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Flight Booked w Travel Credit Cancelled Due to Weather

traveler1234567
Explorer C

I am wanting to book a flight with travel credit but am nervous our flight may be cancelled due to weather really the only time I can go and my travel credit is soon to expire.

 

If a flight that is booked with travel credits is cancelled due to weather or a mechanical issue, what are your refund options?


Are you only given back your travel credits? If so, does the travel credit expiration date change or stay the same?

 

Seems unfair that SouthWest would not offer you a different refund option or at least extend your travel credit's expiration date, but I have also read they are not very flexible with travel credit options.

5 REPLIES 5

Re: Flight Booked w Travel Credit Cancelled Due to Weather

bec102896
Aviator A

If your flight is cancelled usually they would rebook you on the next available flight. If that option doesn’t work you can make 1 change to another flight within 14 days at no additional cost. 

 

With travel funds that could could be expired you could Contact Customer Relations and maybe they can assist with an exception for extending the funds if your flight is cancelled. 

 

weather is unpredictable if a weather event could impact your flight southwest will issue a waiver allowing you to change to another flight within 14 days I would proactively change it to beat the storm if your schedule allowed to try and avoid getting stuck. 

 

Im sure if your flight was cancelled due to maintenance they would probably issue you a LUV voucher which would be good for a year but that is always at the discretion of the gate agent (when the delay or cancellation occurs) or customer relations (after travel is completed)

 

-Blake

Re: Flight Booked w Travel Credit Cancelled Due to Weather

jksobonya
Aviator A

Why would you expect to be given a credit card refund if you booked your reservation with Rapid Rewards points? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If you book a flight with RR points and Southwest cancels your flight, assuming they can't put you on another flight, your points will be refunded back to you. 

 

Fares Booked with Points

"When you cancel a fare booked with points, the remaining point balance will be refunded to the account from which they were booked. Any taxes and fees will be eligible for a refund."

 

https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/purchasing-and-refunds/refund-info-pol.html

 

Also: Southwest is the most flexible with cancellations out of practically everyone in the airline industry. In addition to not charging cancel fees, your Rapid Rewards points / travel credit is valid for an entire year from the date you booked your flight.

 

--Jessica

Re: Flight Booked w Travel Credit Cancelled Due to Weather

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@jksobonya OP is referring to travel fund credit, not points.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Flight Booked w Travel Credit Cancelled Due to Weather

jksobonya
Aviator A

Oh right @TheMiddleSeat , I was conflating the two in my head 😂 With that said, here's the FAQ on travel funds:

 

https://www.southwest.com/faq/travel-funds-general-info 

 

For the question "How long are travel funds valid?" the answer is simply: "All travel must be complete by the expiration date." Seems like that answer could be expanded to include a little more detail about how the expiration date is derived...

 

--Jessica

Re: Flight Booked w Travel Credit Cancelled Due to Weather

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Unless you are using it on the last day or last week of its eligibility I don't see the issue.

 

I'm not sure if they reschedule you then would it supersede the expiration date. Good question. It seems reasonable that you are entitled to a rescheduled flight though if it was canceled. 

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.