(sHOW uP)) ~ Can you change your Southwest flight without penalty?

Yes — **you can change your Southwest Airlines flight without paying a penalty in most cases**+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 because Southwest has one of the most flexible change policies among U S carriers The airline **does not charge a traditional change fee** for modifying your flight+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 which means you won’t pay a penalty simply for rescheduling your travel Instead+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 the only money you are *typically* responsible for is the **fare difference** if the new flight you choose costs more than your original ticket

Here’s how that works in practice: Southwest’s “no change fee” policy applies to **all fare types** — including the low‑fare *Wanna Get Away*+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 *Anytime*+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 and *Business Select* tickets — so you can adjust your flight date+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 time+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 or even destination without incurring a change penalty If the new flight costs more+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 you simply pay the **difference in fare** If the new flight costs less+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 the unused value of your original ticket is applied to your account as **travel credit** or refunded+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 depending on your fare and payment method

Southwest also allows changes all the way up to **10 minutes before your scheduled departure**+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 giving you a very wide window to adjust plans without penalty This applies whether you’re changing online through **Manage Reservations**+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 via the mobile app+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 or by calling customer service

In addition to standard flight changes+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 Southwest offers **same‑day change and same‑day standby options** If seats are available on another flight on the same calendar day as your original booking and the origin/destination are the same+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 you can switch flights without penalty+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 subject to availability and the specific fare rules Some fare types provide this benefit more easily than others (for example+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 Basic/“Wanna Get Away” may not include free same‑day changes unless you upgrade to a more flexible fare)+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 but the overall idea of no change fees still holds

There’s also a **24‑hour booking window** benefit: if you make a change within 24 hours of purchasing your ticket (and your departure is at least a day or more away)+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 you can usually change or cancel your flight without paying any fare difference *at all*+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 effectively eliminating penalties altogether within that initial window

It’s worth noting that while the **change fee itself is waived**+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 the cost of the new flight matters If fares go up+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 you pay only the difference — no extra If fares go down+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 you get the difference back in travel credits (or a refund if eligible) Southwest will also issue travel credits when you cancel or change flights+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 and these credits typically must be used by the original traveler within the policy’s allowable timeframe

There *are some nuances*:

* Southwest’s newer **Basic fare** (introduced mid‑2025) may restrict changes more than traditional Wanna Get Away fares+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 so passengers with Basic tickets sometimes need to cancel and rebook instead of changing directly ([Reddit][6])
* Same‑day change benefits vary by fare class+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 so higher‑tier fares often make same‑day changes easier or without added cost+ 1 - 877 ⇗ 738 ⇗ 0345 whereas the most restrictive fares require upgrades for that perk