The vacation is booked, it’s time to leave, and then, a last-minute problem arises: it’s no longer possible to take the flight booked with Southwest.
While this might ruin your vacation, you don’t necessarily lose everything. It’s possible to get a refund for your Southwest flight. However, this depends on the terms and conditions of your ticket.
Request a flight refund from Southwest: Use the online form
If you wish to request a refund for your ticket from Southwest, here is the form to fill out.
Southwest Airlines’ flight refund policy
If the ticket you booked with Southwest is refundable, there’s obviously no problem. The airline will pay you what it owes.
However, it’s important to know that with Southwest, some tickets do not include the refund option.
According to current policy, refunds for Southwest Airlines tickets are subject to the following fare rules:
Refundable Fares:
– Choice Extra
– Choice Preferred
Both of these fares entitle passengers to a cash refund for all cancellations (passengers have up to 10 minutes before the flight to cancel their reservation and request a refund).
Non-Refundable Fares:
– Choice (formerly Wanna Get Away Plus)
– Basic (formerly Wanna Get Away)
These two fares do not allow for a cash refund; however, passengers receive a travel credit with an expiration date, provided they cancel their reservation at least 10 minutes before departure.
Note that this policy also applies to refunds for award tickets (flight booking made with Rapid Rewards miles).
Indeed, there are some exceptions where you can receive a refund in cash or via your original payment method even if your Southwest ticket is non-refundable:
– Being an active-duty military member and having been assigned a mission prior to travel
– Death of an immediate family member or fellow passenger
– Having an accident or serious illness, pregnancy complications, etc.
To guarantee your rights with this airline and obtain a full refund of your plane ticket, you must include certain supporting documents with your refund request:
– Copy of the Mission Order (for military personnel)
– Medical Certificate.
– Death Certificate.
Request a refund from Southwest for a cancelled flight
Before discussing Southwest’s flight refund policy and the options offered by reserved fares, it’s important to remember that passengers are entitled to a refund for the unused portion of their ticket if their airline cancels their flight without providing an alternative, or if their flight is significantly delayed (more than 5 hours) or undergoes substantial schedule changes that cause inconvenience.
Passengers who are removed from their flights due to overbooking are also entitled to a refund and compensation.
What refund do you get if I miss my Southwest Airlines flight?
Southwest’s refund policy is clear: you must cancel your flight before departure to be eligible for a refund. So, if you miss your flight—for example, if you had a connecting flight with Southwest but your original flight was delayed, or you arrived late at the airport—you will receive a travel refund in the form of a travel credit if you booked a Choice Extra or Choice Preferred fare.
Bookings made with the Basic and Choice fares are non-refundable in this case.
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Missing your flight (Booked with Miles) with Southwest
The possibility of receiving a refund for a Southwest award ticket after missing your flight depends primarily on the fare chosen at the time of booking:
– Choice Preferred & Choice Extra: Miles are credited to the passenger’s Rapid Rewards account, while taxes and other booking-related charges such as baggage or meals are refunded as travel credit.
– Basic & Choice: Miles are forfeited.
Request a refund of additional charges from Southwest Airlines
In the event of a delayed or canceled flight, Southwest passengers are provided with care at the airline’s expense, including meals and drinks, accommodation, and transportation between the airport and their accommodation.
If the passenger did not receive this care while waiting for their rescheduled flight, they are entitled to a refund of these expenses upon presentation of supporting documentation (purchase or booking receipt).
Travel Credit instead of Cash Refund
In certain situations, Southwest Airlines may offer its passengers a travel voucher instead of a cash refund if the delay or cancellation was beyond its control, for example:
– A technical problem requiring a change of aircraft.
– A flight canceled or delayed due to bad weather, an air traffic controllers’ strike, or any event for which it is not responsible.
Please submit your request for reimbursement of expenses or vouchers using this form.