Changing first leg of Southwest flight

We are currently scheduled to leave for Vegas on Dec 26. Today I learned my family wants to meet for lunch on Christmas day rather close to our departure airport. So now I thinking we should fly to Vegas around 6pm on Christmas day. We are booked on Southwest and I want to change the departure leg, we have purchased the early boarding pass. Any tips on making this change?

Thanks,
Tye

 

Simple.

First, check fares for the NEW flight. If good ones, then cancel the other. Then book the new one.

 

The fare is higher. If I keep the same return flight do I just pay the difference on the departure flight?

 

Don't cancel anything. If you cancel you lose your EB. Just go in to your account and pull up the flight. There will be a place to mark change or cancel. Just follow the prompts to change just the leg you want to change. That should retain the early boarding. You will only pay the increase in the leg you are changing.

I am a flake and change SWA flights almost everytime I book one!

 

Usually I book my departure and returns separately as one way fares so I can cancel/rebook one with disrupting the other. Did you book one way or round trip fares?

 

I booked round trip for three people.

 

If it's too complicated to change online just call them. They are usually really helpful and efficient.

 

For the flight I want, it looks like two seats are available, I need three.

 

There is no real difference or benefit for doing this with southwest. Even when you buy the round trip you're still really buying two different one way flights. Go to their website, choose to change/cancel flight. You'll input the confirmation number and then you'll get checkboxes for the flights you wish to change. You only pay there difference in fare on the flight you're changing. It has no effect on your return. You will either pay the difference in fare or get a credit if it's cheaper. My next flight to Vegas, I rebooked to the SAME exact flight because the fare went down about $5.

 

As nhcris mentioned, never cancel the flight if you bought Early Boarding, just select the change flight option.

 

What he/she said. Simple to change flights and no need to book as two one-ways to do it. I do it all the time!
diane

 

I don't think it was always that easy. I have been doing one-ways for years on SWA because of that. Will try round trip on one reservation next time.

 

I do see the option of changing one leg. Just waiting for another seat to open up.

 

No really it is now. I book roundtrip and like someone earlier said, it practically leads you through the process. I did it recently to get a flight at lesser points than originally purchased. I was somewhat surprised they asked you so many times if you were sure you wanted to make the change. Credit was easy too back to my account via an email to tell me of the change and deposit.