Using Southwest travel funds for a flight later that the expiry date?

[bluenosemickey]

I've been trying to find out the answer to this everywhere with no success.

I have $250 in travel funds that will expire Feb/2014. If I book flights this year, when they open up the dates for March/2014, can I use these travel fund credits? Or do I technically have to fly before Feb/2014?

I realize that if I use the fund credits towards a future flight, that new flight now has the Feb/2014 expiry date for any credits that might result from changes or cancellation of that new flight.

 

[horselover]

I've been trying to find out the answer to this everywhere with no success.

I have $250 in travel funds that will expire Feb/2014. If I book flights this year, when they open up the dates for March/2014, can I use these travel fund credits? Or do I technically have to fly before Feb/2014?

I realize that if I use the fund credits towards a future flight, that new flight now has the Feb/2014 expiry date for any credits that might result from changes or cancellation of that new flight.

Travel must be completed by the date the travel funds expire so you can't use them for March 2014 flights. You can get the funds extended for a fee. I think it might be $75 now. I'm sure someone will know for sure. I've not done it but I believe you have to let the travel funds expire & then ask for the extension. I'm sure if I'm wrong about that a travel fund expert will correct me. I'm 100% sure though you can't travel in March on funds that expire in Feb.

 

[bluenosemickey]

Thanks, I was afraid of that. I can't see me waiting until feb,2014 to book for march,2014 if I was to pay for an extension. Plus, it's really a total of $250 consisting of multiple credits. I believe I would have to pay for each one to be extended and that just wouldn't make financial sense.

Too bad... I shouldn't keep checking to see if my flights drop, but I just can't help rebooking with a lower rate when I see one.

 

[LisaS]

Too bad... I shouldn't keep checking to see if my flights drop, but I just can't help rebooking with a lower rate when I see one.

If you think you might be able to use the credits, it's worth rebooking. If not, then you aren't really saving anything so why not leave that low fare for someone else who really could benefit from it?

Also, if you purchased EBCI, there is a theory that when you modify your reservation, you reset the clock on your EBCI purchase too. Boarding positions for those who bought EBCI are based on the fare class you bought and the date your purchased your ticket. When you modify your flight, you change your purchase date and it could put you further back in the boarding queue. Again, this is a theory but it makes sense that it would work that way.

 

[Cricket2]

If you think you might be able to use the credits, it's worth rebooking. If not, then you aren't really saving anything so why not leave that low fare for someone else who really could benefit from it?

Also, if you purchased EBCI, there is a theory that when you modify your reservation, you reset the clock on your EBCI purchase too. Boarding positions for those who bought EBCI are based on the fare class you bought and the date your purchased your ticket. When you modify your flight, you change your purchase date and it could put you further back in the boarding queue. Again, this is a theory but it makes sense that it would work that way.

That is exactly right because it happened to us where we rebooked, lost our spot and another person who booked their flight on the original date as we did didn't lose their place in line. They got A 26 (or something up front) we got B 6,7,8.

Also the OP said they have multiple credits to extend. Those can be consolidated by booking a "junk" consolidation flight and canceling it same day. You will end up with 1 credit from 3 every run through (usually have to pay a couple $ to fill it out as the 4th payment method). SW agents will help you do this over the phone but they don't like to since it's a big time waster if you have lots of people to do it for.

 

[bluenosemickey]

All good points. Luckily I only booked our flights a month before, so my clock reset won't be too much in the difference likely. I'll remember that in the future though. Even though it's only a theory, it not really worth rebooking if you bought your flight long ago and you are only saving a few $$.

I think I knew about the rebooking a junk flight before and had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Cricket2]

All good points. Luckily I only booked our flights a month before, so my clock reset won't be too much in the difference likely. I'll remember that in the future though. Even though it's only a theory, it not really worth rebooking if you bought your flight long ago and you are only saving a few $$.

I think I knew about the rebooking a junk flight before and had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder.

We did have almost 2 months between booking-rebooking but it was still done aboout 2 months out from the actual flight itself so I guess it is relative to the amount of EB's sold & when they were sold rather than the timing alone and of course there is no way to know that.

We still had half the plane open to us even in the early "B's" so no big deal anyway.