How Do I Change My Southwest Flight on the Same Day?

How to Request a Same Day Change on Southwest Airlines?

If your travel plans with Southwest have changed, there will be no change fee if you wish to adjust your schedule to fit the current one. But what if you want to change your flight in the same day? In this case, Southwest Airlines provides even more flexibility with two variations of same-day changes.

Let’s say you were abroad for a meeting, and it ended early! Now you wish to go back home, but your flight leaves at 2 in the morning. You can ask Southwest Airlines for a seat on an earlier flight on the same day. Read more to understand about this option in detail!

Types of Same-Day Changes available on Southwest

As long as you do not meddle with the origin and departure airport information of your Southwest Airlines flights, you have two flexible options to change it on the day of departure. Here are the options available for you:

Same-Day Standby

This option allows you to list for standby on an earlier flight on the same day as your original flight’s departure. In the Same-day standby option, Southwest Airlines lets you retain your original flight unless you are clear for the new flight. Here are the steps to list for standby:

Open the Southwest Airlines official website (/www.southwest.com)/Mobile app.
Access your trip information.
You can find it through View/Manage.
Click on the Same-Day Standby option.
Choose the flight that is available.
The airline will contact you when you are clear about this flight.

Same-Day Confirmed

This option means you can choose a new flight on the same day as travel, whether it’s earlier or later. If there are available seats on the flight you want, you are free to book the new ticket and terminate your original reservation with the airline. Here are the steps for same-day confirmed changes:

Open the official Southwest website/ mobile app.
Access your trip information.
A-list and A-list preferred members should log in first.
Choose a new flight.
The airline will send you confirmation.

Terms & Conditions for Confirmed changes

You can not change your departure and destination airport.
The airline will charge Wanna Get Away customers a difference in fare for the respective change,
You can change your flight booked in any fare.
The airline does not charge any extra fees.
Your original flight seat gets canceled when you choose the confirmed change option.
You can only take flights operated and owned by Southwest Airlines.

With these instructions, you can easily change to a new flight on the same-day as departure. If you want, you can also arrive at the airport earlier. Southwest Airlines will let you change the ticket time to an earlier flight with available seats.

How Does the Southwest Standby List Work?

Southwest Airlines standby list works in a priority order. If you are on the top of the priority list, you are very likely to get a seat on the standby flight. Here is how it goes:

Customers who get accommodations due to flight delays and disruptions.
Rapid reward members as A-list and A-list preferred based on the fare type they have.
After that fare type, Business Select, Anytime, Wanna get Away Plus, Wanna Get Away.

You can also clear your standby list according to this order. Contact the airline’s customer service department if you have more questions to ask regarding same-day change requests.

Why Am I Not Able to Choose Standby Online?

There are many reasons you can not choose your standby service request online. But, if you get redirected to speak to a Southwest Airlines customer service agent at the airport, these may be one of the reasons:

You have an international flight.
You want to opt for standby service less than 30 minutes before departure.
The desired itinerary change requires a tax and fee refund.
Your new change requires a connection to a city not listed on the confirmed reservation.
You want to standby on a flight departing later than your current flight.
You want to add yourself on the standby list in your connection city.

Due to any of these reasons and some more additional ones, you must speak to a Southwest Airlines representative at the airport regarding your same-day standby requests.

Final Words

The information above will be enough for you to request a same-day change or standby option for your next trip. But remember to be at least 10 minutes earlier than your current flight’s departure time to make your requests count. The airline will also send you a message if you are eligible after your requests. Check with their customer service team for more information on eligibility and requests.

What is Southwest airline’s Same Day Flight Change Policy?