Your Rights If Southwest Cancels Your Flight

In today’s day and age, with demand ebbing and flowing and in the midst of a global pandemic, airlines may cancel your flights unexpectedly.

Here’s what to do if you have a flight on Southwest that THEY (not you) cancel.

What to Do If Southwest Cancels Your Flight

Credit: Southwest Airlines, Stephen M Keller

Southwest says they will reach out to you if they cancel your flight.

Unfortunately, they did not say when exactly, only “as soon as possible.”

They are first going to offer to re-book you to a different flight or a later time.

If that’s not of interest, they will offer you a Southwest travel fund (basically a “credit”) that is good from 12 months from your original booking date and must be used by the same person.

If you can take the credit, you’ll be helping Southwest by allowing them to hold onto to cash at this challenging time. We DO want them to stay in business :).

Am I Entitled to a Refund If Southwest Cancels My Flight?

That said, you ARE entitled to a full refund via your original method of payment EVEN if you booked a nonrefundable Wanna Get Away fare IF Southwest cancels the flight (and not you).

You will likely have to ask them for it, but they HAVE said they will offer refunds if you ask.

You should ALSO be refunded any associated fees by law like Early Bird, which is a fee that grants you earlier check in than everyone else. 

Read a complete explanation of your rights if an airline cancels your flight on the Department of Transportation’s website HERE.

You may have to persist to get your refund, but keep at it. You ARE entitled to it!

Stay safe!