SW credit - 1 year plus?

[Carrieannew]

I know this is a long shot. But I booked our May trip on Oct 7th 2010 and in Feb I rebooked and received a $107 credit for the lower rate to use by Oct 7th 2011.

Has anyone ever had luck getting that date extended? I have friends going the 3rd week in Oct. It's hard for me to justify another trip, and even harder if I loose my credit. I was going to call southwest but figured I would ask here first just to see if anyone ever had luck.

 

[kmermaid]

I believe they will extend it for a year for $50.00.

 

[Carrieannew]

I believe they will extend it for a year for $50.00.

Really? I emailed customer service. It's a secret trip so it's hard to make phone calls at night. If you had a $107 credit and could pay $50 to extend to use 3 weeks later, would you?

 

[crashbb]

The problem you might have is that you cannot extend the credit until it expires, meaning that you won't be able to use it to buy your new ticket until three weeks before your proposed trip.

 

[Carrieannew]

The problem you might have is that you cannot extend the credit until it expires, meaning that you won't be able to use it to buy your new ticket until three weeks before your proposed trip.

My travel dates are in May. I was wondering if I would have a problem booking if I have not completed that travel yet.

 

[crashbb]

My travel dates are in May. I was wondering if I would have a problem booking if I have not completed that travel yet.

The relevant travel dates are the ones for the trip you'd like to use the credits to buy. You will not be able to use the current credit to book travel that will occur after 7-October. You will not be able to extend your credit until it expires (so, 7-October). So, you will not be able to use the credit to book your trip in the "3rd week of October" until the 7th - by then the prices may be very high.

 

[Carrieannew]

The relevant travel dates are the ones for the trip you'd like to use the credits to buy. You will not be able to use the current credit to book travel that will occur after 7-October. You will not be able to extend your credit until it expires (so, 7-October). So, you will not be able to use the credit to book your trip in the "3rd week of October" until the 7th - by then the prices may be very high.

Sorry but I am even more confused by this now

 

[crashbb]

I'll try one more time (perhaps I misunderstood the question)...

You have a credit that expires on 7-October-2011. To use it, your travel has be finished by this date.

The timing of your May trip is irrelevant, since you don't want to use the credit to buy a trip in May.

You'd like to use the credit in the 3rd week of October, which is after the credit expires.

At this point, you cannot use your credit to book this trip.

So, you'd like to extend the credit. You can extend the credit for $50. HOWEVER, SW will not extend the credit until the credit is expired. So, you cannot call SW today and ask them to extend the credit until November 2011. Think of it as "re-activating" an expired credit, rather than extending a credit. You cannot "re-activate" something, until it has expired. So, you need to wait until 7-October.

So, if you want to use the credit to buy your ticket for a trip at the end of October, you would not be able to book that trip until 7-October, since you'd have to wait until you are able to "re-activate" the credit.

 

[Carrieannew]

I'll try one more time (perhaps I misunderstood the question)...

You have a credit that expires on 7-October-2011. To use it, your travel has be finished by this date.

The timing of your May trip is irrelevant, since you don't want to use the credit to buy a trip in May.

You'd like to use the credit in the 3rd week of October, which is after the credit expires.

At this point, you cannot use your credit to book this trip.

So, you'd like to extend the credit. You can extend the credit for $50. HOWEVER, SW will not extend the credit until the credit is expired. So, you cannot call SW today and ask them to extend the credit until November 2011. Think of it as "re-activating" an expired credit, rather than extending a credit. You cannot "re-activate" something, until it has expired. So, you need to wait until 7-October.

So, if you want to use the credit to buy your ticket for a trip at the end of October, you would not be able to book that trip until 7-October, since you'd have to wait until you are able to "re-activate" the credit.

Ding ding ding. Ok got it!!!!! So I have to wait for it to expire to reactivate!!

 

[crashbb]

Ding ding ding. Ok got it!!!!! So I have to wait for it to expire to reactivate!!

Yup! "Extend" isn't really what you are doing (even though they call it that).

My point was basically that you may have trouble with the cost of the airfare if you try booking that late. It is entirely possible that the increase in airfare (compared to booking earlier) will be more than your credit (especially since your credit about be $50 less than it really is).

 

[Carrieannew]

Yup! "Extend" isn't really what you are doing (even though they call it that).

My point was basically that you may have trouble with the cost of the airfare if you try booking that late. It is entirely possible that the increase in airfare (compared to booking earlier) will be more than your credit (especially since your credit about be $50 less than it really is).

So this add another wrench in my plans. Ahhh ok. Well thank you for your help!