Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[shoreward]

I read this and think that if you book a new flight and you cancel it- the travel funds will revert to the 1 year expiration. Just something to keep in mind.
For example:

• Your original unused travel funds with confirmation number OLD111 expired on March 19, 2020.
• These unused travel funds were extended to an expiration date of September 7, 2022.
• You use some of those funds on August 1, 2020 to book new travel in September under confirmation number NEW111.
• If for some reason you need to cancel this new flight, your unused travel funds associated with confirmation number NEW111 will be valid for 12 months from the booking date which means they will expire August 1, 2021.
• Any remaining unused travel funds tied to OLD111 will be available through September 7, 2022.

Good points, but what happens if you use funds to book travel in April 2020 for April 2020 travel, and then cancel in April 2020?

 

[sunlover13]

Good to know. Thank you. I didn't realize that would happen. I'm just going to hold off for now and wait to see the point conversion because who knows when we will be flying again. I'd really like to convert them to points or combine them all under one confirmation number. However, I don't want to lose the 9/22 expiration date.

 

[Erica Ladd]

I just booked airfare for 9/8-12. SW to MCO and Spirit on the way home. Both seem to have decent policies if I need to cancel or they do. I’m hoping to know what things will be like by early/mid August. They finally updated enough of my TF dates to buy new flights. And it is 2 TF per person per reservation. I asked on Facebook and it worked .

 

[Music City Mama]

I have a quick question that I think I know the answer to, but if one of you helpful experts could confirm, I'd appreciate it.

I was originally flying to MCO on 6/27 at 10:00 a.m. -- back in early/mid February it was changed to 12:40 p.m. I had the option to change it, but I liked it, so I kept it.

Earlier this month, that 12:40 flight was changed to departing at 3:20 p.m. -- I didn't like that one so I was able to switch it to a newly created flight departing at 8:25 a.m.

I just received a notification about my other flight home departing/arriving an hour later which is fine. I decided to check SW's flight schedule on their website for my flight on 6/27 to MCO just to make sure that was still listed on their website. It is, BUT, they have now added a new flight since I was forced to change earlier this month and it's the time I want! If I change it (even though it isn't because SW altered the schedule and I don't like it and it's just because I want to), I won't have to pay any fees, right? Not even taxes? This leg of the flight is reserved on points and it's cheaper points-wise AND it's the time I prefer. I should just be able to do this with no type of fee/penalty, correct? I don't have EBCI for this leg of the flight, so that's a non-issue.

TIA!

 

[shoreward]

I have a quick question that I think I know the answer to, but if one of you helpful experts could confirm, I'd appreciate it.

I was originally flying to MCO on 6/27 at 10:00 a.m. -- back in early/mid February it was changed to 12:40 p.m. I had the option to change it, but I liked it, so I kept it.

Earlier this month, that 12:40 flight was changed to departing at 3:20 p.m. -- I didn't like that one so I was able to switch it to a newly created flight departing at 8:25 a.m.

I just received a notification about my other flight home departing/arriving an hour later which is fine. I decided to check SW's flight schedule on their website for my flight on 6/27 to MCO just to make sure that was still listed on their website. It is, BUT, they have now added a new flight since I was forced to change earlier this month and it's the time I want! If I change it (even though it isn't because SW altered the schedule and I don't like it and it's just because I want to), I won't have to pay any fees, right? Not even taxes? This leg of the flight is reserved on points and it's cheaper points-wise AND it's the time I prefer. I should just be able to do this with no type of fee/penalty, correct? I don't have EBCI for this leg of the flight, so that's a non-issue.

TIA!

Yes, you can change a points booking with no penalty or rebooking fees. If your new flight is lower in points value, the difference (savings in points) will be automatically redeposited into your Rapid Rewards account. You can keep checking, until departure, for any additional reductions.

 

[Music City Mama]

Yes, you can change a points booking with no penalty or rebooking fees. If your new flight is lower in points value, the difference (savings in points) will be automatically redeposited into your Rapid Rewards account. You can keep checking, until departure, for any additional reductions.

Thanks, I have rebooked a flight before (for the same flight/time) just to get some points credited back, but I didn't know if I changed the actual flight/time, if that somehow was different. I guess I will change it to the time I want and get some points back. Thanks again!

 

[nkereina]

I read this and think that if you book a new flight and you cancel it- the travel funds will revert to the 1 year expiration. Just something to keep in mind.
For example:

• Your original unused travel funds with confirmation number OLD111 expired on March 19, 2020.
• These unused travel funds were extended to an expiration date of September 7, 2022.
• You use some of those funds on August 1, 2020 to book new travel in September under confirmation number NEW111.
• If for some reason you need to cancel this new flight, your unused travel funds associated with confirmation number NEW111 will be valid for 12 months from the booking date which means they will expire August 1, 2021.
• Any remaining unused travel funds tied to OLD111 will be available through September 7, 2022.

I'm not sure I'm following. So, in my scenario, I have four sets of travel funds that have now been updated to the 9/7/22 expiration date. I'd like to combine these travel funds by booking dummy flights until they've combined into one or two so I can use the full balance when I book my November flight. If I do this today (for example), will the new combined single travel fund have an expiration date of 4/22/21? Or will it retain the 9/7/22 expiration? Now I'm trying to decide if its better to just save some of the funds for use in 2021 or 2022, rather than roll them together.

