Losing $450.00 SW Credit

[RMAMom]

My husband and I were going to take an impromptu trip in Jan and then for medical reasons were unable to go. I bought the tickets with SW using $9.00 credit for each of us. The credit expires on May 17th and we will be unable to fly before then. Am I really going to loose $450.00 because of $18.00 credit? Do I have any recourse at all?

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

My husband and I were going to take an impromptu trip in Jan and then for medical reasons were unable to go. I bought the tickets with SW using $9.00 credit for each of us. The credit expires on May 17th and we will be unable to fly before then. Am I really going to loose $450.00 because of $18.00 credit? Do I have any recourse at all?

Those are the rules. Was it so important to you to save $18?

 

[wdwfan1]

I don't know if anything can be done, but you can call and ask.

 

[tjmw2727]

That's a tough one - and yes I would have used the 9.00 credits too!
I have found SWA customer service excellent, why not call and explain what you did and see if there are other options?

 

[jemetz]

Yes, you are probably tied to the May 17th expiration, however, you may used that credit to purchase tickets for anyone you would like. I had a credit that I was not going to be able to use in time and just ended up purchasing a ticket for Grandma to come visit. Hope that helps!

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

Yes, you are probably tied to the May 17th expiration, however, you may used that credit to purchase tickets for anyone you would like. I had a credit that I was not going to be able to use in time and just ended up purchasing a ticket for Grandma to come visit. Hope that helps!

No go. Only the person who originally had the credit can use it. Southwest will extend the credits for a fee...$50, or possibly $75 per credit.

 

[LWQuestie]

Wouldn't you only lose the expiring credit? Or does the whole new ticket assume the expiration date of the credit?

To keep $450 value, I'd pay the $50-75 fee mentioned above.

 

[RMAMom]

I don't know if anything can be done, but you can call and ask.

That's a tough one - and yes I would have used the 9.00 credits too!
I have found SWA customer service excellent, why not call and explain what you did and see if there are other options?

Yes, you are probably tied to the May 17th expiration, however, you may used that credit to purchase tickets for anyone you would like. I had a credit that I was not going to be able to use in time and just ended up purchasing a ticket for Grandma to come visit. Hope that helps!

No go. Only the person who originally had the credit can use it. Southwest will extend the credits for a fee...$50, or possibly $75 per credit.

Wouldn't you only lose the expiring credit? Or does the whole new ticket assume the expiration date of the credit?

To keep $450 value, I'd pay the $50-75 fee mentioned above.

Thanks everyone, I did call once and the CSR that I spoke to got immediately defensive and angry so I ended the call and figured I would call back another time and hopefully get someone who can have a reasonable conversation. I am sure they have people argue this all the time and I realize that the rules are the rules but it seem to me to be an extenuating circumstance. Thanks for the idea of paying to extend the credit, I wouldn't have thought of that.
I always buy 2 one way tickets and this time because we were traveling so soon I just bought a round trip.

 

[Jestocost]

Thanks everyone, I did call once and the CSR that I spoke to got immediately defensive and angry so I ended the call and figured I would call back another time and hopefully get someone who can have a reasonable conversation. I am sure they have people argue this all the time and I realize that the rules are the rules but it seem to me to be an extenuating circumstance. Thanks for the idea of paying to extend the credit, I wouldn't have thought of that.
I always buy 2 one way tickets and this time because we were traveling so soon I just bought a round trip.

Unfortunately, using credits "corrupts" the entire reservation and ties it to the earliest expiration date. SWA either can't or won't do anything about that, in my experience.

Fortunately, they should allow you to extend the expiration date for another six months for a $50 per ticket fee. You have to wait for the credits to expire before you can request the extension, however, so you won't be able to do it until after May 17.