SW Flight price down $10/ticket - worth it to get the credit?

[Minniekins]

Okay, I have my flights for the 4 day weekend we are going on for the 24 hr MK event. I've been stalking the prices as I always do after booking. Well the return flight has gone down from 181 to 171, so for two of us that's $20. We usually always book with points for our once a year trip, but had to book using CC this time as I wanted to save my points for booking our Dec flights in May. So, now, I'm not sure I should go after that credit or not! Ugh, it's only $20, otoh, it's $20! But, it's a credit! And, I'm not sure I can use a cash credit or how to use it. I think I can use it for the 9/11 security fee of $5.60 per person? We will have that to pay when I book our Dec trip. We also are taking a trip to DLR next May, so I could maybe use it there. But, I have to use $10 for myself and $10 for DD24, correct? I'm just not sure it's worth the hassel of switching for that amount. I'd totally do it I'd booked using points, always want my points back, lol! It's the second time I've seen it so decided I'd check here and see if I could get some thoughts on this. Oh, plus, we've already booked the EBCI so I'd want that to follow the ressie(only would be switching for the money, would keep the same time/flight number). It did follow when I changed a ressie I booked with points in the past. Thanks for any thoughts to help me decide!

 

[superrach]

Not sure about ebci but the credit does stay with each person. I'm a penny pincher so I'd do it unless it messes up your early boarding.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Okay, I have my flights for the 4 day weekend we are going on for the 24 hr MK event. I've been stalking the prices as I always do after booking. Well the return flight has gone down from 181 to 171, so for two of us that's $20. We usually always book with points for our once a year trip, but had to book using CC this time as I wanted to save my points for booking our Dec flights in May. So, now, I'm not sure I should go after that credit or not! Ugh, it's only $20, otoh, it's $20! But, it's a credit! And, I'm not sure I can use a cash credit or how to use it. I think I can use it for the 9/11 security fee of $5.60 per person? We will have that to pay when I book our Dec trip. We also are taking a trip to DLR next May, so I could maybe use it there. But, I have to use $10 for myself and $10 for DD24, correct? I'm just not sure it's worth the hassel of switching for that amount. I'd totally do it I'd booked using points, always want my points back, lol! It's the second time I've seen it so decided I'd check here and see if I could get some thoughts on this. Oh, plus, we've already booked the EBCI so I'd want that to follow the ressie(only would be switching for the money, would keep the same time/flight number). It did follow when I changed a ressie I booked with points in the past. Thanks for any thoughts to help me decide!

I'm not sure what you're talking about. You don't pay a separate 9-11 security fee; all fees and taxes are bundled into one cost when you buy your ticket.

You have one year from the date of the original booking to use credits, which can be used for future flights, not to pay any fees. If you're not taking a trip within the time limit for the credit, why bother rebooking? If you do rebook, you won't lose your EBCI fee.

 

[sharona]

Yes, get the $10 pp credit into your SW "banks" and then apply it to the total cost next time you have to pay with a cc. Even if you don't have a cash trip on the horizon, there is no reason not to get the credit, it won't affect your flight and you never know when you might need to book a flight for cash instead of points.

 

[LSchrow]

depends........since ticketless travel funds must be used (not just booked) within 1 year from the date of original booking, and only by the individual on the original ticket.

SWA website does not specifically state TTFs cannot be applied toward the September 11th Security Fee of $ 5.60 (it does address that LUV vouchers may not). I would suggest calling them to make sure.

unless i'm sure we are going to be able to use a small TTF (up to $20PP) within the TTF restrictions, I prefer not to take the chance of losing the reservation while rebooking.

 

[sharona]

You don't "rebook", you do it as a change reservation. There is no risk of losing the reservation. When you do the change, just re-select the same flight.

 

[LisaS]

SWA website does not specifically state TTFs cannot be applied toward the September 11th Security Fee of $ 5.60 (it does address that LUV vouchers may not). I would suggest calling them to make sure.

Good point. And, since TTFs can be used to pay the entire cost of booking a new flight, including the Security Fee, I don't see why they would not allow the use of TTFs to pay for just the Security Fee when booking a flight on points.

OP, if you do call Southwest to confirm this, please let us know what they say.

And as LSchrow stated, the funds expire one year from the original booking date so they cannot be used for your DLR trip in May 2016. Whether they can be used for your Dec 2015 trip depends on when you booked the trip you want to re-price. If you booked it before Dec 2014, the funds will not be valid for this December's trip either.

 

[sharona]

If you call, don't let the rep make the change for you. Once they touch your reservation, you won't be able to make any changes to it online.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would change ticket the in order to get the $10 credit. The $10 credit can be used toward the $11.60 in 911 fee's for your Dec trip. If you don't go for it, you will be out $20 a person. Think about it. You are passing up $10 per person which means for you Dec trip you will have to shell out $10 to help cover your 911 fee's. So in all reality if you don't do it you will be loosing a total of $40 ($10 in passed up funds from the current ticket you have + $10 you will have to pay or 911 fees' = $20 of your hard earned money per person X two people = $40)..


And NO the $10 can not be used toward the EBCI

If you need help doing this online, just let me know I would be happy to help out I have done this many times.

 

[sharona]

I would change ticket the in order to get the $10 credit. The $10 credit can be used toward the $11.60 in 911 fee's for your Dec trip. If you don't go for it, you will be out $20 a person. Think about it. You are passing up $10 per person which means for you Dec trip you will have to shell out $10 to help cover your 911 fee's. So in all reality if you don't do it you will be loosing a total of $40 ($10 in passed up funds from the current ticket you have + $10 you will have to pay or 911 fees' = $20 of your hard earned money per person X two people = $40)..


