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[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

New information on the Southwest web site this morning

Flight credits unexpired on or created on or after July 28, 2022 will not expire. No action is required on your part! If you have unexpired flight credits as of July 28, they will not expire and are available for you to use.

It will take us some time to update our systems with this new policy. With that in mind, you may notice an expiration date on your unexpired flight credits. Please pardon our dust while we make this change!

Awesome news!! My September flight went down a bit, but I wasn't bothering to adjust it because I won't have another cash booking before those credits were set to expire in December (I booked on opening day). Now that they are non-expiring, I'm definitely calling to get that price difference and I'll just hold it until we burn through our points and need to make another cash reservation!

 

[elgerber]

I'd pick the 55 minute connection time especially if the price is the same. MDW can be very busy but it's not big at all. Even if you have to go from terminal A to B the walk takes like 5-10 minutes, but it's also really likely your connecting flight will be at a nearby gate in the same terminal. 5 hours is just way too long.

I do think 55 minutes is tight, but I would LOSE MY MIND if I had to spend 5 hours at MDW LOL.
When my dad was dying, I had several layovers at MDW over the course of several months. It's very small, and very busy, with no place to just sit peacefully.

 

[Lsdolphin]

So my nephew is thinking of getting the Saphire Visa card and/or a SWA visa card as part of his plan to qualify for the companion pass to use next year. In addition to number of flights booked what else counts toward a companion pass?

 

[MarBee]

I was looking at flights that changed in PHL but was told that sometimes flights can be at a different terminal there. Transferring from one terminal to another takes a shuttle. My SIL told me there is no way I would make a connection with less than 2 hours particularly with a child.

PHL is our home airport. To my knowledge, all of the SW flights leave and land at one terminal. The gates are all within feet of each other.
I’ve also gone from terminal to terminal with never having a shuttle but we don’t have any mobility issues fortunately. I am not a big fan of PHL, but it’s fairly small for a large international airport.

 

[Erica Ladd]

Does anyone know if Nashville has fly by security with Southwest?

 

[happ]

So my nephew is thinking of getting the Saphire Visa card and/or a SWA visa card as part of his plan to qualify for the companion pass to use next year. In addition to number of flights booked what else counts toward a companion pass?

A Sapphire card wouldn't count toward a companion pass. Or do you mean he'll get a Sapphire card to purchase flights, and then those flights will count toward it? Here's the page on SW that lists what counts: https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/tiers-more-companion-pass

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

So my nephew is thinking of getting the Saphire Visa card and/or a SWA visa card as part of his plan to qualify for the companion pass to use next year. In addition to number of flights booked what else counts toward a companion pass?

There are a ton of good resources out there about ways to earn a CP. It's either 100 flights in a year (nearly impossible for most people) or 125,000 points in a year (doable with the credit card depending on how good the bonus is, how much one spends monthly, etc). In addition to points for spending on the card, you earn points for flying on paid fares (those hit when you fly, not when you book), you can link your card for restaurant points, and you can use their shopping portal to earn points.

It's calendar year, not 12 month rolling, so everything resets on 1/1. Most people try to stack their bonus and spending in such a way that they start earning heavy points first thing in January and then, once they earn the pass, they have it for the rest of that year and the whole next year. (My CP was earned in April 2022, I can use it through December 2023.) Depending on when your nephew plans to actually use the CP, he either needs to get moving ASAP on 2022 spending or hold off and do it all starting in 2023. If he can't hit 125,000 points this year, then better to wait and do everything he can first thing in January of 2023.

 

[holyrita]

I'm sure this has been asked here before but I'm new to the thread and 595 pages is a lot With Southwest's new policy of travel credits never expiring I'd like to give them a try.

If I fly SW I would check a bag since that is included in the price of your ticket but I've never done that before (frequent flyer with a carry-on!). I always arrive for my flight home at MCO and see what appears to be never ending lines for what I assume are people checking in their bags. Can anyone share their Southwest/MCO experiences checking in with any tips they've learned to expedite? Traveling with only a carry-on and PreCheck I normally don't show up to MCO for my flight home 30(ish) minutes before boarding (risky I know!).

 

[G719]

I'm sure this has been asked here before but I'm new to the thread and 595 pages is a lot With Southwest's new policy of travel credits never expiring I'd like to give them a try.

If I fly SW I would check a bag since that is included in the price of your ticket but I've never done that before (frequent flyer with a carry-on!). I always arrive for my flight home at MCO and see what appears to be never ending lines for what I assume are people checking in their bags. Can anyone share their Southwest/MCO experiences checking in with any tips they've learned to expedite? Traveling with only a carry-on and PreCheck I normally don't show up to MCO for my flight home 30(ish) minutes before boarding (risky I know!).

