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Issue with travel funds not being extended

elfrus22
Explorer C

Hi, All, 

I was trying to use my credit from the trip last year that hasn't happen and I can't use the credit for due to my trip being Feb 5-8th and my credit is expiring on the 3rd. My husband's credit (on the same confirmation # )got pushed to 2022 but mine didn't.  I was told that there is no way around it. know Southwest is very reasonable, so I am very surprised that there is no way around it, I am even willing to pay the $100 extension, just kind of shocked that there is nothing that can be done.

8 REPLIES 8

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

The ability to extend out to September 2022 was offered for a couple months in 2020.  If you did not extend during that time then your fund would have its original expiration date, one year from original purchase.  You can convert an expired travel fund to a LUV voucher that is good for 6 months, this is what typically reduces the value of the fund by $100.  You need to do this conversion within 6 months of the travel fund expiring, but it does need to be done after expiration.  Since your trip is just 2 days after expiration you would be better off paying for the travel with cash now and not waiting until the last minute to use the voucher.  Just remember to convert the travel fund to a voucher within 6 months after expiration.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

elfrus22
Explorer C

I get that but how is it my funds didn't get extended and my husband's did all for the same confirmation # without him or I asking for the extension, again didn't not know that it was a possibility back in 2020? I would love to use the cash but unfortunately I don't have the means to do that. Since it's my money we are talking about and the difference is couple of days I am really disappointed that nothing can be done in order to use these funds for my trip even with me asking and being ok with reduction of the value by $100. I will be using a cheaper option and definitely learned my lesson and very disappointed at Southwest's treatment of me during this time when people are struggling financially. This will definitely sway my decision away from flying with Southwest from now on.

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@elfrus22 wrote:

I get that but how is it my funds didn't get extended and my husband's did all for the same confirmation # without him or I asking for the extension, again didn't not know that it was a possibility back in 2020? I would love to use the cash but unfortunately I don't have the means to do that. Since it's my money we are talking about and the difference is couple of days I am really disappointed that nothing can be done in order to use these funds for my trip even with me asking and being ok with reduction of the value by $100. I will be using a cheaper option and definitely learned my lesson and very disappointed at Southwest's treatment of me during this time when people are struggling financially. This will definitely sway my decision away from flying with Southwest from now on.


 

You're correct that something doesn't make sense here.

 

Funds were extended to September 7, 2022 if the flight was cancelled anytime from March 1 thru September 7, 2020. If you and your husband are on the same confirmation number, your funds should have both been extended.

 

When did you cancel your flight? Once cancelled, did you at any time reapply those travel funds to a new booking, for either of you?

 

(Also, as noted above -- once expired, you can contact Customer Relations and request reissue as a voucher for a fee of $100.)

 

Contact Customer Relations 

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

elfrus22
Explorer C

I purchased my flight February 2020 for April 2020 and canceled it that February since I heard that Covid is coming and thought that there will be no issue with using the funds later on not knowing that we are still going to be dealing with this. I did no travel/purchase flight or anything of that sort since then. For that purchase in February I  did use previous funds towards some of my husband's flight from the trip that he couldn't come with me in November 2019 and I used my credit card for my flight. I was told by customer service that is the reason his got extended and mine didn't. But again it doesn't make sense why his old credit gets extended and mine didn't. Again, "ones expired" is the problem here. My trip is on the 5th the expiration is on the 3rd. I would not be able to take a risk and wait until the 3rd to potentially be able to purchase my flight with the funds - $100.

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@elfrus22 wrote:

I purchased my flight February 2020 for April 2020 and canceled it that February since I heard that Covid is coming and thought that there will be no issue with using the funds later on not knowing that we are still going to be dealing with this. I did no travel/purchase flight or anything of that sort since then. For that purchase in February I  did use previous funds towards some of my husband's flight from the trip that he couldn't come with me in November 2019 and I used my credit card for my flight. I was told by customer service that is the reason his got extended and mine didn't. But again it doesn't make sense why his old credit gets extended and mine didn't. Again, "ones expired" is the problem here. My trip is on the 5th the expiration is on the 3rd. I would not be able to take a risk and wait until the 3rd to potentially be able to purchase my flight with the funds - $100.


 

If the previous funds you applied had an expiration date that was between March 1 and September 7, 2020, they would have been extended when they expired.

 

Did you book both you and your husband together, at the same time, in the same transaction? If so, the entire transaction should have taken on the expiration date from the applied funds. If this is the case, I'd suggest you reach out to Customer Relations (not the "regular" phone line) and carefully explain the situation.

 

Contact Customer Relations 

 

 

 

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

dfwskier
Aviator A

@elfrus22 wrote:

Hi, All, 

I was trying to use my credit from the trip last year that hasn't happen and I can't use the credit for due to my trip being Feb 5-8th and my credit is expiring on the 3rd. My husband's credit (on the same confirmation # )got pushed to 2022 but mine didn't.  I was told that there is no way around it. know Southwest is very reasonable, so I am very surprised that there is no way around it, I am even willing to pay the $100 extension, just kind of shocked that there is nothing that can be done.


Did you both cancel on the same day or different days/?

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

elfrus22
Explorer C

I canceled the same day the entire purchase.

Re: Issue with travel funds not being extended

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@elfrus22 wrote:

I canceled the same day the entire purchase.


 

Since you earlier said you cancelled in February, it doesn't matter anymore when you cancelled. Cancelling in February provided no covid accommodation from Southwest; that protection came later.

 

The important question now is: Did you book both you and your husband together, at the same time, in the same transaction? (Meaning, when you made the flight purchase in February, did you make a 2-passenger reservation in a single transaction?)

 

If so, the entire transaction should have taken on the expiration date from the applied funds. If this is the case, I'd suggest you reach out to Customer Relations (not the "regular" phone line) and carefully explain the situation.

 

If not, and they were two separate transactions, then you are an unfortunately victim of the oddities of the covid accommodations Southwest provided.