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

[Tiggerish]

In early February I flew round trip to Orlando with SWA. As a full-time power wheelchair user with difficulty bending my knees, I have always booked two seats.

This was my first trip under the new rules but neither of the flights were sold out and I was able to request the refund on their website. Did have to make a separate request for the departure and return flights.

I got an immediate email confirmations of the requests and in the next 48 hours confirmation emails that the refunds were approved. However, it has been a full week since and the actual refunds have not shown up on my credit card yet.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

In early February I flew round trip to Orlando with SWA. As a full-time power wheelchair user with difficulty bending my knees, I have always booked two seats.

This was my first trip under the new rules but neither of the flights were sold out and I was able to request the refund on their website. Did have to make a separate request for the departure and return flights.

I got an immediate email confirmations of the requests and in the next 48 hours confirmation emails that the refunds were approved. However, it has been a full week since and the actual refunds have not shown up on my credit card yet.

Has it been 7 business days?

Did you select/did it tell you it would go back to the method of payment as opposed to a credit?

 

[Tiggerish]

Has it been 7 business days?

Did you select/did it tell you it would go back to the method of payment as opposed to a credit?

It won't be 7 business days until next week so I have not worried about it yet. I had charged to my SWA Chase card. SWA's email said they process the request within 7 days but credit card companies may take up to 30 days to show the credit.

Fortunately, the refund is directly to the source of payment for the original ticket. It is not a credit with an expiration date.

 

[kristenrice]

I am looking to book a Choice Plus fare so that I can select my seat at booking. I do not want/need an extra legroom seat and I plan to just select a seat that is included with the fare. I know that the Choice Plus fare is refundable to the method of payment. In the past, I have always booked using points so that if the fare went down, I could "modify" and the points would go back into my account. Under the new system (and given the fact that I do not have enough SW points), I plan to book using cash. I actually plan to pay with my CapOne Venture card and eventually redeem some points to cover the cost. I have a coouple of questionsif the price goes down:
1) Can I cancel and rebook at the lower price and still get the full refund? (I assume yes, since it is a refundable ticket)
2) What happens to my seat selection? Does it disappear when I cancel and immediately become available to rebook?
3) Is there any other issue that I need to be aware of? Does this still work similar to the old method of modifying a flight?

The price right now for a one-way trip is $339 which is more than I have ever paid for a round-trip ticket. Even though I am willing to pay that right now, I am confident that the price will go down. I have flight anxiety/claustrophobia that I really NEED to sit near the front of the plane in an aisle seat so I am terrified that if I wait too long, I will not have a seat location that I can work with. I'm in a quandry and I am not sure how long I should wait to book my October flight.

 

[CanIGetaDoleWhip]

I am looking to book a Choice Plus fare so that I can select my seat at booking. I do not want/need an extra legroom seat and I plan to just select a seat that is included with the fare. I know that the Choice Plus fare is refundable to the method of payment. In the past, I have always booked using points so that if the fare went down, I could "modify" and the points would go back into my account. Under the new system (and given the fact that I do not have enough SW points), I plan to book using cash. I actually plan to pay with my CapOne Venture card and eventually redeem some points to cover the cost. I have a coouple of questionsif the price goes down:
1) Can I cancel and rebook at the lower price and still get the full refund? (I assume yes, since it is a refundable ticket)
2) What happens to my seat selection? Does it disappear when I cancel and immediately become available to rebook?
3) Is there any other issue that I need to be aware of? Does this still work similar to the old method of modifying a flight?

The price right now for a one-way trip is $339 which is more than I have ever paid for a round-trip ticket. Even though I am willing to pay that right now, I am confident that the price will go down. I have flight anxiety/claustrophobia that I really NEED to sit near the front of the plane in an aisle seat so I am terrified that if I wait too long, I will not have a seat location that I can work with. I'm in a quandry and I am not sure how long I should wait to book my October flight.

Sorry, I can only help with #2, as I only book with points - yes, you'll need to re - select your seat if you cancel or modify.

 

[Wood Nymph]

1) Can I cancel and rebook at the lower price and still get the full refund? (I assume yes, since it is a refundable ticket)
2) What happens to my seat selection? Does it disappear when I cancel and immediately become available to rebook?
3) Is there any other issue that I need to be aware of? Does this still work similar to the old method of modifying a flight?

I assume that you are purchasing a Choice Preferred ticket.
1. You will get a full refund to the original form of payment,
2. Your seat will disappear if you cancel or if you simply change the flight. But your seat will become available to rebook. I modified a ticket once to get a lower price and I was able to get the same seat. You might have to wait for the transaction to be completed before your original seat becomes available. Then just go back in a make the seat selection.
3. It does work the same as the former way to modify a flight except you will have the option to select a seat either at the time of purchase or later.

 

[Sleepyluke]

Looking to swap out my current SW card and upgrade to a new one but the current bonus is for 40,000 points at $5,000 spent. Is this the new normal, or are there better deals out there at different times? We have not upgraded in 5 plus years so that is not a problem, but thought 50,000 or more was the norm.

Also, any chance they send a come back extra bonus email as well?

 

[Sleepyluke]

2nd question, but different topic. If I purchase flights with points but have a Priority CC, do I still get the benefits, or do you have to purchase the ticket with the card to receive the benefits?

 

[eticketplease]

Looking to swap out my current SW card and upgrade to a new one but the current bonus is for 40,000 points at $5,000 spent. Is this the new normal, or are there better deals out there at different times? We have not upgraded in 5 plus years so that is not a problem, but thought 50,000 or more was the norm.

Also, any chance they send a come back extra bonus email as well?

What are you looking at? I'm still seeing 20K and the companion pass.

Edit: 20 is for Plus I see the 40k and CP for priority

 

[eticketplease]

2nd question, but different topic. If I purchase flights with points but have a Priority CC, do I still get the benefits, or do you have to purchase the ticket with the card to receive the benefits?

You get the benefits of free bag and you can pick a preferred seat at booking even if booking a basic fare and then getting the chance to upgrade to Extra Legroom seats at 48 hours.

 

[eticketplease]

@Sleepyluke since you have the priority card they won't let you apply for that card while holding it or any other card.

You can refer your SO and then they can open the new card and you would get points for referring them and after you have the points you could close the card for when you wish to apply.

Alternatively you could open a business card.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Looking to swap out my current SW card and upgrade to a new one but the current bonus is for 40,000 points at $5,000 spent. Is this the new normal, or are there better deals out there at different times?

The points are often a little lower when it also comes with a promotional CP. You're getting fewer points because of the CP through next February.

If I purchase flights with points but have a Priority CC, do I still get the benefits, or do you have to purchase the ticket with the card to receive the benefits?

Neither main fair nor taxes need to be purchased on the card. The cardholder needs to be on the reservation with their correct rapid rewards number. The system is just looking for an RR number of a cardholder, not the method of payment used.

That also means, if you use the card to purchase but subsequently close it, you don't get the bag benefit at travel time if you are no longer a cardholder at that time, despite using the card to book.