus® and Basic fares are non-refundable, and you'll receive a flight credit instead.
How to use Southwest flight credits?
QuickTip: Skim the intro, then dive deeper.
When booking a new flight on Southwest.com or the app, you'll see an option to apply a flight credit on the payment screen. You'll need the confirmation number associated with the flight credit.
How to find the expiration date of my Southwest flight credit?
For flight credits created on or after May 28, 2025, the expiration date is typically one year from the purchase date for Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select fares, and six months for Basic fares. You can view your available flight credits and their expiration dates by logging into your Rapid Rewards account under "My Account" and then "Payment," or by using the "Check Travel Funds" page on Southwest.com.
How to make a same-day change on Southwest Airlines?
If you have a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare, you can make a free same-day change through the Southwest app, website, or at the airport on the day of travel, provided there's space on an eligible flight between the same cities.
How to fly standby on Southwest Airlines?
You can request to be added to the same-day standby list at the airport or via the Southwest app/mobile web if you have A-List/A-List Preferred status or are on a Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime®, or Business Select® fare.
How to divide a Southwest reservation to change one passenger's flight?
You can typically divide a reservation online through the Southwest website or mobile app. Look for an option like "Divide Reservation" or "Change Number of People Flying" within your trip details. You'll then receive a new confirmation number for the separated passenger.
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