What your Southwest Airlines contract says

In short

This is a contract of carriage between you and Southwest Airlines Co. governed by Southwest's Contract of Carriage and Tariff. Southwest's fare ladder is Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select. Historically Southwest has differentiated itself by including two free checked bags on every fare and charging no change fees, although in 2025–2026 the carrier announced sweeping changes to its model (including the introduction of assigned seating and the elimination of 'bags fly free' on most fares for non-Rapid Rewards A-List/Plus members and non-Rapid Rewards credit-card holders). Wanna Get Away tickets are non-refundable but their value is preserved as Travel Funds (or, since 2022, Transferable Flight Credit); Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select are refundable. Under the U.S. DOT 2024 Automatic Refund Rule (14 CFR Part 260), Southwest must automatically refund your original form of payment when Southwest cancels a flight or makes a 'significant change' (3+ hours domestic / 6+ hours international) and you choose not to travel. Involuntary denied-boarding compensation under 14 CFR Part 250 applies (up to 200% of one-way fare, capped at $1,075, or 400% capped at $2,150) (but is rarely triggered because Southwest does not historically oversell flights).

What you agree to do

• You must check in and drop bags at least 30 minutes before a domestic departure (60 minutes for international) and be at the gate by the published boarding cut-off, or Southwest will release your seat and treat you as a no-show.
• You must hold the correct carry-on allowance (one carry-on plus one personal item) and pay attention to Southwest's transition to assigned seating in 2026, which changes the boarding-position model the airline used for decades.
• You must cancel any non-refundable Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus ticket at least 10 minutes before scheduled departure to preserve the fare value as Travel Funds; failure to do so forfeits the entire fare.

What you can ask for

• You have the right to cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund to original form of payment when the booking was made at least 7 days before departure (DOT 14 CFR §259.5).
• You have the right to an automatic refund to original form of payment if Southwest cancels your flight or makes a 'significant change' (3+ hr domestic / 6+ hr international) and you decline rebooking, per DOT 14 CFR Part 260.
• You have the right to keep the value of any Wanna Get Away cancellation as Travel Funds (and, since 2022, to transfer that value as Transferable Flight Credit to another Rapid Rewards member without expiration on most fare types).
• You have the right to deplane after 3 hours on the tarmac on a domestic flight or 4 hours on an international flight, with food and water within 2 hours, per DOT 14 CFR §259.4.
• You have the right to no change or cancellation fees on any Southwest fare type, although the underlying fare-value rules (refundable vs. Travel Funds) still apply.
• You have the right to earn Rapid Rewards points on every paid fare, with Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select earning at progressively higher rates per dollar spent.

Points worth knowing

• Sweeping 2025–2026 model changesSouthwest is in the middle of restructuring its decades-old model: assigned seating, premium seating, the end of universal 'bags fly free,' and additional fees for non-A-List / non-credit-card members. Terms and benefits at booking may change before travel; check the policy active on your travel date.
• Wanna Get Away forfeiture if not cancelled in timeIf you do not cancel a Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus ticket at least 10 minutes before departure, the entire fare value is forfeited and is not preserved as Travel Funds.
• Schedule and operational meltdownsThe December 2022 holiday meltdown stranded over a million passengers; the DOT imposed a $140M civil penalty and required a Compensation Plan. Southwest now publishes one, but recovery from large-scale disruptions can still be slower than hub-and-spoke carriers because of the point-to-point network.
• Travel Funds and credit expiration nuancesAlthough most Travel Funds and Transferable Flight Credit no longer expire, fare-difference rules still apply on rebooking, and any award/voucher booked using Rapid Rewards points has its own redemption terms.
• Broad disclaimer of consequential damagesSouthwest's Contract of Carriage disclaims liability for missed connections, hotels, lost wages, and business losses caused by delays or cancellations. Airline Deregulation Act preemption forecloses most state-law claims for delayed or denied service.

Dates and deadlines

24-hour free cancellation window

Within 24 hours of booking, provided travel is at least 7 days away

Wanna Get Away cancellation deadline

At least 10 minutes before scheduled departure to preserve fare as Travel Funds

Tarmac delay deplaning rights

After 3 hours on a domestic flight or 4 hours on an international flight

Check-in / gate cut-off

Check in 30 min (domestic) / 60 min (international) before departure; be at the gate by 10 min before