Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Help with travel funds

ktrup
Explorer C

I received a LUV voucher for lost luggage last October for $150. I booked a flight a month ago for me and my girlfriend using these funds. The cost of the flights were $219.96 so we paid 69.96 on our visa. Later a cheaper flight came up and we rebooked. The new flight was 124.36. When they refunded the difference it came back as travel funds that they divided between her and I (47.80) a piece but the whole amount then took on the expiration date of 10/7/21 even though the 69.96 was just paid a month ago. I was told policy says if you pay with two forms of payment they both take on the oldest ones expiration date. Does that really count for cash too or just when combining multiple vouchers? That seems like terrible policy and allows SW to really take advantage. We booked wanna get away flights so I understood the refund would only be by travel funds but I thought the 69.96 would take on a one year expiration date and the other 25.64 would expire 10/21. Also if in fact there is nothing I can do about all the funds now expiring in 10/21 is there something I can do to not get screwed on this. I can’t travel again before 10/21. Can I use those funds to book my 1/22 trip? Or do they have to be both booked and used by the expiration date? 

1 REPLY 1

Re: Help with travel funds

bec102896
Aviator A

Yes if you book a flight with a travel fund your reservation will take on the expiration date of the oldest travel fund applied. 

 

In some cases it makes more sense to lose a little bit of travel funds to get extra time to use funds should that trip have a possibility of being cancelled. In your case since you bought the tickets at the price you did to begin with it seems you were ok with that price so getting some funds back is just a bonus even if they expire quickly at least you still have a chance to use those funds. Those funds would need to be booked and travel completed by the expiration date. 

 

One other thought southwest has been making schedule changes to September and October flights if you get a schedule change you could request a refund and rebook and that way the cash you paid would be refunded and not be a travel fund the voucher would be held as a travel fund under the confirmation number you have. 

 

-Blake