Southwest Credits

[kbmartin]

Hi there!

I'm planning to book a Wanna Get Away fare that is priced a bit high right now, but I'll continue watching in case the price drops. I know that supposedly you get credits if you "change your flight" when the price drops. Do the credits ever expire? Are they considered a gift card (I wouldn't think so, but just checking...)

Thanks!

 

[HeatherL1985]

I could be completely wrong - but I believe they will give you the Rapid Rewards points for the difference. Rapid rewards points remain active for two years after the rapid reward account activity.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

The difference in fares will be available to the original traveler(s) by name for use (not just rebooking date, but actual flights) up to one year from the date of the original booking.

 

[brittanidp]

I could be completely wrong - but I believe they will give you the Rapid Rewards points for the difference. Rapid rewards points remain active for two years after the rapid reward account activity.

You only get points back if you initially paid with points

 

[LisaS]

If you pay with points, you get points back with no restrictions on who can use them or when. If you pay with cash, you get "Travel Funds" back, good for travel that occurs within one year of the original booking date. The Travel Funds can only be applied to a ticket for the same passenger. Save the confirmation number of the trip that generated the Travel Funds -- you'll need it to pull up those funds to apply them to the purchase of another ticket.

Also be aware that when you use Travel Funds plus new cash to purchase a ticket, if you later reprice or cancel that ticket, the Travel Funds you get back will inherit the expiration date of the oldest funds used to buy that ticket. For example, if you book a flight today (5/24/2017) and later reprice it and get back $10, you will have $10 in Travel Funds good for travel through 5/24/2018 (or maybe 5/23/2018?). A few months later you're booking another trip. You apply the $10 in Travel Funds plus $100 in new cash to purchase a $110 ticket. Later, you reprice that ticket and get back $20 in Travel Funds or you cancel the ticket and get back $110 in Travel Funds. All of the Travel Funds you get back can be used for travel only through 5/24/2018.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, they expire, and they can only be used by the original passenger. (It is usually possible to renew to get an extension on the fund expiration, but there is a fee for that.)

Best option if you know that you are unlikely to be able to use Ticketless Travel Funds before they expire is to purchase RR points and use those to purchase the tickets. It will cost you a bit more (though you can double-dip a bit if you use a rewards CC to buy the points), but they fully refund to the account of the purchaser, and can be used by anyone their owner gives them to.