Southwest Generous Free Flight Change Policy
Southwest once again is offering a generous change policy for travelers. Southwest is now letting you change any flight booked for travel through June 6th to another flight that’s up to 14 days before, or after the flight date. The reason why this is very generous is that besides not charging any change fees, Southwest also waived the fare price difference. The new policy applies to both paid and award flights. You can even change your flight more than once.
UPDATE 5/27/21 – this is working again for roughly 7/3-8/7 range for the eligible flights that can then be changed +/-30-days. HT Shira in our Diamond Lounge. There appears to be more dates as well but only for select routes.
So lets say that your original flight costs $60 for example, and you are changing it to a flight that costs $100. Besides there being no fee to change your flight, you will not be charged the price difference either.
Conclusion
Southwest is definitely going above and beyond with this generous offer once again. The only requirement is that you original flight should be scheduled before June 6th.
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When is the last time this hack worked? I was under the impression it would work when SW does a massive schedule like they are right now (2/18/22), does anyone know if this hack is working again in 2022?
Looks like its dead when I just checked
Thanks for the update Sam
Worked for me for flights on Jul 23 (booked Jul 4 and changed) and Aug 5 (booked that day but cheaper flight and changed to the one I wanted) no increase fares charged. Route is MSP to TUS and back. Sweet!
Awesome Katie
Does the southwest trick also applies to using points to purchase?
I’m wondering this same thing!
Yes – it works for award flights too
It’s charging me more points when I try to change points flights? Is there a certain time window I need to wait for? I need to modify a rewards flight from June 23 to June 19, but don’t want to have to pay extra points. (Also, it’s an international flight: CAN to ATL.)
Yes it only works for certain windows and they come and go quickly. It doesn’t work for all dates. The new window just opened I think but I don’t know the exact dates yet.
Yes it does. But this deal is now dead. It might come back again in the next couple of weeks
So if I book a flight 6/8/21-6/14/21 for $200 roundtrip bwi-mco I could change this online to 05/19/21-05/25/21 any time flight, for the same cost? or would I have to call and would they honor that over the phone. Sorry I don’t see anything on the sight about this so I’m not sure if its something they dont put up or…
The time frame is constantly changing as the calendar progresses forward. You have to book a flight in the current time frame and then you can immediately change it to a flight +/- 30 days but keep the lower rate you found in the current time frame (assuming the flights are cheaper then). The airports need to stay the same (departing and arriving) but everything else can change etc. So just book whatever the cheapest flight is and then rebook to the one you want (assuming the dates work out for you).
I don’t know if I’ll ever fly another airline again if they keep this up. Booked a July PVR trip for 4 at
Minimum price.
Didn’t work for flight in first week of April, Denver to Columbus.
i can change may11 but not may 18 on swa.
may 7 works but not after; also, not all routes work
I have a r/t flight 05/12/21 – 05/24/21 from PHX-ABQ. I can not change either flight with paying the fare difference.
Not working for me for May flight. I wonder if this is caused by schedule changes and is not actually Southwest just letting you change.
Confused – this doesn’t apply to february flights?
Usually they open a window a few months in advance, not for all future flights. The February window most likely was offered last month (if at all).
I think you mean flights by SEPTEMBER 3 (not June 3) – right?
[…] have always been better than the other airlines. Miles to Memories reports that they’ve temporarily improved their already generous terms for flight changes. If you’re flying before June 6th, you can change your flight to another one +/- 14 days from […]