What happens if I miss my Flight with Southwest?

A few airlines may let you rebook a flight if you miss your flight. But Southwest may consider your request to rebook a flight only in special circumstances. These include circumstances beyond your control viz. traffic jams, long security lines or medical emergencies. If your situation doesn’t fit in the category of special circumstances listed by Southwest, you may face the below:

• Forfeiture of the funds - Basic and Choice tickets' value will get nullified.
• Points used to book the ticket are redeposited in Rapid Rewards account - If you used loyalty points to book Choice Preferred (earlier Anytime) or Choice Extra (earlier Business Select) they will be redeposited.
• Transferable credits are issued - Tickets booked with Choice Extra or Choice Preferred fare type may be canceled when you register a no-show. Transferable credits are issued.
• Getaways vacation booking - The funds get forfeited.

If you have booked ticket with Choice Extra or Choice Preferred fare, you can apply for a same-day stand-by or same-day change without any charge. But you must do it up to 10 minutes before departure. Otherwise, you will be considered a no-show. In this Flyostudio blog, we will give you details of the policy for Southwest Airlines missed flight.

What is Southwest Missed Flight Policy?

When you miss a flight on Southwest, your funds get forfeited in case you booked a ticket with Basic (earlier known as Wanna Get Away) or Choice (earlier known as Wanna Get Away Plus) fares. Price paid for a Getaways booking for a vacation package will also get forfeited. Take a look at how a missed flight will be dealt with.

• Tickets booked before May 28, 2025 with Choice Preferred (formerly Anytime) and Choice Extra (formerly Business Select) fare - You will get transferable credits with no expiry for the entire ticket’s price.
• Reward tickets booked with Choice Preferred or Choice Extra - Only taxes will be converted into transferable credits. Points will be recredited into Rapid Rewards account.
• Choice Extra and Choice Preferred tickets booked on or after May 28, 2025 - The transferable credits you get will have an expiry date.

If you have a ticket booked with Choice, Choice Preferred or Choice Extra, you have the option of canceling a portion of trip when you miss a flight. In case of a Basic booking, Southwest Airlines missed flight means all flights must be canceled. For details or assistance you may contact Southwest or Flyostudio on +1-800-435-9792 or +1-844-414-9223.  

What is the 10-minute rule for Southwest Airlines?

The "10-minute rule" for Southwest Airlines primarily refers to the deadline for passengers to cancel their flight reservation. You may cancel a ticket up to 10 minutes before departure and get a method-of-payment refund. This means you will get a refund in original form of payment. If you don’t cancel within 10 minutes of departure, the policy for Southwest Airlines missed flight will apply to you. If you’re not responsible for canceling of the flight, you will be eligible for a refund in original form of payment. Take a look at the situations you will be eligible for refund.

• 3 hours delay of domestic flight or 6 hours delay of international flight will qualify.
• Shift of arrival time by 3 hours & 6 hours for domestic & international flights.
• When the departure airport or arrival airport has changed.
• Connection points have been added to your itinerary.
• You get downgraded to a lower class.
• If you are disabled and more connections have been added to itinerary.

How Does Southwest Airlines Handle Missed Flights?

You may be eligible for rebooking a Southwest flight if the airline considers your situation to be a ‘Flat Tire’ circumstance. Flat Tire circumstances include when you are not able to reach the boarding gate 10 minutes before departure due to situations beyond your control viz. traffic jams, long security lines or medical emergencies. Here are some of your options if you don’t qualify for rebooking.

• Forfeiture of the travel funds - If you booked a Basic or Choice ticket, it would mean forfeiting of the entire travel funds.
• Issuance of transferable credits without expiry - If you booked a ticket with Choice Extra or Choice Preferred before May 8, 2025, you will get transferable credits with no expiry.
• Issuance of transferable credits with expiry - If you booked a ticket with Choice Extra or Choice Preferred on or after May 8, 2025, you will get transferable credits with an expiry.
• Issuance of points and transferable credits - On reward tickets booked with Choice Extra or Choice Preferred tickets.

If there are multiple persons on the reservation and one of them misses the flight, you may have to reach out to customer service in case of Southwest Airlines missed flight. To cancel the flight of the specific person, the reservation will have to be divided. For details or assistance, you may contact Flyostudio or Southwest on +1-800-435-9792 or +1-844-414-9223.