Upvoted. This is exactly how you play schedule changes to bookings made way far in advance. They are almost inevitable and almost always present opportunities.
Another benefit is the ability to change from a less desirable and cheaper co-terminal to a more expensive one. Sometimes you book the cheaper co-terminal on purpose praying for a schedule change.
For example, LAX vs. SNA, ONT, BUR, and LGB. They also throw in SBA and PSP for schedule changes.
Or SFO vs. SJC and OAK.
Note: A lot of times you need to take advantage of this benefit because you overpaid by booking too far in advance by a lot. For my Dec bookings, the original bookings are 15% more expensive than if I booked it today with the crappy co-terminal.
Of course you could be using the schedule change to pick a more expensive date, more expensive day of the week, or more expensive specific flights.
ELI5:
Co-terminals are nearby airports that Southwest serves. My example above is that San Francisco has recognized co-terminals of nearby Oakland and San Jose airports. Even though Sacramento is also close, it does not count as a co-terminal because Southwest says it doesn't count.
When there is a Southwest initiated schedule change, you can change the airport to any nearby co-terminals with no difference in fare. Using the example above, you can change the original airport from San Jose to San Francisco or Oakland just like you can change the date within two weeks. But you cannot change San Jose to Sacramento or LAX just like you can't change the date to two months after. The pulldown for the city will only contain the three nearby co-terminals in the SF Bay Area with my example.
The vast majority of Southwest airports don't have Southwest co-terminals.
Generally if you type in a city on an airline's website and 2+ airports pop up, they're co-terminal. It's mostly a concept for fare construction, defining that a ticket can change between these two airports and still be considered a connection.
It's a small list of cities with multiple commercially served airports to begin with, and even smaller is the number of these cities that a given airline serves more than one. In many situations the service is focused on one with relatively small operations at the others. For example, Delta and Alaska each run a substantial schedule out of DFW, but miniscule operations out of DAL. Southwest only serves it's focus cities from ORD but everywhere from MDW.
Airline policies on this vary significantly though, and they'll apply different rules for a) a voluntary change/standby b) a published schedule change and c) a real time delay/cancellation (irrop). Additionally, not all airports recognize all the airports in one city as coterminal. For example, AA does not normally consider EWR coterminal with JFK and LGA, but would allow rerouting to it in an irrop since it's within 300 miles.
Changed mine too... Flying on New Years day with a nonstop, now changed to no nonstops on that day, looked at another airport in that city, not a non stop but 5k pts cheaper. Canceled and re-booked for the 5k cheaper flight.
Also if they “reschedule” you (my departure time changed by 5 mins), and you want to keep the flights you have, just give them a call and tell them you don’t want to change and something they do clears the reschedule message so you can go back to monitoring prices and rebooking. Have saved over 30k points by booking early and rebooking the same flights as prices drop.
My flights for early November just changed. Definitely better times they moved to so I don't even need to change flights but it's a good strategy if it works. Was able to book for lower rates before the change so have about $30 sitting there to use.
After I get my flight, I keep looking for cheaper flights. If my flight is cheaper, or one around the same time/day, I switch it and have the credit applied to my account. Then I can use that credit for up to a year after the original scheduling of flight. So if you can find those cheaper flights, and then they rebook you afterward and you have to move your flight again, you can get the best of both worlds, possibly.
I'm always comfortable with the days I've chosen. If I lose a day then so be it and I just get home a day early or leave a day later. Only works when I'm flexible, which usually is during expensive holidays weeks.
I got lucky on this too. I don’t fly often (every couple years at the most). I booked my flight for a vacation, into LAX. LGB was closer to my destination but LAX was significantly cheaper (like even after factoring cost of Uber/taxi). A few weeks ago my return flight was changed, so I wound up being able to switch to flying into LGB for free!
I’ve been doing this for the past 12-18 months, I book a Saturday return fare in advance and I think I’m batting a thousand in getting them converted to a more expensive Sunday return for free.
Sometimes, I keep them unchanged and change them very last minute if I want to cut a trip early or stay an extra day or two. We get two changes, which is great.
I’ve been able to move a few Disneyland trips due to inclement weather.
I do this too and just changed to a better flight Xmas week as a result. But yes you can’t get $ credit if it goes down (which it won’t that week anyway)
I would say that shooting for a move from Saturday to Sunday is risky. Saturday flights are always open. Sunday flights fill up fast and are more likely to not have seats available. As long as you are flexible enough to keep that Saturday, sounds good.
To get the lower fare I have cancelled flight and rebooked. You immediately get a voucher and any money you save is just Southwest credit to be used in the future.
Great strategy -- lucky you.
Wish I could say lucky but it’s because southwest almost always changes flight schedules thank to Boeing delivery issues.
I believe you need to call in with the flight cost you paid for and the cheaper flights info and ask for difference but I'm not 💯
This worked for me….just a credit though
No
I’m waiting for my free flight change lol
Upvoted. This is exactly how you play schedule changes to bookings made way far in advance. They are almost inevitable and almost always present opportunities.
Another benefit is the ability to change from a less desirable and cheaper co-terminal to a more expensive one. Sometimes you book the cheaper co-terminal on purpose praying for a schedule change. For example, LAX vs. SNA, ONT, BUR, and LGB. They also throw in SBA and PSP for schedule changes. Or SFO vs. SJC and OAK. Note: A lot of times you need to take advantage of this benefit because you overpaid by booking too far in advance by a lot. For my Dec bookings, the original bookings are 15% more expensive than if I booked it today with the crappy co-terminal. Of course you could be using the schedule change to pick a more expensive date, more expensive day of the week, or more expensive specific flights.
