Hellobee Boards

Some airlines will allow you a one time date change on your ticket for a fee. I would contact the airline and ask how much the fee would be.

@sunny: LOL I thought you worked for southwest from that last paragraph but then I figured out it that you were just cutting and pasting from the website! Haha.

@PurplePumps: yes, and SW charges more last minute then other carriers.

Using frequent flyer miles is usually the way to go if you or another family member has them. They are usually easiest to change, and the only way I know of occasionally getting a flight the same day or the next without paying a crazy amount.

Have you searched to see what last minute fares average? Sometimes if it is a popular route, the prices don't skyrocket last minute.

Another idea is to buy multiple one way tickets via SW and cancel the ones that come before you go into labor. This only works though if you have cash to spare and your mom would be flying again within a year (or maybe the credit lasts 2 years, I can't remember). If you cancel with SW, there's no charge, but the amount is credited under the same person's name...you can't get a full refund or transfer th credit to a different person. I did this for the birth of my nephew and it worked out well. I bought 3 outbound flights for $120 each, each separated by a couple days. I cancelled the two I didn't use and used the credit later in the year. I also booked 2 different return tickets and did the same thing.