Southwest Credit Card refund

[puffkin]

I just wanted to let anyone know who is interested about my experience getting a refund to my credit card from Southwest. I would never have tried if it wasn't for these boards so thanks DIS for saving me $60!

When flights were released for my December trip I booked the INTERNET ONLY fare PHL to MCO for $79 (2 tickets). I got the exact time I wanted. I wanted to come back late evening, so I booked Airtran for my return flight.

A few months ago, the INTERNET ONLY fare dropped to $69 for the same flight/date. I was able to change my original booking to the new fare for a savings of $20 total. This refund was stored in my account as their Ticketless Travel vouchers.

I caught a fare sale about 3 weeks ago and my same flight/date was $49 for the INTERNET ONLY fare. I again was able to modify my reservation and that resulted in a total of $60 in Ticketless Travel vouchers.

Normally I wouldn't mind the vouchers. However, we are having a baby in late March and they need to be used by July (when our tickets were originally purchased). I am almost positive that we will not be taking any trips before then. So, I called their customer service number and chose the refund option. I politely said that I have rebooked my flight without changing date/time and I would like a refund to my credit card. The guy looked up my reservation and said I had $60 in vouchers, and they could give me a 6 month extension on them (which I have heard is VERY restrictive). I said I have heard of other people getting refunds. He then rather nastily said that in the 10 years he has worked for Southwest, they have never given credit card refunds. I politely thanked him and hung up.

I called back 5 minutes later, got a nice lady, and explained the exact same thing to her. She looked up my reservation and immediately said it wouldn't be a problem, that the money would be refunded to my credit card in 5-10 business days. Couldn't have been easier. She was very nice and polite. The whole conversation lasted less than 2 minutes.

The charge was refunded on my card in 6 business days. I just wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else out. The money I saved pretty much paid for my MVMCP tickets

 

[mom23boys]

Puffkin, I just did the same thing. I have been watching SW from PHL. It was $79 each way, not bad, but always looking for a bargin.

Well last Friday a Ding came for $71 and $72 for down and back. I booked it. Yesterday wouldn't you know a Ding came for $39 each way. I immediately called SW and they cancelled the first reservation and I used that money for a credit to buy the $39 Ding.

The rep told me that I would have a credit of $325 for a year to use. We really were not planning Disney again till 2007. So I called the Refund Line and told her the story and sure enough the nice rep said I would be credited today.

I love SW.

Sharon

 

[LoveMyBoys]

I just wanted to thank you for posting this. The same thing happened to me, and I ended up with $58 in ticketless travel funds. I also read about people getting refunds, so I called and asked if it was possible. The lady I got basically told me that I had up to a year to use my funds and I couldn't get a refund. I figured that I would just leave it alone, even though we will not be traveling anywhere in the next year. Well to make a long story short I just read your post and figured I should try to call again and see what happens. I called, got a different lady and she told me it was no problem and I should get a refund within 10 days. I guess it is really a matter of who you talk to. So thanks for posting this, otherwise I probably would have never called back.

 

[magsmom]

SW will refund the $ to your CC if the fare goes down and you do not change your flight information.

Be persistent if you do not get a rep that will do this.

SWA's policy in this regard is awesome.

 

[Jo-Anne]

Yippee - just got $252 credited back to our credit card versus a ticketless travel credit! As Magsmom said, we did not change our flight times or day, but I just took advantage of an internet special that just opened up which basically cut the cost of my return flights in half. The customer service rep I had was very nice and she obviously just checked our reservation details and then said your credit will show up on your card in 2-3 weeks. Easy and so nice to have that money back! Jo

 

[Lynz]

Hi:

Called today to see if I could get CC instead of travel funds and closed due to Thanksgiving. Question has anyone been give credit card refund but just changed the time of day on one part of the trip, I am still going same day both ways, I am going to phone again and try.

Thanks

 

[princesspumpkin]

I have done this twice! Then, when I wanted to do it again, I posted on these boards and no one seemed to remember that it could be done. I'm glad to see that people are getting the refund again.

 

[DisOrBust]

So as long as you don't change you Dates or time you can get the difference credited???

 

[Jo-Anne]

DisorBust - that's what happened in my case!

 

[Waseller77]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have called twice now trying to get a refund and they won't allow it. They didn't even give me the option to extend the expiration for 6 months as has been previously mentioned. The 2 agents said the exact same thing - (it was a non-refundable ticket, I have until June to use it, if I can't use it, a friend can use it, etc.). It would be nice for Southwest to be consistent!

 

[ch261]

When we got our savings, we actually had to change our dates. Our first tickets were 12/4 and 12/11. We paid $834 for 5 rt tickets. The DING came up, but wasn't available for 12/11. I changed the dates and we ended up traveling 12/3 and 12/10 for a grand total of $331! A couple of weeks later, DH called the customer service number and got that $500 credited back to our credit card. Piece of cake. I'd certainly keep trying if they told me no. You might get lucky.

 

[3kidz4dis]

I am wondering if because of this I should just buy now instead of waiting for the price to go down, although I wonder if you all were just lucky and then I try and call and they change the policy or enforce it. We are traveling in May and I was going to hold off until DING.

 

[NewoLij]

I am wondering if because of this I should just buy now instead of waiting for the price to go down, although I wonder if you all were just lucky and then I try and call and they change the policy or enforce it. We are traveling in May and I was going to hold off until DING.

I'm with you, 3kidz4dis. Book now and hopefully get the credit when (if) the price drops or play the waiting game with DING. Decisions, decisions......

Anyone have any advice for us??????

 

[LoveMyBoys]

We traveled 12/11/-12/19 and 12/10 I decided to check the prices again, and there was an internet special of $59 for my return flight (I had $73 Ding fare). I changed it to the lower price, and after we got back I called the customer service and told them about it and they said that they will refund the difference to my cc ($56). I got a refund a month earlier wnen my flight to MCO went down in price. I think the official rule is no refund, however some agents do it, so I would just keep calling and asking nicely.

 

[April]

I tried for SWA refund and they said no. The best thing is to try to wait for a ding that you can live with, then you wouldn't have to worry about a refund or hopefully you or someone you know can use your travel credit within the year.

 

[nuke]

My mom called the CS number just this week and got a refund of $69 from a Ding price reduction.

 

[vossjemi]

I booked, then got a Ding rate that was cheaper, called and got a refund. Then, an internet special came out, so I changed up again, called again, and got a refund...this was for the exact same trip, exact same flights. LOVE SWA!!!

 

[Jeffan1ca]

The only problem I have is that I have 6 tickets reserved at a fun fare from Buffalo to Orlando. However when I go to change the tickets to the lower Internet fare, the lower fares are unavailable thus I'm unable to make the change and get the credits. Is there anyway around this? BTW, I'm not changing any of the flight information (times, dates, etc)

 

[shamrock30]

The only problem I have is that I have 6 tickets reserved at a fun fare from Buffalo to Orlando. However when I go to change the tickets to the lower Internet fare, the lower fares are unavailable thus I'm unable to make the change and get the credits. Is there anyway around this? BTW, I'm not changing any of the flight information (times, dates, etc)

If the lower fare isn't showing as available, all you can do is keep watching.

 

[buzz2400]

I received a credit because of a ding fare. Just called the refund department and she is crediting my credit card the amount. Thanks everyone for posting this. I was probably going to lose it because I didn't really like southwest.