3 verified ways to get your money back, ranked from easiest to most involved.
The rules of the game
Four things every traveler needs to know about airline price drops before deciding whether to claim one.
US federal law (the DOT 24-hour rule) guarantees a full cash refund on any flight booked at least 7 days before departure, as long as you cancel within 24 hours of purchase. It applies to every fare class, including Basic Economy. This is the cleanest path to a price-drop refund: rebook at the new lower fare to lock it in, then cancel the original ticket. The refund hits your card within 7 business days.
Once the DOT window closes, airlines switch from cash refunds to travel credits, and change fees may apply depending on your fare class. The math has to clear in your favor: a $40 price drop on a Basic Economy ticket is wiped out by a $99 change fee. The calculator below tells you whether claiming is worth the friction before you spend 30 minutes on a phone tree.
For non-changeable fares (typically Basic Economy), you cannot simply switch to a cheaper flight on the same booking. You have to cancel the original ticket entirely, then book the new one. Sequence matters: book the new fare first to lock in the price and your seat, then cancel the original. Inventory can change between the two clicks, so move quickly.
Inside the 24-hour window, refunds come back as cash to your original payment method. Outside that window, you usually receive a travel credit tied to your account with an expiration date, often 12 months out. Credit is worth less than cash because it locks you to the same airline. Factor the expiration date into the decision before you commit.
Decision check
Enter your booking details and the new lower fare to see whether the math clears the change fee.
Awaiting your numbers
Enter what you paid and the new Southwest Airlines fare to see if claiming is worth the friction.
Southwest Airlines change fees by fare class
Don't know your fare class or the exact change fee on your booking? Plot reads your confirmation email and tells you the moment a drop is worth claiming.
3 methods ranked by ease and success rate.
Go to southwest.com and click "Manage Reservations"
Enter your confirmation number and first/last name
Click "Change" on your flight
Select the same flight at the lower fare
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.
All claim methods
Go to southwest.com and click "Manage Reservations"
Enter your confirmation number and first/last name
Click "Change" on your flight
Select the same flight at the lower fare
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.
Go to southwest.com and cancel your Anytime or Business Select flight
Request a cash refund to your original payment method
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.
Call Southwest at 1-800-435-9792
Say "Something else" at the first menu prompt, then "Something else" again at the second
Provide your confirmation number
Ask to rebook at the lower fare. The 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 Southwest Airlines booking confirmation to plans@plot.travel. That is the only thing you need to do.
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.
When the price drops, we notify you instantly with the savings amount and Southwest Airlines-specific instructions to claim your refund or credit.
Common questions about Southwest Airlines price drops and refunds.
Yes. Southwest Airlines offers several ways to claim a fare difference. We have 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 is 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.
Yes. The amount depends on your fare class. Wanna Get Away / Wanna Get Away+: Free · Anytime / Business Select: Free. If you are within 24 hours of booking, you can always cancel for a full cash refund regardless of fare class. No change fee applies inside that DOT window.
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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