What Makes Southwest Unique
Southwest Airlines has never charged a change or cancellation fee — not once in its history. Every ticket, every fare level, can be changed or cancelled any time up to 10 minutes before departure. No other major U.S. carrier comes close to this.
The practical effect: Southwest tickets are risk-free from a change-cost perspective. The only exposure is the fare difference if you change to a more expensive flight.
The Price Drop Rebooking Strategy
This is the most powerful tactic for Southwest travelers:
- Book a flight at today's fare
- Monitor the same flight for price drops (Southwest runs sales regularly)
- When the fare drops, cancel the existing booking
- Rebook at the lower fare
- Receive the fare difference — as cash on Business Select/Anytime, as a travel fund on Wanna Get Away
This is completely within Southwest's terms. They've built their model around this flexibility. Use apps like Google Flights or Hopper to track fare changes on specific Southwest routes.
Understanding the Three Fare Tiers
Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus
Cheapest fares. Cancellation issues a travel fund (credit) valid 12 months from original purchase date — not from the cancellation date. Wanna Get Away Plus adds the ability to transfer the fund to another person, which standard Wanna Get Away doesn't have.
Anytime
Mid-tier. Full cash refund to your original payment on cancellation — no strings attached. Worth the premium over Wanna Get Away if your plans have any uncertainty.
Business Select
Premium tier. Same full cash refund on cancellation. Adds guaranteed A1–A15 boarding position, same-day confirmed standby, and 12 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent (vs. 10 for Anytime, 6 for Wanna Get Away).
Travel Funds: What You Need to Know
Travel funds from Wanna Get Away cancellations expire 12 months from the original ticket purchase date. This is a crucial distinction: a ticket bought January 2024 and cancelled November 2024 creates a fund expiring January 2025, not November 2025. Plan rebook timing accordingly. Unused funds are forfeited at expiry.
Same-Day Standby
If you want an earlier flight on the same day, add yourself to the standby list at no charge. You keep your confirmed seat on the original flight as backup. If a seat opens on the earlier flight, you move up automatically. This is a zero-risk option that other airlines charge $75 for.