My SW flight is cheaper!!

[Nermel9]

Hey everyone,

I was just checking Southwest for fun, and I noticed my flight to Orlando is much cheaper than what I paid for it...isn't there a way I can get credited for the difference? How exactly do I do that?

Thanks in advance!

 

[goofy4tink]

You have to call SW directly. They will then cancel your existing reservation and rebook one at the cheaper price. BUT....unless you booked a fully refundable fare, you won't get a credit on your credit card. Those non-refundable fares (the cheapest flights) don't give you a regular credit back. They give you a SW credit which has to be used within a year..if I remember correctly.

 

[Nermel9]

Thanks! That's ok, if I get a credit back and not $$ on my credit card. But if I get a credit today, is it good from a year of today, or when I booked my flights, which was in March, I think? Because if that's the case, I won't even bother, since I won't be flying again til May.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

We just did this and it's a year from when you "cancel" your flight.

We had a ding and what we had to do was cancel our existing flight (to get the credit) and then immediately rebook the flight with our SW credits.

Edit to add: We couldn't use a SW agent because it was a Ding fare that was cheaper and those can only be booked through Ding. But, let me assure you, the process was easy. What I did was have two windows open. I created my flight again in the new window and had it ready for when I cancelled my old reservation. They give you the credits immediately and therefore they are available for immediate use. Once I cancelled my old, more expensive, flight, I went to my new window with the flight information and down where it says use SW credits (or something like that) you enter the old confirmation number of the flight you just cancelled (that's how your credits are stored) and voila new flight was purchased.

Hope this helps and isn't too confusing.

 

[Rpsemont]

The credit is good for one year from your original purchase date - which you said is March AND that's the day that travel must be completed by - so you would have to be taking another trip before your March purchase date.

Also, you can usually make the change on line without calling SW. Just go to "Change Reservation", you basically reselect your exact same flights that you're on but are now cheaper, complete the reservation and after finalizing with will indicate that you have $$ in Ticketless travel funds.

While you may not ever be able to utilize these dollars, it still might be worthwhile to get the credit. You never know when either you might suddenly need to buy a flight that you didin't anticipate - or - something happens that make you need to change these tickets, but now the prices are much higher. Then, you would have the credit to to apply to the higher fare.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

The credit is good for one year from your original purchase date - which you said is March AND that's the day that travel must be completed by - so you would have to be taking another trip before your March purchase date.

Also, you can usually make the change on line without calling SW. Just go to "Change Reservation", you basically reselect your exact same flights that you're on but are now cheaper, complete the reservation and after finalizing with will indicate that you have $$ in Ticketless travel funds.

While you may not ever be able to utilize these dollars, it still might be worthwhile to get the credit. You never know when either you might suddenly need to buy a flight that you didin't anticipate - or - something happens that make you need to change these tickets, but now the prices are much higher. Then, you would have the credit to to apply to the higher fare.

Hhhm, I'll have to recheck mine because I thought for sure it was when I canceled the flight. Thanks for pointing this out. Will check into this.

 

[DebbieB]

It's a year from your original purchase date. If you use the credit towards another flight, the date remains the original purchase date of the original flight if you cancel that one.

 

[goofy4tink]

All my credits have been a year from the original purchase date.

 

[brettb]

Here's an extra kicker:

When credit from a previous purchase is applied to a new purchase, ALL funds applied to the new purchase take on the expiration date of the funds from the first, cancelled/rebooked flight.

So if you bought a ticket on 1/1/11 for $109, then the fare dropped to $99 and you rebook it, your $10 credit is valid towards any flight before 1/1/12. If, on 7/1/11, you buy a second ticket for $209 and apply your $10 credit (expiring 1/1/12), and then cancel/rebook that second ticket, the ALL of the new credit can only be applied towards travel completed before (by?) 1/1/12. You don't end up with a $10 credit expiring (for travel) on 1/1/12 and $199 expiring on 7/1/12.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Also, the credit must be used by the same name that the credit was issued. For instance, if you have 4 people on your confirmation, and each person got $20 credit for their flight, each person gets $20. They cannot be combined for one huge credit for only one person.

 

[Nermel9]

Thanks! I'm going to try to change the flight now and see if it gives me the credits on southwest.com, I'd much rather do it that way than call!

And I just realized...we are planning to go to Disney again in May, and even if the credits do expire in March, I will probably purchase tickets before then, I'm assuming, so hopefully I'll be able to use them!

 

[mousefan1972]

Thanks! I'm going to try to change the flight now and see if it gives me the credits on southwest.com, I'd much rather do it that way than call!

And I just realized...we are planning to go to Disney again in May, and even if the credits do expire in March, I will probably purchase tickets before then, I'm assuming, so hopefully I'll be able to use them!

Actually, the travel will need to be completed by 1 year from the orginal purchase date, so March in your case. I have read that some people have paid a fee to extend the credit, but I've never done so myself.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My October SW flights, PHL to MCO dropped about $50 a person RT. I just noticed it today, but it could have changed in the last few days.

 

[pinkerbell]

Is it still possible to extend those TTF's for a fee? if so how much, and is that per person (4 in our case) or per confirmation? If we have to pay say $25 per person to save $20 we would loose.

I waited to pay a higher price on a later flight, that would put us within a year of our next trip, but since I purchased the cheaper flight back in March, like many are saying, I learned any TTF i may save on the later flight, if it goes down And I think it will (even though purchased in JUNE) will expire in March, and we don't fly again until April... ugh!!!
thanks

 

[Rpsemont]

we don't fly again until April... ugh!!!

If you get a credit it's a good excuse to just squeeze in another trip

Hello fellow westernma'er. How'd you fare with the tornado?

 

[pinkerbell]

If you get a credit it's a good excuse to just squeeze in another trip

Hello fellow westernma'er. How'd you fare with the tornado?

DH works on Union St in W spfld and other than some shock and post tornado jumpiness is fine, so I am feeling blessed
We have a property that has some minor wind damage but all are well and no human injury's thanks for asking

how about you?

 

[Rpsemont]

DH works on Union St in W spfld and other than some shock and post tornado jumpiness is fine, so I am feeling blessed
We have a property that has some minor wind damage but all are well and no human injury's thanks for asking

how about you?

I work on Union street, too! Small world! We just were allowed back into our building yesterday. Most are still dealing with their car issues- I heard of 4 that were totalled so far, but there's probably more. Probably won't be able to tolerate severe thunderstorms easily for awhile. Wish I could squeeze in a trip to see mickey

 

[pinkerbell]

I work on Union street, too! Small world! We just were allowed back into our building yesterday. Most are still dealing with their car issues- I heard of 4 that were totalled so far, but there's probably more. Probably won't be able to tolerate severe thunderstorms easily for awhile. Wish I could squeeze in a trip to see mickey

well.... It's a small world after all... lol,
I worked at that attraction back in the mid 80's
glad u too r safe, hope the Post Tornado Stress, isn't too bad and I mean that with all seriousness... Many are having difficulty
hoping you get a trip soon
pinkerbell