Last summer, we got dropped off and checked our luggage curbside. It was very quick. They do expect a tip out there but a few bucks is worth it to skip the inside line. We used a car service to get back to the airport.

 

[Jacksonian]

I was looking at flights that changed in PHL but was told that sometimes flights can be at a different terminal there. Transferring from one terminal to another takes a shuttle. My SIL told me there is no way I would make a connection with less than 2 hours particularly with a child.

I flew SW out of PHL in June and all gates are in Terminal E very close to one another. No need to take a shuttle

 

[holyrita]

Last summer, we got dropped off and checked our luggage curbside. It was very quick. They do expect a tip out there but a few bucks is worth it to skip the inside line. We used a car service to get back to the airport.

Do you think you could still use this if you're returning a rental car? I think that may be on the other side

 

[BillFromCT]

I'm sure this has been asked here before but I'm new to the thread and 595 pages is a lot With Southwest's new policy of travel credits never expiring I'd like to give them a try.

If I fly SW I would check a bag since that is included in the price of your ticket but I've never done that before (frequent flyer with a carry-on!). I always arrive for my flight home at MCO and see what appears to be never ending lines for what I assume are people checking in their bags. Can anyone share their Southwest/MCO experiences checking in with any tips they've learned to expedite? Traveling with only a carry-on and PreCheck I normally don't show up to MCO for my flight home 30(ish) minutes before boarding (risky I know!).

Southwest check in at MCO is mostly self check kiosks. They’re arranged in a way that a line can’t really form easily. There’s always a seasoned traveler who can tag their bag in under 2 minutes. Always move toward the person who seems to have a clue what they’re doing. I’ve not had a problem with the precheck lines. Always remember there are two security sides that dump out to the same place. I‘ve found the A side sometimes has a longer line. Taking 50 steps over to the other security check point can also save some time.

 

[jo-jo]

Awesome news!! My September flight went down a bit, but I wasn't bothering to adjust it because I won't have another cash booking before those credits were set to expire in December (I booked on opening day). Now that they are non-expiring, I'm definitely calling to get that price difference and I'll just hold it until we burn through our points and need to make another cash reservation!

I believe the no expiring points only start today. If I'm wrong I'd be thrilled. We booked a few weeks ago so those still expire.

Later posters are sharing that credits that they have have changed to no expiration. Whooo hoo So happy to be wrong.

 

[BillFromCT]

I have a credit left over from a May flight that I booked last December. The expiration date switched from a December expiration date to None.

 

[G719]

Do you think you could still use this if you're returning a rental car? I think that may be on the other side

I think so. If the inside line is crowded, I think it's ok just to go outside and check your luggage there if you want. It's right outside the door near the southwest counter.

 

[AntJulie]

Some of our travel credits have no expiration date, others have December 31, 2040 (this is temporary and should change to no expiration). I had credits to expire August 2nd (next week) and now they have no expiration date!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I believe the no expiring points only start today. If I'm wrong I'd be thrilled. We booked a few weeks ago so those still expire.

Any funds unexpired as of 7/28 no longer have an expiration date. It's really awesome of them to do it that way, as it gives people added benefit who booked assuming an expiring funds rule (myself included) this past year and now get the unexpiring benefit.

 

[jo-jo]

Any funds unexpired as of 7/28 no longer have an expiration date. It's really awesome of them to do it that way, as it gives people added benefit who booked assuming an expiring funds rule (myself included) this past year and now get the unexpiring benefit.

At the moment we have tickets but no funds. So if we find a cheaper fare , those credits will be no expiration?

 

[MarBee]

Did funds used to expire after one year? I think I have a few bucks from an August 2021 trip out there…

 

[jcarwash]

If I fly SW I would check a bag since that is included in the price of your ticket but I've never done that before (frequent flyer with a carry-on!). I always arrive for my flight home at MCO and see what appears to be never ending lines for what I assume are people checking in their bags. Can anyone share their Southwest/MCO experiences checking in with any tips they've learned to expedite? Traveling with only a carry-on and PreCheck I normally don't show up to MCO for my flight home 30(ish) minutes before boarding (risky I know!).

My experience with the MCO SWA bag check is that the "line" can look daunting, but it actually moves fairly quickly despite it looking like chaos. Most everyone is funneling into the set of self-serve kioks which are reasonably easy to use (especially if you're familiar with them). I've usually seen SWA staff inside the line directing people to open kiosks to keep things moving.