When a seat is purchased separately from your fare:
Seats cannot be canceled unless you cancel the flight, too. See below for additional details.
| Voluntary flight cancellations |
| As long as you cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes before the original scheduled departure, you’ll receive a flight credit for the seat you purchased separately from your fare. This credit can only be used toward the purchase of a future flight (e.g., fare) and cannot be used to buy another seat separate from your fare. The flight credit must be applied to a ticket for travel completed within 12 months of the original seat purchase date. |
| Voluntary flight and seat exchanges | |
| Exchange your seat for one that costs the same or less than your original seat | We’ll apply the amount you paid toward the new seat. No refund or flight credit will be issued for any difference in cost. |
| Exchange your seat for one that costs more than your original seat |
You’ll pay the full price of the new seat using an eligible form of payment. With limited exceptions, we’ll automatically refund the full amount of your original seat purchase to your original form of payment. The purchase and refund will be processed separately. If you book a connecting itinerary and purchase seats on both flights and exchange to a nonstop or direct (same-plane service) itinerary and select a seat that costs more than either one or both of your original seats, only one of your original seats will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment. Please contact us to request a refund of the second seat. |
| Change to a fare that includes the seat type you originally purchased separately | You can contact us to request a flight credit for the original seat you purchased. The flight credit can only be used toward the purchase of a future flight (e.g., fare) completed within 12 months of the original seat purchase date and cannot be used to buy another seat separate from your fare. |
| Same-day standby and same-day change after purchasing seat on original flight | |
| For all same-day standby listings, if you are cleared and you purchased a seat on your original flight, seats are non-refundable. | |
| Same-day change requested at the airport | Seat purchased on original flight is non-refundable. |
| Same-day change completed via telephone, Southwest.com®, or the Southwest® app; purchased a seat that costs the same or less than your original seat | We’ll apply the amount you paid toward the new seat. No refund or flight credit will be issued. |
| Same-day change completed via telephone, Southwest.com, or the Southwest app; purchased a seat that costs more than your original seat | You’ll pay the full price of the new seat using an eligible form of payment. With limited exceptions, we’ll automatically refund the full amount of your original seat purchase to your original form of payment. The purchase and refund will be processed separately. If you book a connecting itinerary and purchase seats on both flights and exchange to a nonstop or direct (same-plane service) itinerary and select a seat that costs more than either one or both of your original seats, only one of your original seats will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment. Please contact us to request a refund of the second seat. |
If your flight is significantly disrupted
If your flight is canceled by Southwest®, significantly delayed, or significantly impacted by a schedule change (generally a delay or change of three or more hours domestically and six or more hours internationally), and you decide not to travel, you are eligible for a method-of-payment refund even for non-refundable tickets. If you are eligible for a ticket refund due to a significant flight disruption, you are also entitled to a refund of any seat you purchased as an optional charge. Refunds are processed within seven (7) business days. We recommend that you contact Southwest as soon as you know of your change of plans. Learn more about your options.
If Southwest changes your seat assignment from Extra Legroom to Preferred or Standard or from Preferred to Standard
If we make a change that results in your seat assignment moving from a higher seat category (e.g., Extra Legroom) to a lower seat category (e.g., Standard), we will refund the full amount of your original seat purchase to your original form of payment.
Review the Group travel refund and exchange policy for assigned seats purchased separately.
