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Planning to Fly with Southwest in June/July? Get cheapest flight, but at YOUR day and Time

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by nostresshere, Feb 13, 2020.

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  1. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    THIS OPTION WILL GO AWAY WITHIN A FEW DAYS.

    Every since the MAX8 grounding, WN (Southwest Airlines) has had to make changes in their flight schedule every few months. Today they decided to remove the MAX8 and make lots of changes to the June 7 to Aug 4th schedules already released.

    As a result, their system allows ANYONE to make a change to a booking during that time frame.

    So, you can book a flight for example on June 25th at 5am. Then go back a few minutes later and change it to the mid day flight on June 20th - or any day two weeks earlier, or two weeks later.

    You can make that change at no cost and do it all online.

    Don't believe me or understand? Then just try it?

    1 - If you use points, you can always cancel, and get the $5.60 refunded to your credit card and points back to your account.
    2 - If a cash ticket, you can cancel within 24 hours, full refund to your credit card.
    3 - If a cash ticket and you change you mind later, WN always allows you to use those funds on another flight for up to one year.

    Hope some of you can make use of this.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
  2. bdautch

    bdautch VIP Whale

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    Thanks for this. Also, I had a flight change by SIX HOURS in July. When I called them about it, they not only refunded the points, they also refunded the $40 worth of round trip Early Bird and even the $11 or so in Sept.11th Security Fees. So if the new schedules really have you up the creek, they will be more generous than usual in terms of accommodating you.

    (I wound up booking a flight similar to my original trip but on another airline.)
     
  3. greekjim

    greekjim King Gyro

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    Still works, just switched from a red eye to an afternoon flight out of LAS in June
     
  4. mikeinctown

    mikeinctown High-Roller

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    Uh, Southwest has been doing this for a while. That is one of the things that makes them attractive as an airline vs the others with $150 cancellation fees.

    As far as buying a ticket and changing it, there are no change fees but you have to actually fly within one year of when you made the original purchase. Not one year from original flight, or one year to make another booking.
     
  5. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Not exactly.

    Do not confuse option A below with Option B. Option B will only last a few days and then go away.

    A) This is normal with WN. Book a flight, then change it later. BUT, if the price for the new flight is different, you still pay the difference.

    B) You can buy the late night flight at $89, then change to the mid day flight that is normally $189 and not pay anything. This is the current deal and will only last a few days.
     
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  6. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    generally, they have to do this, as they would be violating their contract of carriage if they didn't refund you in full if the flight moves by something more than 60 or 90 minutes.
     
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  7. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    Technically, other airlines will generally offer similar accommodations if you have to move your flight due to a significant change in flight schedule. SW has had to offer more of these because they are seeing more impact from the Max than others are. It's the loophole part that NSH is bringing up that is making this a unique opportunity.
     
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  8. SAll11

    SAll11 High-Roller

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    So basically I pick my days then choose the lowest price flight on that day. Then I call back and change it to the flight at my preferred time on that day for no additional charge Is that correct?

    Also can I add early bird when I call back?
     
  9. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    No need to call back. Do it online.

    Also, you can move the day up to 14 days in either direction.

    As to early bird.. no idea. We never do that. But, pretty sure it sticks with your reservation when only doing a change.
     
  10. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Yes and no.

    ANYONE can make a change - even if you flight has not been impacted at all - again... only for a few days.

    Significant changes are always open to change without charge. That is a different issue.
     
  11. bdautch

    bdautch VIP Whale

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    Candidly, I was expecting the points back, but I thought I might be pushing it with EB and Sept. 11th fees. Turns out I received it all back in the end.
     
  12. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    This just worked like a charm. We already had the perfect outbound from MKE at a good price, but the return that we wanted was stupid-high.

    I just bought a cheap flight three days later, then changed it to the perfect return flight. Blammo!

    Thanks to @nostresshere for the tip. Saved a craps buy-in!
     
    USBC Nationals are back in Vegas
  13. mikeinctown

    mikeinctown High-Roller

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    Ah, ok I finally get the deal. I was thinking that you just got to change flights whenever you want, but the deal is that you get to choose a much higher priced flight while only paying for the cheaper one.
     
  14. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    FYI - they refund the $5.60 fee every time you cancel a points booking even if they don't change the flight. It's only the EB that is nonrefundable. But the moment they change the flight time by more than X minutes, they owe you that back, too.
     
  15. bdautch

    bdautch VIP Whale

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    Got it, thanks.
     
  16. FABismonte

    FABismonte Tell my wife I am "about even."

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    @nostresshere thanks for the heads up. Because of your alert, I now bought cheap tickets a week or so around the Fourth of July, then changed the reservation to peak times for that holiday. When I did the change I was prompted that I could rebook for all available flights for the same city pairs from June 23 to July 21. I saved hundreds.

    Want to know the downside? Southwest scores your ability to get a "Companion" based on points earned on flights which are a function of price. I am saving so much on these flights due to Max 800 triggered shake ups that I will have some trouble hitting the 2020 Companion threshold of 125,000 accrued points. I guess it is a nice problem to have.
     
  17. SAll11

    SAll11 High-Roller

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    oh wow so I can find the two cheapest flights in a 14 day period and do it.
     
  18. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    We are now on the 3rd time doing the CP - and with very low flights/points. We do it all via signup bonuses. Two new cards last October got it for us again three weeks ago. Getting CP via flying is way too much flying - LOL!
     
  19. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Still working this morning. Booked a flight in early June and changed it to the end of May. Saved over $200 - actually a bunch of points that we will use for a future flight.
     
  20. sals20

    sals20 Tourist

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    Still working. Thanks for the tip. Saved 18,000 points between wife and I on return flights from Vegas that I already had booked!
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2020
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