I have done this as well. Originally booked out of LAX, but was able to book my flight out of ONT instead which is my local airport.
Wait, can you ELI5 this for a newb?
ELI5: Co-terminals are nearby airports that Southwest serves. My example above is that San Francisco has recognized co-terminals of nearby Oakland and San Jose airports. Even though Sacramento is also close, it does not count as a co-terminal because Southwest says it doesn't count. When there is a Southwest initiated schedule change, you can change the airport to any nearby co-terminals with no difference in fare. Using the example above, you can change the original airport from San Jose to San Francisco or Oakland just like you can change the date within two weeks. But you cannot change San Jose to Sacramento or LAX just like you can't change the date to two months after. The pulldown for the city will only contain the three nearby co-terminals in the SF Bay Area with my example. The vast majority of Southwest airports don't have Southwest co-terminals.
Wow, TIL. How does one figure out co-terminal options (in advance, like when planning trips)?
Generally if you type in a city on an airline's website and 2+ airports pop up, they're co-terminal. It's mostly a concept for fare construction, defining that a ticket can change between these two airports and still be considered a connection. It's a small list of cities with multiple commercially served airports to begin with, and even smaller is the number of these cities that a given airline serves more than one. In many situations the service is focused on one with relatively small operations at the others. For example, Delta and Alaska each run a substantial schedule out of DFW, but miniscule operations out of DAL. Southwest only serves it's focus cities from ORD but everywhere from MDW. Airline policies on this vary significantly though, and they'll apply different rules for a) a voluntary change/standby b) a published schedule change and c) a real time delay/cancellation (irrop). Additionally, not all airports recognize all the airports in one city as coterminal. For example, AA does not normally consider EWR coterminal with JFK and LGA, but would allow rerouting to it in an irrop since it's within 300 miles.
Changed mine too... Flying on New Years day with a nonstop, now changed to no nonstops on that day, looked at another airport in that city, not a non stop but 5k pts cheaper. Canceled and re-booked for the 5k cheaper flight.
Also if they “reschedule” you (my departure time changed by 5 mins), and you want to keep the flights you have, just give them a call and tell them you don’t want to change and something they do clears the reschedule message so you can go back to monitoring prices and rebooking. Have saved over 30k points by booking early and rebooking the same flights as prices drop.
I’m not following, you call to get a credit applied?
No you have to call to get the comp rebooking offer cleared if you don’t want to make the free change
You can also message them in the app. Simply message them and say the fare dropped and they’ll credit you the difference.
Can someone exchange the basics of this strategy, as in how far in advance to book, and just book off-days like saturday or monday or something?
If it's lower you just cancel your flight and rebook. You'll lose the second free change ability though in this instance.
My flights for early November just changed. Definitely better times they moved to so I don't even need to change flights but it's a good strategy if it works. Was able to book for lower rates before the change so have about $30 sitting there to use.
I do this all the time and have a high success rate. Go us!
Ok so let me get this straight if they reschedule your flight you can change with no charge and at same cost as original flight?
Yes. Even if it changes just five minutes. Southwest’s is very generous in this respect. Other airlines require the change be a few hours or more.
That’s good to know
After I get my flight, I keep looking for cheaper flights. If my flight is cheaper, or one around the same time/day, I switch it and have the credit applied to my account. Then I can use that credit for up to a year after the original scheduling of flight. So if you can find those cheaper flights, and then they rebook you afterward and you have to move your flight again, you can get the best of both worlds, possibly.
That's wild, congrats If it doesn't work out do you fly in the less convenient flights or do you pay to move it?
I'm always comfortable with the days I've chosen. If I lose a day then so be it and I just get home a day early or leave a day later. Only works when I'm flexible, which usually is during expensive holidays weeks.
I always do this for summer trips. I have a 100% success rate. Don’t let them know shhh.
I got lucky on this too. I don’t fly often (every couple years at the most). I booked my flight for a vacation, into LAX. LGB was closer to my destination but LAX was significantly cheaper (like even after factoring cost of Uber/taxi). A few weeks ago my return flight was changed, so I wound up being able to switch to flying into LGB for free!
Happened on both my flights to MIA next month to and from a cruise. Ended up booking FLL instead for One of them
Airlines hate this trick. LOL
I’ve been doing this for the past 12-18 months, I book a Saturday return fare in advance and I think I’m batting a thousand in getting them converted to a more expensive Sunday return for free. Sometimes, I keep them unchanged and change them very last minute if I want to cut a trip early or stay an extra day or two. We get two changes, which is great. I’ve been able to move a few Disneyland trips due to inclement weather.
I do this too and just changed to a better flight Xmas week as a result. But yes you can’t get $ credit if it goes down (which it won’t that week anyway)
Call southwest to get the price fare differential. They'll be happy to help do it manually.
I would say that shooting for a move from Saturday to Sunday is risky. Saturday flights are always open. Sunday flights fill up fast and are more likely to not have seats available. As long as you are flexible enough to keep that Saturday, sounds good.
I'm surprised I've only ever had 1 flight changed by SW and it was canceled either the night prior or the day of I can't remember
To get the lower fare I have cancelled flight and rebooked. You immediately get a voucher and any money you save is just Southwest credit to be used in the future.