Southwest- free changes?? Could this work?

[monicajay]

Southwest advertises that they have no change fee. I have a voucher for a free return ticket on Southwest (yeah!) but the booking window that will open soon ends on March 9th and we need to return on the 10th.

 

In order to make sure I get the departure I want, I was thinking I could book the departure I need with a return on the 9th and then make a change to the 10th once the next booking block is released.

 

Anybody have experience making changes on Southwest?

 

Does this plan make sense?

 

I'm concerned that if I wait another 2 months for the return to become available I might not find availability for the departure flight I would like.

[Fattony]

No fee for changes is based on purchased tickets. You're flying for free under different rules which you'll have to verify. I doubt Southwest would put a restriction on the voucher knowing that people could simply change it at will, but you'd have to verify that with Southwest. Phone them. You can either not give your name or are simply asking if it'd be possible. If you don't want to do that I'd plan on the assumption that the voucher really does expire on the 9th and can't be used for travel on the 10th.

[parody]

You don't need to book your round trip now. Go ahead and purchase your one-way outbound flight now using your coupon funds and then when the window opens, book your one-way return flight. No need to book a flight that you know you'll never use.

[Keith1010]

You don't need to book your round trip now. Go ahead and purchase your one-way outbound flight now using your coupon funds and then when the window opens, book your one-way return flight. No need to book a flight that you know you'll never use.

 

Correct. Book outbound now. Book return when they are open for bookings.

 

Keith

[Clay Clayton]

i suspect from what she said (but don't know)that Monicajay's voucher is only good for the return on a roundtrip ticket. This being the case, I suspect she can't take take advantage of the fact that Southwest lets you book one way flights with no $ penalty. I second Fattony's suggestion to call them, I have NEVER had any trouble (other than the wait time) getting clear and concise directions from Southwest's folks on how to get the best possible fare. One of the many reasons why I like them so much.

[monicajay]

i suspect from what she said (but don't know)that Monicajay's voucher is only good for the return on a roundtrip ticket. This being the case, I suspect she can't take take advantage of the fact that Southwest lets you book one way flights with no $ penalty. I second Fattony's suggestion to call them, I have NEVER had any trouble (other than the wait time) getting clear and concise directions from Southwest's folks on how to get the best possible fare. One of the many reasons why I like them so much.

 

Thanks everyone, I will call them. I will wait till July 26th when the new booking window opens. That's when my departure date should become available.