Southwest Credit Expiration - Book Within a Year or Actually Fly Within a Year?

[PSUGuy]

I have a credit for wifey and I when this Oct's reserved flight went down, we booked on this Feb 18. We're looking to go back to WDW around the same time in 2017. My question is do we actually have to fly within the year or can we book within a year for a flight more than a year out? In other words we booked the flights this Feb 18 and got the credits a few days later but the flights are for Oct '16. Do we have until Oct. '17 to use them by booking in Feb '17 or do we have to fly by Feb '17?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[Disneycouple99]

I have a credit for wifey and I when this Oct's reserved flight went down, we booked on this Feb 18. We're looking to go back to WDW around the same time in 2017. My question is do we actually have to fly within the year or can we book within a year for a flight more than a year out? In other words we booked the flights this Feb 18 and got the credits a few days later but the flights are for Oct '16. Do we have until Oct. '17 to use them by booking in Feb '17 or do we have to fly by Feb '17?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

You must fly within a year of purchase so fly by Feb. 18, 2017.

 

[LisaS]

Southwest credits (aka "Travel Funds") are a great thing but they are only useful if you travel on Southwest more than once a year. Otherwise you are just going through the effort of repricing your flight for no real benefit since the credit is only valid for flights departing within a year of when you purchased the flight that generated those funds. In fact, some times you don't even get a year from the purchase date because when you book a flight using Travel Funds plus the additional cash needed for the fare, that new cash takes on the expiration date of the oldest credit you used.

For example, say you decide to fly somewhere in Jan 2017 so you can use the credit you got from your October flight. You pay for the flight with the Travel Funds plus however much cash is needed for the fare. If your flight drops in price and you re-price it or you cancel the flight, the credit you receive will inherit the Feb 18, 2017 expiration date. You would have to travel somewhere by Feb 18, 2017 or lose all that new money you applied toward your fare. So be careful when using Travel Funds to book a flight. Make sure you really intend to take that trip before you mix new money with Travel Funds.

 

[Day-Day]

Very interesting. This can really squeeze the available dates to use the Travel Funds. We reserved flights on January 21, 2016 for a May trip (at least I think that was the date based on an email to myself). Prices went down and we changed to get the difference in Travel Funds. We recently used these funds along with additional payment to book September flights. The expiration date on my September flight ticket is January 20, 2017. I keep checking for price drops but I don't think we'd get any use even if they did drop; I doubt we'll take a trip between September and January 20.

 

[Splashboat]

Just make sure you read everything yourself. I called customer service, was given the wrong information and changed a flight which cost me money. It was a tape recorded phone call but SW Supervisors outright told me it didn't matter that the customer service rep. gave me the wrong info. They said it is the customer's responsibility to read all the print.

 

[PatMcDuck]

The only other option is to get a LUV voucher after the credits expire, but they do charge a fee for that, it might be $100 now? So a $125 credit would become $25 LUV voucher. (The bonus there is that anyone can use those.) I did it last year because I had a $225 credit from a cancelled flight from my daughter. I was happy to get back $125 at least, and I used it myself.

 

[DebbieB]

Very interesting. This can really squeeze the available dates to use the Travel Funds. We reserved flights on January 21, 2016 for a May trip (at least I think that was the date based on an email to myself). Prices went down and we changed to get the difference in Travel Funds. We recently used these funds along with additional payment to book September flights. The expiration date on my September flight ticket is January 20, 2017. I keep checking for price drops but I don't think we'd get any use even if they did drop; I doubt we'll take a trip between September and January 20.

That's one thing to consider. Even if you only apply $10 in credits for a new flight, the new flight will take on the expiration date of the oldest credit. So if you would cancel that September flight, you only have until January 20 to reschedule, not one year from when you booked it.

 

[georgina]

The only other option is to get a LUV voucher after the credits expire, but they do charge a fee for that, it might be $100 now? So a $125 credit would become $25 LUV voucher. (The bonus there is that anyone can use those.) I did it last year because I had a $225 credit from a cancelled flight from my daughter. I was happy to get back $125 at least, and I used it myself.

Is that voucher only good for 6 months? (And is it 6 months from the expiration date or when you pay to convert to the voucher?) I have a $175 credit from a flight my DD did not use that has expired, but at this point we have no SW flights planned. One opportunity to fly SW may come up this summer though.

 

[katallo]

Does anyone know if there is a way to find out details about your travel credits. I know I have one but can't locate the confirmation number. I was wondering if I called SW could they locate the info.

 

[PatMcDuck]

The LUV vouchers, I think you have a year to apply for them, and they are good for 6 months. (unless it has changed to 6/6). So, you have to be careful to apply for them, when you have a flight within 6 months. Apply too early for your next trip, and you lose out.

 

[Lothlórien]

I have a credit for wifey and I when this Oct's reserved flight went down, we booked on this Feb 18. We're looking to go back to WDW around the same time in 2017. My question is do we actually have to fly within the year or can we book within a year for a flight more than a year out? In other words we booked the flights this Feb 18 and got the credits a few days later but the flights are for Oct '16. Do we have until Oct. '17 to use them by booking in Feb '17 or do we have to fly by Feb '17?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

Your flight needs to be completed (return back home) by the expiration date.

I have experienced both of these:

Example:

• You buy a ticket on May 5th for a November 7th departure date (originating airport).
• You realize June 10th you cannot go and you cancel.
• You are issued travel funds in that amount that have to be used by May 5th the following year.
• You must fly back home on or before May 5th (following year).

Different scenario:
You are issued a Voucher by the airline because if a flight issue or you are bumped

• You buy tickets November 10th for a February 28th flight
• You are at the airport February 28th and there is a 3 hour delay due to mechanical reasons
• When you get back home, you have a voucher for $xxx in your email
• That voucher is good a year from the date it was issued (Feb 28th)
• You have a full year to use that voucher
• You must return home by February 28th the following year

 

[Shanti]

Very interesting. This can really squeeze the available dates to use the Travel Funds. We reserved flights on January 21, 2016 for a May trip (at least I think that was the date based on an email to myself). Prices went down and we changed to get the difference in Travel Funds. We recently used these funds along with additional payment to book September flights. The expiration date on my September flight ticket is January 20, 2017. I keep checking for price drops but I don't think we'd get any use even if they did drop; I doubt we'll take a trip between September and January 20.

That's why they do it that way- makes it less likely that customers will use their credits.