If a ticket or optional travel charge is eligible to be refunded and a refund is elected when canceling, method-of-payment refunds will generally be made in the same form as the original payment:

• Credit card: We will make reasonable efforts to process eligible refunds to the same account no later than seven business days from the date we determine a refund is due. Your credit card company may then take up to 10 business days to post the credit to your account, and, based on your individual billing cycle, you will see the refund on your credit card statement within one to two billing statements.
• Cash: We will make reasonable efforts to process eligible refunds by check no later than 20 calendar days from the date we determine a refund is due.
• Apple Pay/PayPal: We will make reasonable efforts to process eligible refunds to Apple Pay and PayPal no later than seven business days from the date we determine a refund is due. The funds will be returned to the method of payment within your Apple Pay or PayPal wallet.
• Flex Pay: We will make reasonable efforts to process eligible refunds to Flex Pay no later than seven business days from the date we determine a refund is due. Flex Pay will apply the refunded amount toward your account balance and credit any remaining funds to the method of payment used to make the initial payment.
• Points: Points will go back to the Rapid Rewards^® account used to book the flight. Any unused taxes/fees associated with a reward reservation will follow the applicable refund guidelines as described on this page based on the form of payment used (credit card, Southwest® gift card, Southwest LUV Voucher®, flight credit)..
• Southwest^® gift card: If the reservation was not changed and is canceled within 24 hours of booking, please contact us. If the reservation is canceled after 24 hours, a ticket purchased with a Southwest gift card will be refunded as a Transferable Flight Credit™ regardless of the type of fare purchased. Transferable Flight Credits have a specified expiration date. All travel must be completed by the expiration date.
• Southwest LUV Vouchers^®: If the reservation was not changed and is canceled within 24 hours of booking, please contact us. If the reservation is canceled after 24 hours, a ticket purchased with a Southwest LUV Voucher will be refunded as a flight credit or Transferable Flight Credit™ depending on the fare purchased. Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits have a specified expiration date. All travel must be completed by the expiration date.
• Flight credit: Southwest® flight credit from a previous reservation that is applied toward a Basic fare will be refunded as a flight credit provided the funds did not expire prior to cancellation of the reservation. Southwest flight credit from a previous reservation that is applied toward a Choice Extra, Choice Preferred, or Choice fare will be refunded as Transferable Flight Credit™. Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits created from reservations booked and ticketed and/or voluntarily changed on or after May 28, 2025 will have a specified expiration date. All travel must be completed by the expiration date.
• Cash + Points: The portion of the base fare paid with dollars including any unused taxes/fees will follow the applicable refund guidelines as described above based on the form of payment used (credit card, Southwest® gift card, Southwest LUV Voucher®, flight credit). The portion of the base fare paid with points will go back to the Rapid Rewards® account used to book the flight.
• Credit from tickets: Ticket changes and exchanges within the same reservation will result in the initial ticket being applied as the form of payment for the new ticket. A method-of-payment refund of a Basic fare processed following a ticket change or exchange will be refunded as a flight credit provided the funds did not expire prior to cancellation of the reservation. A method-of-payment refund of a Choice Extra, Choice Preferred, or Choice fare processed following a ticket change or exchange will be refunded as Transferable Flight Credit™. Flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits™ have a specified expiration date. All travel must be completed by the expiration date.

Partner Itineraries

Customers traveling on an itinerary involving a partner airline should refer to the partner airline for details about their refund policy.