Southwest Airlines Community

You need the confirmation number. Have you checked your emails from Southwest? If you can't find it, try calling Customer Relations at 1-855-234-4654 -- they may be able to locate it for you using the credit card number used for purchase. ... View more

Sure thing! Rapid Rewards points can be used to book fares for anyone.   One huge advantage is that points from cancelled flights are redeposited back into your account, not linked to a specific passenger, as with travel funds from cancelled cash WGA fares. ... View more

Rapid Rewards is a frequent flyer program. The points go to the passenger.   If you have a Chase Southwest Visa card, you can earn points on the purchase of any Southwest flights, regardless of who flies.     ... View more

Flights booked using points for passengers other than the RR account holder no longer show up in the online account of the RR member who booked the flight.   Example:   In a single transaction, I booked a flight for myself and a friend, using my points for both fares.   After booking, I could see the itinerary under "My Travel," including info for both passengers and the two individual confirmation numbers.   Now, a few weeks later, I can only see my info. There is no indication of any other passenger.   I am able to pull up the details of his flight using his confirmation number and the "Flights > Manage Revervations" function. And a week ago I received a "Review Itinerary" email that included both traveler's information. But the flight doesn't show along with my itinerary under "My Travel."   Hope this helps diagnose the issue. ... View more

Unfortunately, Southwest has known systems issues with propagating a KTN from a profile to an actual reservation. I find it's best to double-check every reservation to make sure the KTN was added, and if not add it manually. If you notice PreCheck is missing upon online check-in, call Southwest and have them double check and add the KTN if necessary. Then you can reprint the boarding pass. Yes this is a hassle, and yes this doesn't happen with other carriers. One hopes Southwest's new "next generation reservation system" takes care of this issue when fully implemented. ... View more

For the flight out: Choose Advanced Search. Choose Roundtrip. Select cities A>B>C and dates. This will book a trip from A>B and then B>C.   For the return: Choose Advanced Search. Choose One Way. Select cities C>A and dates. This will book a trip from C>A.   Alternately, you can just book 3 one way flights. ... View more

Southwest doesn't sell tickets through 3rd party websites like FlyCheap. If you're referring to using More Rewards to purchase an International flight using Rapid Rewards points, you'll need to contact More Rewards at 1-800-833-4861 in order to make the booking for your daughter.   Be aware that the redemption values using RR points for international travel via More Rewards are very poor. ... View more

Yes, this functionality dropped off suddenly a couple of weeks ago.   This is likely related to the changeover to the new "next generation" reservation system. There are many issues with that transition, so it's possible this could be another issue... or it's possible that this is how the system will work going forward, since the new system apparently has many limitations (such as losing refundability on previously fully-refundable fares).   Can someone official please let us know what is going on, please? ... View more

@franktravel wrote:  If you fly often you may want to purchase the early flights anyway to get a better price than what they would be the day of the flight.   You will end up with credits when you cancel the flight you don't take. Be aware that this advice is no longer valid on Southwest. The new booking system automatically cancels any "duplicate" bookings (same day, same city pairs or co-terminals).     ... View more

Yes. Just keep in mind that the oldest (earliest expiring) expiration date from each of the funds will then apply to the new booking, and all those funds will be merged together and now carry that expiration date. This could be important if you later need to cancel that new flight.   Also, be aware that southwest limits the number of payment methods you can use on a single reservation. You may use a maximum of four forms of payment, which includes one credit card or PayPal account per transaction, along with Southwest gift cards, Southwest LUV vouchers, and/or unused ticketless travel funds. (The new booking system, for reservations after May 9, 2017, is even more restrictive, and limits the number of payment methods to three.) ... View more

Yes.   This is apparently caused by a limitation of the new "next generation" booking system. Unfortunately, it's just one of many. 😞   More info here. (Choose "Next Generation Reservation System" from the "Select Topic" menu on the left.)   Nothing changes as far as being able to modify/change a Wanna Get Away fare. This only affects refundable fares (Business Select, Anytime, Senior, etc.). But it affects them in a major way.   Going forward, you should never change/modify a refundable fare. Always cancel and then rebook that fare. Otherwise you'll lose the refundability.   This means that you'll have funds tied up with Southwest (until the refund is issued), and you'll lose any EarlyBird Check-In fees you've paid should you need to cancel/rebook.   Most importantly, this is completely counterintuitive to how we've always managed reservations with Southwest. I suspect this new policy will trip up many, especially business travelers.   Major thumbs down. ... View more

