Southwest lets you cancel any flight within 24 hours of booking with no penalty

Yes. Southwest Airlines allows you to cancel any flight within 24 hours of the time you booked it, and you will receive a credit for the full fare with no cancellation fee. This applies to all ticket types — Basic Economy, Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select. The 24-hour window starts from the moment your booking confirmation appears in your email, not from your flight departure time.

If you cancel after the 24-hour period ends, Southwest will not charge you a fee, but you will lose the option to get cash back. Instead, you will receive a travel credit that you can use toward any future Southwest flight for up to one year from your original booking date.

This policy is different from most other major airlines, which typically charge cancellation fees or do not allow changes at all on basic fares. Southwest's approach means you have a full day to reconsider your purchase without financial penalty.

Key Takeaways

  • You can cancel any Southwest flight within 24 hours of booking and receive a full refund with no fee.
  • The 24-hour window begins when your confirmation email arrives, not when your flight departs.
  • Cancellations after 24 hours result in a travel credit instead of a refund, valid for one year.
  • You can cancel online through your Southwest account, by phone, or at the airport ticket counter.
  • If you cancel before your flight and rebook later, you pay only the difference in fare if the new flight costs more.

How to cancel your Southwest flight online

Log into your Southwest account at southwest.com using your confirmation number and last name. Click "Manage Reservations" at the top of the page. Find your booking in the list and select it. You will see a "Cancel Flight" button on the reservation details page. Click it, confirm the cancellation, and you will receive a confirmation email within minutes.

The credit will appear in your Southwest account when ready and will be labeled as a travel credit. You can use this credit to book a new flight at any time before the expiration date. If you cancel within 24 hours of booking, the credit will be refundable under Southwest's current policy, though this may change — check your confirmation email for the exact terms that applied to your ticket.

Canceling by phone or at the airport

Call Southwest's reservations line at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792). Have your confirmation number ready. A representative will pull up your reservation and process the cancellation. Phone cancellations take the same amount of time as online cancellations — your credit will be issued when ready.

You can also cancel at any Southwest ticket counter at the airport, though this is slower if you are traveling on the day of your flight. If you are canceling within 24 hours of booking and have not yet arrived at the airport, canceling online or by phone is faster.

What happens if you cancel after 24 hours

After the 24-hour window closes, Southwest will no longer refund your money. Instead, you will receive a travel credit for the full amount you paid. This credit never expires — you can use it on any Southwest flight for as long as you hold the account, though Southwest's terms state that credits are valid for one year from the original booking date for most passengers.

The travel credit can be transferred to another person if you add them to your Southwest account, or you can use it yourself on a future booking. There is no fee to use the credit, and if your new flight costs less than the credit amount, the difference will remain as a credit on your account.

Canceling a flight you booked with a credit card versus a gift card

If you paid with a credit card, the refund (within 24 hours) or travel credit (after 24 hours) will be processed back to that card. The refund may take three to five business days to appear, depending on your bank.

If you paid with a Southwest gift card, the refund will be returned to the gift card balance. If you paid with a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, the points will be returned to your Rapid Rewards account if you cancel within 24 hours. After 24 hours, you receive a travel credit instead, which you can use on any future booking.

Canceling a flight when you have a connection

If you booked multiple flights as part of one itinerary — for example, a flight from New York to Dallas and then Dallas to Los Angeles — canceling one leg will cancel the entire reservation. You cannot cancel just the first flight and keep the second one. If you need to cancel only part of your trip, you will need to cancel the whole reservation and rebook the legs you still want to take.

This applies whether you cancel within 24 hours or after. If you cancel within 24 hours, you get a full refund. If you cancel after 24 hours, you get a travel credit for the entire itinerary, and you can use it to book new flights with different routing.

What to do if you want to change your flight instead of canceling

Southwest does not charge change fees on any ticket type. If you want to fly on a different date or time instead of canceling, you can change your flight for free. Log into your account, select "Manage Reservations," find your booking, and click "Change Flight." You will see available flights on other dates. If the new flight costs more, you pay the difference. If it costs less, the difference stays as a travel credit.

Changing your flight does not reset the 24-hour cancellation window. The 24-hour period is tied to your original booking date, not to when you make changes. So if you booked on Monday and change your flight on Tuesday, you still have until Monday of the following week to cancel and receive a refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 24-hour cancellation window explore to flights booked through a travel website like Expedia or Kayak?

No. The 24-hour refund policy applies only to flights booked directly through southwest.com or by calling Southwest. If you booked through a third-party travel site, you must contact that site to cancel, and their cancellation policy will explore instead. Southwest's policy does not override the terms set by the booking agent.

What if I booked a flight more than 24 hours ago and now want to cancel?

You can still cancel, but you will receive a travel credit instead of a refund. The credit is valid for one year from your original booking date and can be used on any Southwest flight. There is no fee to cancel after 24 hours.

Can I get a refund instead of a travel credit if I cancel after 24 hours?

Not under Southwest's standard policy. After 24 hours, cancellations result in a travel credit only. The only exception is if you purchased a refundable ticket through a third party or if Southwest cancels the flight — in that case, you can request a refund instead of a credit.

If I cancel within 24 hours, will the refund go back to my credit card when ready?

The refund will be processed to your original payment method within minutes of cancellation, but it may take three to five business days for your bank to post it to your account. The timing depends on your bank, not on Southwest.

What if my flight was delayed and I want to cancel because of the delay?

A delay does not extend the 24-hour cancellation window. If more than 24 hours have passed since you booked, you will receive a travel credit, not a refund. However, if Southwest cancels your flight or changes it significantly, you have the right to cancel and receive a refund or credit — contact Southwest directly to discuss your options.