Southwest Travel Credit Funds - how can this be right? UPDATE post #9 PLUS QUESTIONS

[DVC Daisy]

Last year, for our Aug 12 trip our flight had a small drop in fare of $12 each, so I was credited the difference for my flights. Apparently, those Travel Funds expire 5/27/13. Ok then. Great. Hey, $24 is a souvineer.

Fast forward & about a month ago I book 2 tickets for a total of around $1100 for April & use each of those $12 credits on the tickets. About 2 weeks ago fares dropped way down & I got a credit of $458 for the two tickets I am thinking. AWESOME!

Well, I tried to use the funds to book our next trip for August & Southwest tells me that because I used $12 in travel funds on each of the tickets, those tickets are now "converted" in whole to travel funds that EXPIRE 5/27! I paid out of pocket over $1000 a month ago & it all expires 5/27? Because I used those tiny $12 travel credits?

How can this be? Help! so basically, I can't use my $478 unless I wait for it to expire & pay $150 to extend the funds for 6 months! If I had to cancel my trip - yup, the entire $1100 would expire 5/27!!!!

Of course Customer Service is closed on the weekend & my stomach is in knots over this. Any advice? Hints? HOPE?

Thanks!

 

[wovenwonder]

Unfortunately that is exactly how Southwest credit funds work.

 

[DebbieB]

Last year, for our Aug 12 trip our flight had a small drop in fare of $12 each, so I was credited the difference for my flights. Apparently, those Travel Funds expire 5/27/13. Ok then. Great. Hey, $24 is a souvineer.

Fast forward & about a month ago I book 2 tickets for a total of around $1100 for April & use each of those $12 credits on the tickets. About 2 weeks ago fares dropped way down & I got a credit of $478 for the two tickets I am thinking. AWESOME!

Well, I tried to use the funds to book our next trip for August & Southwest tells me that because I used $12 in travel funds on each of the tickets, those tickets are now "converted" in whole to travel funds that EXPIRE 5/27! I paid out of pocket over $1000 a month ago & it all expires 5/27? Because I used those tiny $12 travel credits?

How can this be? Help! so basically, I can't use my $478 unless I wait for it to expire & pay $150 to extend the funds for 6 months! If I had to cancel my trip - yup, the entire $1100 would expire 5/27!!!!

Of course Customer Service is closed on the weekend & my stomach is in knots over this. Any advice? Hints? HOPE?

Thanks!

Unfortunately, that's how it works. If you use a credit, the entire ticket takes the credit expiration date. The expiration date should have been on your confirmation when you booked the tickets.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Last year, for our Aug 12 trip our flight had a small drop in fare of $12 each, so I was credited the difference for my flights. Apparently, those Travel Funds expire 5/27/13. Ok then. Great. Hey, $24 is a souvineer.

Fast forward & about a month ago I book 2 tickets for a total of around $1100 for April & use each of those $12 credits on the tickets. About 2 weeks ago fares dropped way down & I got a credit of $478 for the two tickets I am thinking. AWESOME!

Well, I tried to use the funds to book our next trip for August & Southwest tells me that because I used $12 in travel funds on each of the tickets, those tickets are now "converted" in whole to travel funds that EXPIRE 5/27! I paid out of pocket over $1000 a month ago & it all expires 5/27? Because I used those tiny $12 travel credits?

How can this be? Help! so basically, I can't use my $478 unless I wait for it to expire & pay $150 to extend the funds for 6 months! If I had to cancel my trip - yup, the entire $1100 would expire 5/27!!!!

Of course Customer Service is closed on the weekend & my stomach is in knots over this. Any advice? Hints? HOPE?

Thanks!

yup, thats how i works, it is right on the page where you used your funds....says it all converts to the date....
dont think calling will help, but i guess you have nothing to lose...good luck..

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

A good example of why you really should read and understand your airline's policies. Unfortunately, many people don't.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I learned this lesson the hard way too, many years ago. I'd go somewhere in May just to use them up. Even if it were a long weekend somewhere not so far from home like Boston or Nashville. Of course, other cities that are closer to you.

 

[DVC Daisy]

Unfortunately, that's how it works. If you use a credit, the entire ticket takes the credit expiration date. The expiration date should have been on your confirmation when you booked the tickets.

Well this just stinks I booked on my phone, so if it said anything it was tiny print.

One reason why I can now understand why people would book only one way tickets with SW. Definitely the only way I will be booking from now on.

Thanks for all of the replies.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Last year, for our Aug 12 trip our flight had a small drop in fare of $12 each, so I was credited the difference for my flights. Apparently, those Travel Funds expire 5/27/13. Ok then. Great. Hey, $24 is a souvineer.

Fast forward & about a month ago I book 2 tickets for a total of around $1100 for April & use each of those $12 credits on the tickets. About 2 weeks ago fares dropped way down & I got a credit of $478 for the two tickets I am thinking. AWESOME!

Well, I tried to use the funds to book our next trip for August & Southwest tells me that because I used $12 in travel funds on each of the tickets, those tickets are now "converted" in whole to travel funds that EXPIRE 5/27! I paid out of pocket over $1000 a month ago & it all expires 5/27? Because I used those tiny $12 travel credits?

