Southwest Missed Flight Policy 

The chances of a passenger missing their flight are quite high. This mainly happens when the travelers are unable to get to their flight on time. This can be due to various reasons. Sometimes the travelers can miss their flights also due to delays. To help the fliers in such circumstances, the airline has come up with the Southwest missed flight policy. This policy assists the passengers in rebooking their flight or claiming a refund. It is important to be prepared for such circumstances. Hence, knowing and understanding the rules of this policy can prove to be beneficial to the customers of this airline. 

What Happens If I Miss My Flight Southwest? 

Even though you might be prepared to board your flight, you can still miss it due to various last-minute problems. These can include heavy traffic, issues with baggage or security, medical emergencies, accidents, and family emergencies. In order to offer convenience to such travelers, the Southwest missed flight standby policy is facilitated by this carrier. Under this policy, passengers who have missed their flight and have arrived within 2 hours of their original flight’s time, will be allocated a standby flight. They will be accommodated on the next immediate flight. You will not be charged any additional amount for the allocation of your standby flight. However, this new flight can be direct or connecting. 

Terms Of The Southwest Missed Flight Policy 

Apart from the basic rules, there are other regulations that apply to the missed flight Southwest policy. The airline will act according to these rules in situations of missed or delayed flights. Also, the passengers are expected to adhere to these conditions to avoid future hassles. 

Given below are the main terms of the missed flight policy of this carrier that needs to be followed by the visitors of Southwest. 

• Only passengers accounting for the “flat-tire” policy of this airline will be eligible to receive accommodations on a stand-by flight. “Flat-Tire” is a situation in which the missed flight is not the last flight for the day. If there is no flight available for the rest of the day, you will not be able to reach your destination on the scheduled date. 
• Southwest missed flight refund can only be claimed on booking the refundable tickets. Non-refundable tickets do not have this option. 
• You can also get points as a refund if you purchase your refundable tickets. These points will help you cut costs on your future bookings with this airline. 
• The members of the Southwest frequent flier programs can be given special benefits in case they have missed their flight. Connect with the nearest airport staff and inform them about your membership status to know these benefits. 
• Remember that it is important for you to react fast and inform the carrier when you have missed your booking. 

Note: Your reason for missing the flight and the time of informing the agents play the most important role in deciding whether you are eligible for a stand-by reservation at this air operator. 

What To Do In Case Of Southwest Missed Flight? 

As per the Southwest Airlines missed flight policy, you will need to follow certain steps to be accommodated on a standby flight. You will be required to inform the agents, explain why you have missed your flight, and accordingly request a new flight from them. 

You can also follow these given steps mentioned to know what you should do when you miss your flight: 

• Quickly informing the airline agents about your missed flight can be helpful. You can also inform them in advance when you know that you are going to miss your flight. This will make it easier for the airline to arrange you a Southwest missed flight standby. Also, the refund process will become simpler in this case. Hence, immediately informing the agents can be a viable option. 

• In case the airline cannot put you on a standby flight or your schedule does not match with the accommodative flight, you can choose to rebook your reservation. This can be done post the cancellation of your initial missed flight. However, in this case, you may not be allowed to claim a refund under the Southwest Airlines missed flight policy. You will also be required to provide a good reason to the carrier for missing your flight. 

Note: The availability of the standby flight on Southwest can depend on your itinerary and arrival destination. 

Southwest Airlines No Show Policy 

Not showing up at the airport at your departure time for your scheduled flight is considered a “no-show”. Hence, passengers missing a flight can also become accountable under the Southwest Airlines no show policy. This policy determines the outcome of missing your flight for both refundable and non-refundable fares.

The following are the main conditions given under the no-show policy of this operator: 

• Under most situations, this airline does not charge a Southwest missed flight fee when you have bought refundable tickets. However, if you are asked to pay a certain fee for not boarding your flight, and you fail to do so, your future bookings with the airline will be canceled. 
• For Business Select fares and Anytime tickets, the booking has to be canceled at least 10 minutes before the flight’s official departure. This condition applies in the case of a no-show. Otherwise, the value of these tickets will be refunded to you as a flight credit. 
• In case of a show for Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus fares, the entire value/funds of the ticket will be lost. This is because they are non-refundable fares. 
• When members of the Reward Travel clubs fail to show up at the airport, then these points will be retained in the Rapid account of the member. 

These are the new guidelines of the no show Southwest missed flight policy which came into existence in the year 2013. 

Southwest Missed Connection Flight Policy 

The solution for missed connection flights depends on the reason for such occurrence. It can happen due to the fault of the passenger or sometimes, the airline itself can cause the flight to miss. Hence, depending on this, you will be either allowed to book a new flight or will be given a refund/compensation as per the Southwest missed connection policy. 

Refer to the points given below to know what to do when you have missed your connecting flight: 

• In case you have failed to board your connecting flight due to a mistake on the part of the airline like a breakdown or glitches, you will be entitled to Southwest missed connection compensation. This compensation can be either in the form of monetary benefits or in services depending on the extent of the delay. Otherwise, if possible the airline will assign you to the next immediate flight. The option to cancel or rebook a new flight will also be made available for missing your flights. Further, full refunds can be claimed by travelers with refundable tickets. 

• Should you have missed your connecting flight on your account, you will be given the option to rebook a new flight. You will also be charged an additional amount as a fee for this Southwest missed flight. 

