Southwest Airlines Cancel and Change Policy Covid-19 | Southwest Made Almost No Adjustments To Its Policy. There’s A Good Reason Why.

Southwest Airlines Cancel and Change Policy

In a world where airlines charge fees for everything from seat assignments to checked luggage, Southwest Airlines Cancel and Change Policy is remarkably fee-free. No fees for seat assignments (because there are none; you can pay for early boarding, so I guess that counts), two free pieces of checked luggage, etc. So when it came time to making changes to cancellation policies for COVID-19, Southwest felt left out, because their policy was already so consumer-friendly.

You Will Always Keep the Value of your Ticket

Need to change your flight? Did your fare drop and you want the difference? No problem.

Southwest has three types of fare classes, as you can see above. WGA are the cheapest, while Business Select is the most expensive. And no matter what kind of fare you buy, you have flexibility.

No Other Airline Is So Flexible

The more expensive categories allow you to get a full refund to your payment method or save the funds as a credit. And while the WGA fares don’t allow a refund, you can save the credit for one year (You need to complete your flight within one year of the original booking date.). No other airline is so flexible.

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A Fast-Lane to the Southwest Companion Pass

Speaking of Travel Credit, Yours will Last Longer Now
Southwest Airlines Cancel and Change Policy

The only change that Southwest is making is, as usual for the airline, to the benefit of the customer. They’re extending the expiration of credits for the periods of March 1 — May 31. If you have a travel credit expiring during that window, or get a new travel credit because of a flight cancellation during that period, your expiration will be extended until June 30, 2021.

Your Rapid Reward Points Are Safe

Southwest’s policy has always been a full refund on your points if you used them to buy a ticket. That isn’t changing.

The policy still compares favorably with the enigmas that are American, Delta and United. They are waiving change fees, for the most part, but none is as flexible as Southwest’s original policy. And good luck with getting miles back if you have to cancel a trip that you booked with miles. While I’ve read differently elsewhere, American told me that I’d still have to pay to redeposit my miles to my account, as opposed to saving them to use as a later date. Given their financial situation and the upcoming bailout, you’d think they’d show a little gratitude but this is, of course, an airline.