How can this be? Help! so basically, I can't use my $478 unless I wait for it to expire & pay $150 to extend the funds for 6 months! If I had to cancel my trip - yup, the entire $1100 would expire 5/27!!!!

Of course Customer Service is closed on the weekend & my stomach is in knots over this. Any advice? Hints? HOPE?

Thanks!

That is why I NEVER bother to change a flight with such a small monetary difference.

 

[DVC Daisy]

Okie dokie - an update & lessons learned:

I did call this morning and after over an hour on the phone working with a very kind SW guy, he was able to be "creative" and help me achieve what I wanted to do with my funds without breaking any of their Travel Funds rules. He sure has some good Karma due to come his way, as he really had to do some maneuvering with some other travel I have planned, etc. to accomplish what I needed. So, I did not end up losing my $, or have to plan an unnecessary trip or anything, so I lucked out & all is great!

Now, for the lessons learned:

It seems like the best bet when traveling SW is to ALWAYS book one way tickets! Seems odd, but if anyone knows of a downside of this, please let me know. All I can see is that it has very big advantages if you book your tickets one way.

Use Travel Funds VERY CAREFULLY! Wow - I know to the SW experts this may seem like a big duh, but to a newbie, this is a big deal. Yeah, it does warn you when you purchase that your ENTIRE ticket will take on the exp date of the funds that you use, but I read "Terms & Conditions, blah, blah, blah" and I was also booking on my phone & the writing is small! So yup - that one is on me, but I sure wish I was more savvy before I purchased good news is - now I know better and with any luck, someone will read this and it will prevent just one person from making my mistake

SO - it all turned out just fine, but only because the stars were lined up for me with my dates, other reservations that I had, current costs of flights, etc. NOT because they make exceptions. They are very strict about their rules apparently, so it is definitely a case of the more you know, the better off you are.


ANY OTHER TIPS, TRICKS, HINTS, PITFALLS, that I should be aware of when booking on SW that anyone feels like sharing with newbie SW travelers, would greatly be appreciated! All input welcome

 

[a742246]

You have until 5/27 to book a flight. SW is available thru 8/9 now.
I am sure sometime in the near future they will extend the booking period.
(you can check the next flight extension on the SW site)
i believe you should be OK for an Aug 12 flight.

 

[czmom]

Well this just stinks I booked on my phone, so if it said anything it was tiny print.

One reason why I can now understand why people would book only one way tickets with SW. Definitely the only way I will be booking from now on.

Thanks for all of the replies.

I must be missing something....what is the advantage for booking one way vs round trip?

 

[DVC Daisy]

I must be missing something....what is the advantage for booking one way vs round trip?

Well, if I had booked my April trip as two one way itineraries instead of a round trip itinerary I would have used the above travel funds ($12 each - see above) only on one of the itineraries, not both ($550 vs $1100).

At that point, only the 1st itinerary $550 would have been converted to Travel Funds with the 5/27 exp date. The return trip would have stayed as if I paid cash & could be refunded with Travel Vouchers with a one year exp date.


At this point, if anything were to happen and I have to cancel my trip in April, all travel funds for that trip would expire on 5/27

As I said in my update, I got lucky & everything seems like it will be just fine & I will not lose my $458 travel funds I got from the fares dropping so much & I can use them (effectively) against my trip in Aug. but that was only because I have other flights in between & a super SW employee figured out how to switch some funding around for me. I got very lucky! But I learned a big lesson.

I just hope that at least one person learns some new info from my situation & can be a more informed SW flyer & avoid the problem I had

LOVE it when SW fares go down & you can actually get Travel $ back, just now I know how to make sure & use (or not use) the $ wisely

 

[rlduvall]

Just be aware that while it's definitely a good idea to book one way tickets if possible, lately some of the Southwest sales require roundtrip booking. SW is catching on to that little thing we do.

I'm so glad everything worked out for you. No-one wants to "lose" that kind of $$.

 

[DVC Daisy]

Just be aware that while it's definitely a good idea to book one way tickets if possible, lately some of the Southwest sales require roundtrip booking. SW is catching on to that little thing we do.

I'm so glad everything worked out for you. No-one wants to "lose" that kind of $$.

Wow - I have not encountered those sales yet. Bummer. Good info to have! Thanks! At least now I feel like I know what I am doing & can make a more informed decision when purchasing on SW.

And thanks, I did get really lucky not to lose the $! to the creative SW guy

 

[Kathymford]

You have until 5/27 to book a flight. SW is available thru 8/9 now.
I am sure sometime in the near future they will extend the booking period.
(you can check the next flight extension on the SW site)
i believe you should be OK for an Aug 12 flight.

I believe the rules are she would have to travel by 5/27. At least that was the case for me. When I first cancelled that's what I was banking on, that I would only have to book by my travel credit expiration date, not so. You had to travel by those dates.

 

[DVC Daisy]

I believe the rules are she would have to travel by 5/27. At least that was the case for me. When I first cancelled that's what I was banking on, that I would only have to book by my travel credit expiration date, not so. You had to travel by those dates.

Yup - exactly. Otherwise I would not have had a problem to begin with

Live & learn

 

[a742246]

Thank you for posting, I learned a couple on things from this post.

 

[DVC Daisy]

Thank you for posting, I learned a couple on things from this post.

Yea!!

I figured if I can help even one other person out - I am happy