Passengers have to immediately inform the airline when they have missed their connecting flights. The authorities will facilitate the best possible option to get you out of the situation. 

How Do I Rebook My Southwest Missed Flight? 

Passengers reaching the airport later than 2 hours after missing their flight will not be accommodated on a stand-by flight. Your reservation will then be deemed to be canceled. When this happens, the only option available to you is rebooking your flight. You will have to make a new reservation in place of your original Southwest missed flight. This can be done through various options. However, first, you will have to check with the airline whether you are qualified for rebooking or not. If yes, you can use any of the following methods to change/rebook your flight: 

• Online through the main website of Southwest Airlines 
• Offline by connecting with the customer care 

Note that you will not be permitted to claim a Southwest missed flight refund in case you opt for rebooking. Refunds will only be accessible during flight cancellations. 

Method 1: Online Option Through the Official Site 

It is quite simple to rebook your flight using the online method under the Southwest missed flight policy. This option will be open for use by the passengers at all times. Hence, it guarantees both convenience and efficiency. Moreover, it is especially useful for rebooking international flights or connecting flights on this carrier. 

For this, you will have to visit the site of the airline and go to the “Book” section. The step-by-step procedure of the online rebooking process of your flight is detailed here: 

• Open your browser and navigate to the official website of the carrier through the link “www.southwest.com” 
• On the homepage of the site, you will find the “Book” section after scrolling down the page.
• Here, select the “Flight” option from the panel of tabs. 
• Now, enter your departure and arrival destinations, dates, and the number of passengers. Also, mention whether it is a round trip or a one-way trip. 
• After giving these details, click on the “Search” option highlighted in yellow. 
• Select the flight you wish to book. 
• Complete the rebooking process by paying the reservation changes, if any. 
• Your reservation will then be confirmed and your boarding pass will be issued in a while. 

Note: The price to reschedule your missed flight Southwest can differ from the cost of your original flight. This is because airline costs keep changing frequently depending on the demand. 

Method 2: Offline Customer Care Option 

The method of contacting the customer care service is the easiest way of rescheduling your flight. It is especially useful for rebooking Southwest missed connection flights. You can reach out to the airline agents at any time of the day. Not only rebooking but cancellations and changes can also be done through this method. To know how to cancel your flight easily, you can refer to the Southwest 24 hour cancellation policy.  

Hence, this offline option can be used for multiple purposes by the flyers. 

To contact this airline’s officials, you will have to dial the following number: 

• +1-877-799-1495

In case the call does not go through with this number, you will have to find the specific number assigned to your region. For this, you need to: 

• Go to the official website of Southwest Airlines. 
• Here, scroll down to the very bottom of the page. Find the “Contact Us” option. Click on it. 
• Now, on the new page, you will find the “More Phone Numbers” option under the “Call” section. 
• Select the “Before or After Your Trip” links to find the numbers according to your region. 
• Once the call gets connected, the agents will walk you through what happens if you miss your flight Southwest. 

While speaking to the air representative, follow the given steps: 

• Immediately inform the agents of the reason for your call. This reason will be that you have missed your reservation and you wish to rebook your flight. 
• You will be asked to provide the necessary personal information as per the Southwest Airlines missed flight policy. 
• Details regarding your new flight like the number of passengers, destination, and a class of service you wish to reserve will be asked by the air staff. 
• Once you have selected the new flight, you need to pay the fee through the available payment modes. 
• Your new reservation will now be confirmed and you will receive a confirmation mail.
• You can later print your boarding pass and check-in online. 

Note: This method can also be used to claim Southwest missed connection compensation but only when you have missed your flight due to the airline’s fault. 

Southwest Missed Flight Refund 

Only passengers with refundable tickets will be eligible for refunds that too under the conditions mentioned in the no show policy Southwest. Other than this, fliers who know in advance that they are going to miss their flight can cancel their reservation and claim a refund. These refunds may be given in full or after deducting the Southwest missed flight fee.

When you would like to receive a monetary refund for your canceled or missed flights, you can follow the process given below. Note that refunds for missed flights will be given in accordance with the Southwest no show policy mentioned above. 

• You will be required to write to the “Refunds Department” of this airline to send a request for reimbursement. 
• The address of this department is: 

Refunds Department
P.O. Box 36649
Dallas, Texas 75235-1649

• Attach all the necessary documents required to claim a Southwest missed flight refund. Submit your flight details carefully to the carrier. 
• The airline will soon get in touch with you once it receives your request. The refund process will then be initiated by the air representative. 

Note: This method can also be used to convert your refunded travel credits into monetary compensation. 

Southwest Delayed Flight Missed Connection 

Sometimes, due to a delay by the airline, you might miss your connecting flight at another airport. In this case, you will be immediately arranged a new flight by Southwest. If this is not possible by the airline, you will be given Southwest delayed flight missed connection compensation in the form of refunds. Or your fight may get postponed to the next day. In this case, passengers will be accommodated for a hotel stay. Food and meals will also be provided to the passengers. This is especially the case with connecting flights. 

The Southwest missed flight policy takes into account the mishaps that can happen at the last moment. It does not charge high prices as penalties for missing your flight. Thus, using this policy can be the most risk-free solution when you have missed your flight and don’t know what to do next. You do not have to worry about any last-minute emergencies when flying with this airline. Compensation and refunds are also offered by the carrier to suit the needs of the passenger. 

Frequently Asked Questions