Unfortunately, there are many apparent limitations to the new "next generation" booking system. It's certainly odd to me to make a multi-passenger booking, but only be able to view my details when looking at the itinerary online.   For now, it is possible to double-check an itinerary that isn't showing up in your account by searching for it manually using the Manage Reservation function.   ... View more

EarlyBrid Check-In is technically "non-refundable," except when Southwest cancels the flight.   From the website:   Is EarlyBird Check-In refundable? All EarlyBird Check-In purchases are nonrefundable. Customers who cancel their flight will forfeit the previously purchased EarlyBird Check-In option for that particular flight. In the event that a flight is cancelled by Southwest, the EarlyBird Check-In purchased for the cancelled flight will be refunded.     Contact Customer Relations at 1-855-234-4654. If the hold times are too excessive (which is frequent) try contacting them through Twitter. ... View more

You won't receive an email. If you've bought EarlyBird Check-In, you are automatically checked in at 36 hours prior to departure. Beginning at 24 hours prior to departure you can use the online check-in to see your position and print your boarding pass. ... View more

That's a great suggestion, that has been made many, many times for many, many years now. It's unlike to happen because Southwest profits on unused travel funds. Greater utilization of travel funds negatively affects their bottom line. ... View more

Family Boarding doesn't happen before A, it happens after the A group, before the B group.   Here's the full boarding order:   Preboards BS and Upgraded Boarding: A1-15 A-Listers, EBCI, the lucky, and 24 hour check in (possibly): A16-60 A-Listers who didn't get an A pass, Family Boarding: After A, before B More EBCI (possibly) and 24 hour check in: B1-60 Everyone else: C1-60ish, give or take   Someone with a B60 position will be -- depending on the number of preboards and, often more importantly, the number of people using Family Boarding -- anywhere between approximately the 110th to 140th person to board. 737-300s & 700s hold 143 passengers, the 800s hold 175.   The number of thru passengers will also directly affect your seat choices. ... View more

It's complicated.   If you pay the extra fee, and buy well in advance of the flight, you should get an A position, but it's not guaranteed. Your position depends on the number of A-Listers (Southwest's most loyal frequent flyers) who will always be ahead of EBCI, and how many people buy EBCI ahead of you.   If the flight is very full of people who have paid the extra EBCI fee, then some who did will get B positions (fairly common these days) or even C ones (unlikely, but possible since Southwest doesn't limit EBCI sales per flight). Not paying the fee and checking in at exactly 24 hours prior will still get you a position behind all those who paid the fee.*   *Unless you happen to get lucky, and at T-24 checkin receive the re-issued position of someone who was checked in previously, but then cancelled or changed their flight. Since these are often A-Listers, those positions are often very good -- A16 - 25 range. This means the lucky leapfrog ahead of everyone who paid the fee, and even some of the A-Listers. It's an unfair system but that's how Southwest does it.   All EarlyBird Check-In really does is check you in automatically. If that has benefit to you, that's worth $15/flight, then it's a valid option.   Ultimately, the real advantage of EarlyBird Check-In is in generating profits for Southwest, to the tune of $240 million last year alone. 😉 ... View more

One person can only have one Rapid Rewards account. If somehow you have more than one, call customer relations at 1-855-234-4654 and they can merge them.   One person can have multiple Chase Southwest Visa accounts -- one business and one personal, for example. ... View more

FYI: Those trips have to be all paid (revenue) not points in order to be counted. If this is true then you should call customer relations at 1-855-234-4654 and have them check your account. ... View more

It's perplexing that any technology team wouldn't be able to enact a fix within a period of a year. This would seem to indicate that either 1) there is no desire to actually fix the problem, or 2) Southwest's IT team is inept.   Since they keep promising that they are "working on a fix," lets take them at their word and assume it's reason #2. ;(   Have you considered other carriers? ... View more

Yes. You should call customer relations at 1-855-234-4654 and request a refund for both legs. (The default is that the flights are held as travel funds, but since Southwest cancelled you are due a refund.) ... View more

Valid Southwest promo codes can be entered when booking, on the main page of the website directly under the departure/return date area, un the box labeled "PROMO COD.". I've never heard however of a "fare savers" coupon code for Southwest. Good luck! ... View more