What payment methods does Southwest Airlines accept?
The short answer: Southwest Airlines accepts Apple Pay (online, in the app), PayPal (online, in the app), Venmo (in store), and Gift cards (in store, online, in the app); accepts Cash (in store △) with conditions; does not accept EBT / SNAP; we could not confirm whether it takes Google Pay, Cash App Pay, Klarna, and Afterpay, and 2 more (see details below). Last verified September 2026 against official Southwest Airlines documentation.
Accepted at Southwest Airlines
- ✓ Apple Pay (online, app only)
- ✓ PayPal (online, app only)
- ✓ Venmo (in store only)
- ✓ Gift cards (in store, online, app only)
- Cash (in store △)Accepted at international airport ticket counters only.
Payment methods at Southwest Airlines
| Payment method | In store | Self-checkout | Online | App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Pay | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✓ Accepted | ✓ Accepted |
| Google Pay | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed |
| PayPal | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✓ Accepted | ✓ Accepted |
| Venmo | ✓ Accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted |
| Cash App Pay | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed |
| Klarna | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed |
| Afterpay | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed |
| Affirm | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed |
| EBT / SNAP | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted |
| Gift cards | ✓ Accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✓ Accepted | ✓ Accepted |
| Cash | △ Conditional | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted | ✕ Not accepted |
| Checks | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed | ? Not confirmed |
Last verified: September 2026 against official Southwest Airlines documentation.
Coverage: US stores and US website. Acceptance may differ in other countries — see How we verify.
Details by payment method
Does Southwest Airlines take Apple Pay? Secondary source
Southwest Airlines — yes: online, app. Online/app: accepted for bookings.
Source: joinkudos.com
Does Southwest Airlines take Google Pay? Not confirmed
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Google Pay.
Source: none documented — listed as not confirmed.
Does Southwest Airlines take PayPal? Secondary source
Southwest Airlines — yes: online, app. Online/app: accepted for bookings.
Source: joinkudos.com
Does Southwest Airlines take Venmo? Secondary source
Southwest Airlines — yes: in store. Accepted for in-flight purchases.
Source: joinkudos.com
Does Southwest Airlines take Cash App Pay? Not confirmed
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Cash App Pay.
Source: none documented — listed as not confirmed.
Does Southwest Airlines take Klarna? Not confirmed
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Klarna.
Source: none documented — listed as not confirmed.
Does Southwest Airlines take Afterpay? Not confirmed
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Afterpay.
Source: joinkudos.com
Does Southwest Airlines take Affirm? Not confirmed
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Affirm.
Source: none documented — listed as not confirmed.
Does Southwest Airlines take EBT / SNAP? Secondary source
No — Southwest Airlines does not accept EBT / SNAP through any of the channels we track. Not accepted for airfare.
Source: none documented — listed as not confirmed.
Does Southwest Airlines take Gift cards? Secondary source
Southwest Airlines — yes: in store, online, app. Southwest gift cards redeemable online, in the app, by phone and at ticket counters.
Source: joinkudos.com
Does Southwest Airlines take Cash? Secondary source
Southwest Airlines — with conditions: in store. Accepted at international airport ticket counters only.
Source: joinkudos.com
Does Southwest Airlines take Checks? Not confirmed
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Checks.
Source: none documented — listed as not confirmed.
Sources
- Southwest payment options (Kudos) (joinkudos.com)
- Southwest + Uplift partnership (Southwest media) (swamedia.com)
Frequently asked questions
Does Southwest Airlines take Apple Pay?
Southwest Airlines — yes: online, app. Online/app: accepted for bookings.
Does Southwest Airlines take Google Pay?
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Google Pay.
Does Southwest Airlines take PayPal?
Southwest Airlines — yes: online, app. Online/app: accepted for bookings.
Does Southwest Airlines take Venmo?
Southwest Airlines — yes: in store. Accepted for in-flight purchases.
Does Southwest Airlines take Cash App Pay?
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Cash App Pay.
Does Southwest Airlines take Klarna?
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Klarna.
Does Southwest Airlines take Afterpay?
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Afterpay.
Does Southwest Airlines take Affirm?
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Affirm.
Does Southwest Airlines take EBT / SNAP?
No — Southwest Airlines does not accept EBT / SNAP through any of the channels we track. Not accepted for airfare.
Does Southwest Airlines take Gift cards?
Southwest Airlines — yes: in store, online, app. Southwest gift cards redeemable online, in the app, by phone and at ticket counters.
Does Southwest Airlines take Cash?
Southwest Airlines — with conditions: in store. Accepted at international airport ticket counters only.
Does Southwest Airlines take Checks?
Not confirmed — we couldn't find official documentation on whether Southwest Airlines accepts Checks.
Spot something wrong?
Payment policies change. If any answer above is out of date, contact us and we'll re-verify it against Southwest Airlines's official documentation.