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Southwest Reverses Ticket Change Policy That Made Refundable Fares Non-Refundable

Oct. 13, 2018
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3 min read
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Southwest Reverses Ticket Change Policy That Made Refundable Fares Non-Refundable
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Southwest Airlines is reversing a policy from 2017 that made refundable fares non-refundable if you changed your flight.

This ticketing policy was a major nuisance — it meant, for example, that if you purchased a fully refundable Business Select fare and changed flights, you'd lose the ability to fully refund the ticket. Deals We Like, which originally reported this change in 2017, noted the new reversal of this policy.

While Southwest did allow non-refundable fares to be credited toward a future Southwest flight in the form of travel bank credit, passengers with non-refundable fares couldn't refund the price of the ticket back to their credit card. This meant that passengers who changed refundable fares would lose the ability to have the price of their ticket credited back to their method of payment. This was an especially rough policy for award flights, as any taxes and fees would be non-refundable even though you'd get your points back. Southwest encouraged passengers with refundable tickets who wanted to change flights to cancel that fare altogether and rebook their itinerary.

Now, Southwest Airlines has confirmed that for all tickets purchased after Oct. 9, 2018, this policy is no longer in effect. That means if you purchased a ticket prior to Oct. 10, you would still be subject to this policy — any change made to your itinerary will make your refundable fare a non-refundable fare. However, if you booked after Oct. 9., you won't have to worry about changing refundable fares, as changes will no longer alter the "refundability" of tickets booked on Southwest.

Fares that are considered refundable on Southwest Airlines include:

  • Paid Business Select fares
  • Anytime fares
  • Senior fares
  • Flights booked with Rapid Rewards points
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My exchange with Matt from Southwest Airlines's Twitter team
My exchange with Matt from Southwest Airlines' Twitter team.

The Twitter representative I interacted with this morning was extremely apologetic for this policy and acknowledged that it had been a "major pain-point" for many flyers.

While this is fantastic news for Southwest flyers, just to reiterate: If you booked your ticket prior to Oct. 10, you won't be able to take advantage of this new policy. Even if your trip takes place after Oct. 9, the date on which you booked your trip will determine which refundable ticket policy applies to you.

H/T: Deals We Like

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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.