How to claim a price drop on Southwest Airlines
Southwest is the easiest airline for price drops -- no change fees and you can always rebook at a lower fare and get the difference as a credit. Wanna Get Away fares give travel credits; Anytime and Business Select are fully refundable to cash.
3
Verified methods
10-20 minutes
Fastest method
2026-02-27
Last verified
WN
IATA code
How to claim your Southwest Airlines price drop
3 methods ranked by ease and success rate. Verified as of 2026-02-27.
- 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 tracks your exact Southwest Airlines fare around the clock, checking for drops until you depart.
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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
Under US Department of Transportation regulations, you can cancel any Southwest Airlines flight within 24 hours of booking for a full cash refund, as long as the flight is 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 immediately after booking.
It depends on the method. Within the DOT 24-hour window, you always get a full cash refund. Outside 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 DOT 24-hour cancellations, Southwest Airlines is required 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.
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.
Still have questions? Email us