What to do with Southwest Credits???

[Hanover]

Our credits were good through mid June and I plan on going to WDW on the 9th.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Please don't let these expire and get wasted. I know a lot of people that could really use them before the 28th if they had them.

 

[cats mom]

so if they didn't expire before the flight date,I could do this?

I've done it before when I wanted to combine a couple of credits.
Some caveats though: combined credits will have the earliest expiration date. ie: if you combine a credit with a 2/11 expiration and a credit with a 5/11 expiration both credits will now expire on 2/11.
Also, last time I checked you could only use 2 credits per flight. So if you have a bunch of credits, you'll have to do lots of booking, cancelling, and rebooking to eventually get them all in one persons name on one confirmation number. Don't loose track of what you're doing.

 

[princessmorgan]

What a great idea about combining credits! I wish I would have thought of this sooner. I have a bunch of 10-15 dollar credits I want to combine into one, so someone can use this credit. Does anyone know of a traditionally cheap route? I need a $39 dollar fare somewhere to use these up. I've been playing around with some flights and have found a few $49 fares. thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

My question was more geared towards what to do with these credits since I personally can't use them. It kills me to have that much credit and not be able to use it.

I'm genuinely confused - it's not our business how much "that much credit" is, but if you're referring to the credit in those terms, are you sure it's not worth $150 to extend them so you can use them? Would you be able to get your own May airfare for less than $150? If not, then it seems that it would be worth paying the fee to extend the credits.

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

I would love to buy them from anyone, we need to travel in March. Hubby may possibly be getting a job in Jacksonville, Fl.( Keep your fingers crossed)

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I would love to buy them from anyone, we need to travel in March. Hubby may possibly be getting a job in Jacksonville, Fl.( Keep your fingers crossed)

If mine didn't expire March 1, I would definitely sell them to you. I hate to pay the $$ to extend them and I have no travel plans before May. If I don't find a solution, I guess I will just pay the $ to extend.

 

[billwendy]

Is a credit the same as a voucher????? we got vouchers for being bumped - do they follow the same guidelines???

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

Sell them on craigslist. I have bought other people's Southwest and Jetblue credits on craigslist many times. Always use paypal to secure the transaction to protect yourself and the buyer.

 

[poohbear158]

I was able to sell my credits on Craigslist. That worked out much better for me since now I can take the cash and put it towards the May flight that I booked yesterday

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Do they sell at a discount or for face value?

 

[SandrA9810]

Usually the credits are sold for less than the value. So if you have 200$, go for 150-175$. If it's some one you know or you just want them off your hands, go for 1/2 price.

Even if a flight is booked in some one else's name, canceled, and rebooked, the credit will stay in the original purchaser's name and credit code. This happened to me on my last flight.
I booked a flight from Dallas to Sacramento, canceled 2 flights, and rebooked the 3rd flight, which is the one I took. Each time I canceled, the credit reverted back to the original purchaser's name. So when I rebooked, I had to have all the original information.

If any one wants to give up their credit... I'm sure my aunt wouldn't mind me popping in for a week or two in Dallas. I'd use it right up. Only 93$ each way.

 

[cats mom]

Even if a flight is booked in some one else's name, canceled, and rebooked, the credit will stay in the original purchaser's name and credit code. This happened to me on my last flight.
I booked a flight from Dallas to Sacramento, canceled 2 flights, and rebooked the 3rd flight, which is the one I took. Each time I canceled, the credit reverted back to the original purchaser's name. So when I rebooked, I had to have all the original information.

I know SW used to have you enter the purchasers name, not the name the reservation was for, in order to use cedits. Did this happen back then?

I've used multiple credits to book flights several times recently, and I always just needed the most recent confirmation number and passengers name to use them. They never reverted back to a previous confirmation number.

 

[npierce25]

I was able to sell my credits on Craigslist. That worked out much better for me since now I can take the cash and put it towards the May flight that I booked yesterday

hey, if your deal falls through, let me know... i live in the area and could pay cash....

 

[hsmamato2]

if they sell on ebay- how does it work? how do I switch them from my acct. to a stranger?

 

[Mom2Ben02]

OK, now I have $136 in travel awards due to my flight dropping in price. I plan to sell them on CL - do I have to book that person's flight??

 

[jls886]

We had $217 in SW credits from our flights to CA in December in my mom's and dad's names. They rarely travel, and I travel constantly for work...so I had counted on being able to use their credits in the future and reimburse them at that point. Of course I am driving the month of January so I didn't have any upcoming flights before Jan 28. I called SW and explained the situation and the guy I talked to advised me, after saying "you didn't hear this from me," to book myself a flight for as close to that cost as I could and then cancel it. I did so, and now have a credit for $219 in my name that I can use anytime.

 

[SandrA9810]

We had $217 in SW credits from our flights to CA in December in my mom's and dad's names. They rarely travel, and I travel constantly for work...so I had counted on being able to use their credits in the future and reimburse them at that point. Of course I am driving the month of January so I didn't have any upcoming flights before Jan 28. I called SW and explained the situation and the guy I talked to advised me, after saying "you didn't hear this from me," to book myself a flight for as close to that cost as I could and then cancel it. I did so, and now have a credit for $219 in my name that I can use anytime.

I wonder how that happened... So if you give credit to some one before the 28th, they can "book a flight" in their name, then later change the date of the flight?? I do know that they still expire at the original date, one year from the first flight booked. So you can't extend the credits by doing this.

As far as selling the credits. You have to give the person the confirmation number and the purchaser's name at original booking. You generally give them this information after they pay you, and they trust you that you don't use the credits before they book it.

There really is a lot of trust between the two parties for this kind of transaction. And Ebay does not allow for selling of credits. Sometimes you can find them on craig's list. The best choice is to find some one to offer them to.

 

[jls886]

I wonder how that happened... So if you give credit to some one before the 28th, they can "book a flight" in their name, then later change the date of the flight?? I do know that they still expire at the original date, one year from the first flight booked. So you can't extend the credits by doing this.

Yes, that is correct. The credit will actually expire in October, as that is when we originally booked the flights. Since I travel monthly for work I will have no problem using the credit by then. I just wanted to make sure it was moved to my name rather than their names. And just out of curiousity I went through the steps on as though I was booking a new flight tonight and verified that yes, the full credit amount is now in my name. I appreciated the tip from the helpful guy at SW!

 

[Mom2Ben02]

Oooh, that is good to know. If anyone in my family would use it, it is me...so worst case I will do that so all the credit is in my name, not DH and kids. THANKS!