Unused funds on Southwest.. should I get ready to find $200.00?

[Microcell]

Morning!

I had to cancel our trip for March and rebooked for September.. 5 days after our funds expire. I thought I read that travel had to be complete by the time they expire, so I won't be shocked if I have to pay the extension.

This is the deal, I would think our dates will come up the next time they open up dates into September, so I want to be prepared.. since I will be choosing a flight for after the year date will it automatically take off that extension fee or do I need to call southwest to get it extended before I book? Or if I book in lets say March for September will I not have to pay that extension fee?

So I guess I am wondering if I read it correctly and will owe an extension fee if my travel dates are after the year from original purchase or as long as I book before they expire (hope springs eternal) I won't?

Thanks ahead!

 

[Microcell]

I woulda thought someone would have run into this... anyone?

 

[gojoe]

Wish I could help. Several years ago I was able to book a flight before my year expired. I later had to rebook that flight pass the year and had no problem. I think they caught onto that one. Friends of my daughter gave her their credit before they expired and she's very Southwest savvy.

 

[Microcell]

Thanks anyway! I should probably call Southwest for clarification. It hurts to have to possibly pay $200.00 for the four of us for going 5 days over.. if I hadn't been so excited to book that March trip last September I coulda saved for sure! Oh well.

 

[kda]

Definitely call SWA, because this turned out to be more complex and involved than I expected. We had to cancel a vacation to WDW in October, due to serious family illness. Tickets were purchased March 14, 2010. 3 SWA reps told me they cannot even extend the ticketless travel funds until the end of the 1 year period after the tickets were purchased. This would be March 14, 2011. So, nothing could be done in advance, and I didn't have access to those funds (minus the $50 per ticket that they automatically deducted) until I contacted them after March 14, 20ll. I was told there was a law that prevented them from doing anything before the end of a year. I called 3 times because I hoped someone had given me misinformation.

This was very frustrating, because I had expected to use that $$$ toward tickets for our vacation in April 2011, and certainly didn't want to wait until March 15, 2011 to book those flights. In addition, the rep I spoke with last week told me that I would be issued a voucher, and it might take 7-10 days for SWA to process that. (The voucher would be sent in an email, and I would have a voucher # and code to enable me to use the voucher). That meant I couldn't even use those funds to book a flight on March 15. The good news was that a voucher can be used to purchase a ticket for anyone, and isn't affected by the new policy requiring ticketless travel funds only be used by the person whose name was originally on the ticket.

My story has a very nice ending. I am very grateful to the last SWA rep that I spoke with, who asked me a few questions about the circumstances that led to canceling the trip. When she heard that my m-i-l was so seriously ill that she died soon after, she said we qualified for a full refund. She processed the refund immediately, after I sent a copy of the death certificate.

 

[Microcell]

Oh my goodness! I can't wait until the 5th of September to get a flight on the 10th! That is crazy! Glad I read this and may have to call myself while I have time to get it straightened out!

Of course I dont have that good of a reason. My daughter just had a school conflict.. Wow.. gotta rethink things!

 

[kda]

Good luck!! I agree that it doesn't seem that helpful to have to wait to get the voucher, and then have only six months to use it. But I got the same story from 3 different SWA reps.

 

[Nermel9]

This sounds really confusing!

I bought Southwest tix last June, and then changed my flight times a couple months later, and got $136 credit because the times I changed to were cheaper. I was hoping to use that credit this year for my Disney trip in October whenever they open their schedule for the Fall (I'm assuming April?). Will I not be able to use that $136?

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

This sounds really confusing!

I bought Southwest tix last June, and then changed my flight times a couple months later, and got $136 credit because the times I changed to were cheaper. I was hoping to use that credit this year for my Disney trip in October whenever they open their schedule for the Fall (I'm assuming April?). Will I not be able to use that $136?

They expire 1 year from the date you purchased the original flight so if you purchased in June 2010 they will expire in June 2011. That means you have to actually complete your trip by the expiration, not just book it. Sorry!

 

[Corwin]

I bought Southwest tix last June, and then changed my flight times a couple months later, and got $136 credit because the times I changed to were cheaper. I was hoping to use that credit this year for my Disney trip in October whenever they open their schedule for the Fall (I'm assuming April?). Will I not be able to use that $136?

They expire 1 year from the date you purchased the original flight so if you purchased in June 2010 they will expire in June 2011. That means you have to actually complete your trip by the expiration, not just book it. Sorry!

So if I understand Post #5 correctly, the only way to use the $136 credit is to wait until the credits expire in June 2011, extend them by six months (paying $50 per ticket), then use them for the October trip.

However, if the $50 per ticket charge is greater than the total credit, then you couldn't use the credit and it would be lost.

(I'm in a similar boat. I have a $225 credit that expires in July. However, I'm not planning to travel until August. There's no way that I'm going to wait until July to book my August travel, so I don't see any way that I can use that credit for that trip.)

 

[Microcell]

I did call Southwest yesterday and they said that I needed to call in the morning and talk to customer service and apparently they will do the voucher issuing thing taking off the $200 in fees (4 people's tickets). I had to work all day so i will have to call tomorrow and get the voucher issued so I can be ready to get tix as soon as they are released for my dates...

I will update!