 

[poohj80]

All of my travel funds have now been extended!

 

[Crazyhorse]

All of my travel funds have now been extended!

Out of $204.00 worth of travel funds, $183.00 have been extended until 9/2022. I'll take it!

 

[shoreward]

I'm not sure I'm following. So, in my scenario, I have four sets of travel funds that have now been updated to the 9/7/22 expiration date. I'd like to combine these travel funds by booking dummy flights until they've combined into one or two so I can use the full balance when I book my November flight. If I do this today (for example), will the new combined single travel fund have an expiration date of 4/22/21? Or will it retain the 9/7/22 expiration? Now I'm trying to decide if its better to just save some of the funds for use in 2021 or 2022, rather than roll them together.

Per Southwest, the expiration date will change to 9/7/22 for any reservations that are canceled, or set to expire between March 1st through September 7th, 2020.

 

[shoreward]

It looks like Southwest is now offering changes in date/time for bookings into July, at no additional cost, if rebooked within the stated time frame (usually within 60 days of original travel date). If your travel qualifies for the rebooking, there will be a banner displayed, when going in to change the flight.

 

[tidblgrrer]

Has anyone been successful in getting their EarlyBird Check-in refunded after a canceled flight?

 

[aokeefe]

I'm not sure I'm following. So, in my scenario, I have four sets of travel funds that have now been updated to the 9/7/22 expiration date. I'd like to combine these travel funds by booking dummy flights until they've combined into one or two so I can use the full balance when I book my November flight. If I do this today (for example), will the new combined single travel fund have an expiration date of 4/22/21? Or will it retain the 9/7/22 expiration? Now I'm trying to decide if its better to just save some of the funds for use in 2021 or 2022, rather than roll them together.

That is how I interpreted it- if you book a new flight today using the travel funds and then cancel, the travel funds would then be 4/22/21. If you have 4 sets of funds, you can always book one way tickets rather than roundtrip. Use 2 funds for one leg and 2 funds for the other leg. This is what I am going to do to use up mine.

 

[nkereina]

Per Southwest, the expiration date will change to 9/7/22 for any reservations that are canceled, or set to expire between March 1st through September 7th, 2020.

Did you get confirmation of this from Southwest or is that how you interpret their latest release on this?

That is how I interpreted it- if you book a new flight today using the travel funds and then cancel, the travel funds would then be 4/22/21. If you have 4 sets of funds, you can always book one way tickets rather than roundtrip. Use 2 funds for one leg and 2 funds for the other leg. This is what I am going to do to use up mine.

Thanks, but unfortunately I just need to book the return leg. I was able to re-schedule the flight there for October, but my return falls in November which isn't out yet. So I'm hoping to confirm whether I can roll my credits together and keep the September 2022 expiration date because I don't expect to use the full value when I do book for November.

 

[Fangorn]

Has anyone been successful in getting their EarlyBird Check-in refunded after a canceled flight?

i have. Cancelled a flight last Thursday (4/16). I called SW to cancel and get a refund for the flight. Also asked about the EBCI, and they refunded that as well. There is a separate process for that and it is not automatic. My flight refund was in my bank account on Monday (4/20) and the EBCI refund was there on Tuesday (4/21).

My experience was simple, straight-forward and pleasant.

Steve

 

[nkereina]

Has anyone been successful in getting their EarlyBird Check-in refunded after a canceled flight?

If Southwest canceled your flight, you'd be entitled to a refund to the original form of payment and you'd need to contact them to initiate it. If you canceled the flight on your own, SWA has been giving people the option of a LUV voucher equal to the amount you paid OR rapid rewards points roughly equal to what you paid. Most of us here have had the best luck receiving these options by contacting SWA through social media.

 

[shoreward]

Per Southwest, the expiration date will change to 9/7/22 for any reservations that are canceled, or set to expire between March 1st through September 7th, 2020.

Did you get confirmation of this from Southwest or is that how you interpret their latest release on this?

I cut and pasted their reply from social media. A friend would like to do this, but I don’t think they did it yet.

 

[tink fan]

Per Southwest’s policy as long as you cancel a “dummy” flight using combined travel funds by September 7, 2020, your new travel fund will have the Sept 7, 2022 expiration. If you cancel it after Sept 7, it will have a cancelation date of one year from the reservation date.
Here is the policy from its website: “Funds that are set to expire or funds that are created between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020, will have an expiration date of September 7,2022.”

 

[tink fan]

Good points, but what happens if you use funds to book travel in April 2020 for April 2020 travel, and then cancel in April 2020?

Your expiration date is Sept 7, 2022 since you canceled before Sept 7, 2020.

 

[Llama mama]

Got the red flag banner last night . This morning flights changed by SW. Changes are thankful not bad at all . Arriving to MCO from Midway 7/31 2 hours later . Coming home I am leaving Disney only 2 hours earlier. They kept me on nonstops too . ( last time layovers) . Hopefully parks open beginning of August. Stay safe all ....