And NO the $10 can not be used toward the EBCI

If you need help doing this online, just let me know I would be happy to help out I have done this many times.

While I agree that the OP should take the credit, that's some funky math you've got going on there.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing to be careful of. When you use that credit towards another ticket, say for your December trip, that entire ticket will have the expiration date of the credit you applied.

 

[Minniekins]

I'm not sure what you're talking about. You don't pay a separate 9-11 security fee; all fees and taxes are bundled into one cost when you buy your ticket.

You have one year from the date of the original booking to use credits, which can be used for future flights, not to pay any fees. If you're not taking a trip within the time limit for the credit, why bother rebooking? If you do rebook, you won't lose your EBCI fee.

Thanks, lost*in*cyberspace. As I noted in my OP, I always book our Dec trip with points. There absolutely is a fee - The September 11th Security flat fee of $5.60 each direction per person, so $11.20 roundtrip. I have used points for all my trips in the last several years, and of course, I'm always charged this fee. I will be taking a trip in Dec, and even when using points to book the upcoming trip, I'll have to pay $22.40 for two September 11th Security Fees. I definitely can use the $20 credit I'd get to pay this fee on my next flight booked with points.

depends........since ticketless travel funds must be used (not just booked) within 1 year from the date of original booking, and only by the individual on the original ticket.

SWA website does not specifically state TTFs cannot be applied toward the September 11th Security Fee of $ 5.60 (it does address that LUV vouchers may not). I would suggest calling them to make sure.

unless i'm sure we are going to be able to use a small TTF (up to $20PP) within the TTF restrictions, I prefer not to take the chance of losing the reservation while rebooking.

Thanks, LSchrow! I will be taking a trip in Dec 2015, that I will be booking when that booking window opens on May 14th. It could be a pain having to use the funds only for the specific person, but it works out as I'm traveling with my DD both times!

Good point. And, since TTFs can be used to pay the entire cost of booking a new flight, including the Security Fee, I don't see why they would not allow the use of TTFs to pay for just the Security Fee when booking a flight on points.

OP, if you do call Southwest to confirm this, please let us know what they say.

And as LSchrow stated, the funds expire one year from the original booking date so they cannot be used for your DLR trip in May 2016. Whether they can be used for your Dec 2015 trip depends on when you booked the trip you want to re-price. If you booked it before Dec 2014, the funds will not be valid for this December's trip either.

Thank you, LisaS! I did call SW tonight and she did confirm that I can use the $20 TTF's to pay the 9/11 Security Fee. She also confirmed it cannot be used for EBCI, but EBCI would follow my ressie. She did not know if it would put me at the end of the list of those who already purchased EBCI and weren't changing. She didn't think so, but she said she really didn't know the definite answer, they weren't given that info. I actually just booked the trip I want to reprice in mid March of this year, so no problem there.

I would change ticket the in order to get the $10 credit. The $10 credit can be used toward the $11.60 in 911 fee's for your Dec trip. If you don't go for it, you will be out $20 a person. Think about it. You are passing up $10 per person which means for you Dec trip you will have to shell out $10 to help cover your 911 fee's. So in all reality if you don't do it you will be loosing a total of $40 ($10 in passed up funds from the current ticket you have + $10 you will have to pay or 911 fees' = $20 of your hard earned money per person X two people = $40)..

And NO the $10 can not be used toward the EBCI

If you need help doing this online, just let me know I would be happy to help out I have done this many times.

Thank you, Shelly F - Ohio! Well, as another poster said, that is some interesting math you have there but you are definitely right! And, thank you so much for your offer to help me do this if needed, that was so sweet! I did actually do it and it was smooth and easy, but appreciate your thoughtful offer!

One thing to be careful of. When you use that credit towards another ticket, say for your December trip, that entire ticket will have the expiration date of the credit you applied.

Thanks, DebbieB, that's interesting. Thanks for the heads up on that, I wouldn't have thought of that!

So, I did go ahead and make the change to my reservation and got the $20 credit to my account! It was very easy to do and my old ressie wasn't gone until I'd chosen the new one with the lower fee and confirmed that change. I plan to use the credit next month, when I book my Dec trip with points, for the security fee. Thanks to all who chimed in with your helpful info and sharing your thoughts, I appreciate it!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

While I agree that the OP should take the credit, that's some funky math you've got going on there.

Nothing funky about the math.
Think about it. If someone wants to give you a $20 bill ( and in this case it would be a $20 credit for a reduced fare on SWA) and you say no thank you, you have just thrown away $20. Then when OP goes to buy her Dec. tickets she won't have the $20 credit to apply to the new ticket she will have to take another $20 bill from her bank acct to pay for her ticket. $20 thrown away because she did not apply for the credit + $20 she now has to take out of her bank acct to pay for the Dec tickets = $40.

 

[sharona]

No. You can't count the same $20 twice but I like your enthusiasm. The credit only counts when you use it.

 

[LSchrow]

Nothing funky about the math.
Think about it. If someone wants to give you a $20 bill ( and in this case it would be a $20 credit for a reduced fare on SWA) and you say no thank you, you have just thrown away $20. Then when OP goes to buy her Dec. tickets she won't have the $20 credit to apply to the new ticket she will have to take another $20 bill from her bank acct to pay for her ticket. $20 thrown away because she did not apply for the credit + $20 she now has to take out of her bank acct to pay for the Dec tickets = $40.

the $20 cash OOP would be in lieu of (not in addition to) the $20 credit. whether given $20 cash or not, the traveler would still be paying for the fee.
i.e., you refuse a $20 gift, & instead pay $20 OOP for the fee (net -$20).
.....or, you accept the $20, but use it toward the $20 fee (net $0) .

math is fun