How to claim a price drop on Southwest Airlines
3 verified ways to get money back when your Southwest Airlines fare drops — ranked by ease and success rate.
Southwest Airlines change fees by fare class
Knowing your fee tells you whether claiming a price drop is worth it. Sometimes the savings don't cover the cost to change.
How to get a refund when Southwest Airlines drops the price
3 methods ranked by ease and success rate.
- 1
Go to southwest.com and click "Manage Reservations"
- 2
Enter your confirmation number and first/last name
- 3
Click "Change" on your flight
- 4
Select the same flight at the lower fare
- 5
Confirm the change -- Southwest automatically credits you the difference
Credit goes to your Southwest account (travel funds). For Anytime and Business Select fares, you can request a cash refund instead.
- 1
Go to southwest.com and cancel your Anytime or Business Select flight
- 2
Request a cash refund to your original payment method
- 3
Rebook at the new lower price
Cash refund to your original payment method. For Anytime/Business Select, the "Change" method above is easier — use cancel only if you want the refund back on your card.
- 1
Call Southwest at 1-800-435-9792
- 2
Say "Something else" at the first menu prompt, then "Something else" again at the second
- 3
Provide your confirmation number
- 4
Ask to rebook at the lower fare — fare difference comes back as travel funds
Or let Plot handle it for you
Instead of manually checking Southwest Airlines prices, forward your confirmation once and we do the rest.
Forward your confirmation
Forward your Southwest Airlines booking confirmation to plans@plot.travel. That's the only thing you need to do.
We watch your fare 24/7
Plot continuously monitors your exact Southwest Airlines fare and reads the fine print — fare class rules, change fees, and the 24-hour refund window — so we only alert you when a drop is genuinely worth acting on.
Claim your money back
When the price drops, we notify you instantly with the savings amount and Southwest Airlines-specific instructions to claim your refund or credit.
Southwest Airlines price drop FAQ
Common questions about Southwest Airlines price drops and refunds.
Southwest Airlines offers several ways to claim a fare difference. We've documented 3 verified methods on this page, ranked by ease and success rate.
Yes — US federal law requires airlines to let you cancel any flight within 24 hours of booking for a full cash refund, as long as the flight departs at least 7 days away. This applies to all fare types, including Basic Economy. It's the most reliable way to capture a price drop right after you book.
It depends on when you act. Within 24 hours of booking, you always get a full cash refund by law. After that window, Southwest Airlines typically issues the fare difference as a travel credit or voucher tied to your account — not cash. See the specific methods above for details on each path.
For cancellations within 24 hours of booking, Southwest Airlines is required by law to process your cash refund within 7 business days for credit card payments and 20 business days for other payment methods. Travel credits from fare changes are typically available on your account within minutes to a few hours.
It depends on your fare class. Wanna Get Away / Wanna Get Away+: Free · Anytime / Business Select: Free. If you're within 24 hours of booking, you can always cancel for a full cash refund regardless of fare class — no change fee applies.
Plot monitors your Southwest Airlines booking 24/7 after you forward your confirmation email to plans@plot.travel. When the price drops, we send you an instant notification with the exact savings amount and step-by-step instructions tailored to Southwest Airlines's specific policies — so you know exactly how to claim your refund or credit without doing any research.
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