Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

Pro0467
Explorer B

 Hi sorry to hash this topic all over again,  but I'm not certain I am clear on my options. So Sept 2019 I booked tickets for a round-trip to FL over Thanksgiving.  We typically go every year but ended up having to cancel (with enough notice). We had planned to travel in April & August of 2020, so our Travel Funds would have been used up prior to their expiration (9/17/20). 

Due to various Covid issues (including travel restrictions in my state) I will not be able to complete travel with those funds prior to their expiration. 

I was hoping that Southwest might extend travel funds expiration (beyond 9/7/20)similar to their extension of funds that were for 9/7/20 or earlier. So far no new announcements. 

So if SW does not extend the funds deadlines that are coming up after 9/7/20 what are my options?

 

Should I call customer service to see if they will extend them?

 

IF I book a reservation for travel before 9/7/20 and then cancel, will that extend my previous travel funds? I guess I understand new reservations with new payments receiving an extended travel fund, but was not clear if it would extend the old travel funds that I had used to make a new reservation????

 

I feel like I'm scamming the system, but I really have been unable to travel during these challenging times. I really do want to start traveling again as soon as it is reasonably safe, and would happily return to SW, but having these funds available would be a HUGE help. 

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

 

 

 

 

12 REPLIES 12

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

bec102896
Aviator A
Solution

So what you should do is book a flight (it can be for any date and any city pairs) for as close to the amount of your travel funds (if you have a travel fund for $500 find a $500 flight or a flight just below $500) book that flight and cancel it and your travel funds will be extended until September 7th 2022. ***Most importantly you must book the flight and cancel before September 7th of this year (just a few days away) to be eligible for the extension. ***. Overnight on the day you cancel the flight the expiration date will be updated so no need to panic when you see the old expiration date on your funds when you cancel. 

 

-Blake 

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

Pro0467
Explorer B

Thank you so much!!!!

This was what I was gathering from reading the forums, but wanted to be sure that I was interpreting the information correctly! I also wasn't sure if because mine were originally travel funds that fell just outside of the grace period, if when I canceled a new booking they would still be "expiring" on their original date OR if they would indeed now expire Sept 2022.

Thank you for the clarification!!! I will work on that today !!

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

jvp33
Explorer C

We have this exact same situation. Our $900+ travel funds expire 9/14/2020. Please tell me if this worked for you!!

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@jvp33 wrote:

We have this exact same situation. Our $900+ travel funds expire 9/14/2020. Please tell me if this worked for you!!


 

It works -- as confirmed by many people. But you need to act fast -- the deadline is September 7, 2020.

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

AshleyKP
Explorer C

I wanted to not lose $1200 in travel funds (to expire 12/2020) by booking a flight then canceling before 9//7/2020.  I talked to an agent a few minutes ago.  She said that the travel fund expiration won't change if I rebook a flight then cancel; the travel fund expiration will remain 12/2020.  Has anyone had travel funds that are set to expire, booked a new flight then canceled it and had travel fund expiration extended?   I'd like to only hear from those who have successfully done it, not anyone who just speculates.  thanks!

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

bec102896
Aviator A

@AshleyKP wrote:

I wanted to not lose $1200 in travel funds (to expire 12/2020) by booking a flight then canceling before 9//7/2020.  I talked to an agent a few minutes ago.  She said that the travel fund expiration won't change if I rebook a flight then cancel; the travel fund expiration will remain 12/2020.  Has anyone had travel funds that are set to expire, booked a new flight then canceled it and had travel fund expiration extended?   I'd like to only hear from those who have successfully done it, not anyone who just speculates.  thanks!


I have done it 7 times so far for family and it has worked every time. Keep in mind you must book and cancel by September 7th 2020 and overnight your funds will be extended. 

 

-Blake

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@AshleyKP wrote:

I wanted to not lose $1200 in travel funds (to expire 12/2020) by booking a flight then canceling before 9//7/2020.  I talked to an agent a few minutes ago.  She said that the travel fund expiration won't change if I rebook a flight then cancel; the travel fund expiration will remain 12/2020.  Has anyone had travel funds that are set to expire, booked a new flight then canceled it and had travel fund expiration extended?   I'd like to only hear from those who have successfully done it, not anyone who just speculates.  thanks!


 

It's unfortunate, but from multiple reports it appears that this is the "official" response when calling in, or posting on social media. Don't believe it.

 

The travel fund expiration date will change if you rebook a flight then cancel before September 7, 2020 to September 7, 2022.

 

The information is published on the Southwest website:

 

However, in recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:

  • Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020, will now expire September 7, 2022.
  • Any travel funds created because you cancel a flight between March 1 – September 7, 2020, will expire September 7, 2022.

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

aumei
Explorer C

I have funds to expires soon and I missed the deadline of Sept 7, only wish if I checked the forum a lot sooner. I booked and cancelled my flight using my travel funds, still showed expires on Oct 10, 2020 after 24hours. I already contact customer services just like other posting they are no help. Running out of my options try not to lose my funds.

Re: Travel Funds....beating a dead horse

bec102896
Aviator A

@aumei wrote:

I have funds to expires soon and I missed the deadline of Sept 7, only wish if I checked the forum a lot sooner. I booked and cancelled my flight using my travel funds, still showed expires on Oct 10, 2020 after 24hours. I already contact customer services just like other posting they are no help. Running out of my options try not to lose my funds.


Unfortunately the deadline to get travel funds extended has passed. Once travel funds expire you could reach out to customer relations and see if they can offer you the 6b month extension however they charge a fee of $100 per travel fund and that is on a case by case situation. 

 

-Blake