Southwest price dropped after you booked
Southwest lets you change to the same flight at today’s fare in your reservation and gives back the difference. How it comes back depends on your fare: on Choice Preferred and Choice Extra it can go back to your card, on Choice it comes back as a Transferable Flight Credit good for 12 months, and a points booking gets the points back.
Basic fares can’t be changed, so they can’t be repriced. Southwest has no change fee on the other fares.
Steps checked against Southwest’s own help pages on October 22, 2026.
The steps
Change to the same flight at the lower fare. Southwest gives back the difference.
- 1Open your reservationSign in at southwest.com or the app and open your trip.
- 2Choose Change flight and pick the same flightSame day, same flight number, at today’s fare. The difference shows before you confirm.
- 3ConfirmOn Choice Preferred and Choice Extra you can have the difference back on your card. On Choice it comes back as a Transferable Flight Credit, good for 12 months from when you booked. Points bookings get the points back.
- 4Check your seatOpen your trip afterwards and make sure your seat is still assigned.
The difference, per passenger, as flight credit or back to your card, depending on your fare.
If they push back, or the site won’t show your same flight, call Southwest at 1-800-435-9792 and ask them to reprice your ticket to today’s lower fare on the exact same flight, same date and same time, with nothing else changed.
Good to know
- Basic fares can’t be changed. To change one you would first have to upgrade it to Choice or above, which usually costs more than the drop.
- The difference usually comes back as airline credit, not cash. Check the expiry date on it; most last about a year.
- Repricing can lower the status credit you earn on this trip, because some airlines count what you paid.
- Basic fares can’t be changed for a lower price, so Tuur doesn’t alert on them.
Questions
Can you get money back if your Southwest flight price drops?
Yes, on every fare except Basic. Change to the same flight at the lower fare; the steps are above.
Do I get cash or credit from Southwest?
It depends on the fare. Choice Preferred and Choice Extra can go back to your card. Choice comes back as a Transferable Flight Credit, good for 12 months from when you booked. Points bookings get the points back.
What if the site won’t show my flight?
Call Southwest at 1-800-435-9792 and ask them to reprice your ticket to today’s lower fare on the exact same flight, same date and same time, with nothing else changed.
Will I keep my seat?
Open your reservation afterwards and make sure your seat is still assigned.
Sources
Let Tuur watch for the drop
Tuur finds your trips in your inbox and tells you when a price drops, with the steps for your booking.
More guides
Tuur is not affiliated with the companies named here. Their policies change; if a step doesn’t match what you see, follow the company’s own instructions and tell us.