Questions concerning SW cancellations & credit

[disneygrandma]

Several years ago I bought SW tickets for our kids, and then they had to cancel. My husband & I were able to use the credit to purchase tickets for ourselves later that year. I think I read where this no longer can be done. Is it correct that if you cancel a ticket, then only the person named on that ticket can use the credit for themselves? If so, is there anyway around that?

If we purchase the cheapest tickets on line, and then have to cancel them, is there anyway to get a refund?

Finally, can the name of the person be changed on the ticket? (These again are the cheapest tickets.) For instance, if I purchased a ticket for my son, and then later could we change that ticket to my husband's name? If so, what is the cost to do so? Then down the road we would cancel & the credit would be in husband's name. Can it be done?

The reason I'm asking is that we've purchased some tickets on SW, but the price on Delta is less than half the amount, and the departure time is better. These tickets are in our children's names. They won't be flying again for a while. However, my husband & myself will be flying in November. We would love to get the cheaper Delta tickets now for the kids, and then use the credit to help purchase tickets for myself & my husband later.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Did you read the rules on Southwest's website? All your questions are answered there.

Briefly, credits can only be used for the person ticketed and no, you can't change the name on a ticket. No cash refunds unless you purchase a fully refundable ticket or cancel within 24 hours of booking.

 

[DebbieB]

Delta and most other airlines have the same rules. The advantage of SW vs others is no change fee.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

What you can do is allow the ticket to expire - they expire one year for the date of purchase- and call and pay $100 per ticket to extend the expiration date to 6 months out. Once they do that the funds become LUV funds and can be used by anyone

 

[PatMcDuck]

What you can do is allow the ticket to expire - they expire one year for the date of purchase- and call and pay $100 per ticket to extend the expiration date to 6 months out. Once they do that the funds become LUV funds and can be used by anyone

That is what I was going to say! And if for some reason, the kids have different reservation numbers coming and going, combine the credits BEFORE they expire, so you only have to pay the $100 once (for each person.)

 

[disneygrandma]

I thought that I had read some posts a while back about someone who was able to get a refund, or credit back somehow, for the tickets that he cancelled. It seemed like it involved a phone call or two.

I know that people on the Dis forum are knowledgeable in the ins and outs, and every which way around. So I thought I'd give it a shot to see what's out there. Very interesting about the expired tickets.


Thanks so much.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Yes for cancelled reservations you will get a credit in the form of a travel funds vouchure good toward future reservations. But the ONLY way to get cash back would be to purchase refundable tickets or buy trip insurance and have a qualifying event occur such as death in the immediate family, weather troubles, ect that would allow the insurance company to reimburse you.