#SOUTHWEST CHANGE FLIGHT POLICY FULL#

I've just this evening booked a separate tickets trip to Asia for the end of August, splitting the tix at Vancouver. Your option with 7 hours between flights meets the time threshold but not the contingency of backup flights should your Southwest flight be canceled or badly delayed. My rule of thumb is three alternative ways to get to the other airport by 3 hours before the onward flight and minimum 6 hours between flights (whichever is longer). With a long haul ticket at risk (you risk having to buy a new ticket to Australia at the walk up fare). To me, neither of your options is suitable, and neither was your original booking.

#SOUTHWEST CHANGE FLIGHT POLICY FULL#

Here is the traveler article from the Top Questions on the right hand side of the full site that explains the risks of doing unprotected non-connections on separate tickets. In short, your original Southwest booking was too risky and neither of your rebooking options are sufficient IMO. So I'm posting my reply to that one on here Your Wanna Get Away fares are not refundable but should you cancel and book elsewhere the unused funds can be put towards purchase of tickets in future.įor some reason unbeknownst to me the OPs other thread has been zapped.

Once you've found suitable flights, call Southwest.

Searching for alternate routings from Austin to SFO may take some time, but better to spend 20 minutes yourself than wait on the phone whilst a Southwest agent does the same thing. In the latter case you may wish to check the flight timetables to determine what other flights are available that would suit your needs and check to see if there are Wanna Get Away fares available for all members of your party. You have the option to accept it or contact Southwest and say you don't accept the change. Consider what needs to be done, especially since your flight to Australia is a separate ticket and then get to work.Ĭhanges such as yours are made by computer no one said 'I'm going to move the Parraboy family *here*' and made the change. Where you had roughly five hours between separately ticketed flights you now have about three hours. 'What can I do now?' Take a minute to consider the situation. 'I seriously doubt 3 hours is enough time between arriving and flying out again ?' Three hours could be more than sufficient, especially if you're willing to forego two hours in the lounge.

'Does this happen often?' Whether often or not is a relaive term, but yes, airlines can and do change their timetables.

Southwest change flight policy