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Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

JohanaSouthwest
Explorer C

There is a new policy posted a week ago on the Southwest web site by an employee named RGREEN1 stating: "Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021"

After reading this, I understand that this updated travel policy states that my current travel funds programmed to expire tomorrow March 28, 2020 will have a new expiration date of next year June 30, 2021.

Can someone from Southwest confirm to me that this is correct and official? Is the expiration date of my current travel funds going to be reset by another year from March 28, 2020  to expire on June 30, 2021 instead?

I really need an official answer on this since I was planning to travel this summer but haven't been able to book my flights before the expiration of my travel funds due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 national situation. I can not set up a trip and later find out that the current pandemic situation will be extended. Therefore, I urgently need clarification about how accurate is the statement on the Policy Update & Clarification:Extenting Travel Credit for Southwest customers.

Thanks.

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

ipsedixit
Frequent Flyer C

why not just book a random flight and then cancel it so your refund clock resets

Re: Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

JohanaSouthwest
Explorer C

"ipsedixit",

With all due respect, the previous advice is not an option as the original purchase date carries on to the new ticket. Please see the following Southwest Travel Funds note below.

 

Important Information
-Nonrefundable funds applied toward payment of a new reservation will remain nonrefundable.
-If you apply Ticketless Travel Funds toward the purchase of a new reservation, your new reservation record will reflect the expiration date of the oldest Ticketless Travel Funds used to pay for this reservation. Therefore, the expiration date of your new reservation and all Ticketless Travel Funds associated with your new reservation may be less than 12 months. The Ticketless Travel Funds expiration date will be printed on your new Ticketless Travel Itinerary and Receipt.
-Unused travel funds may only be applied toward the purchase of future travel for the individual named on the ticket.

Re: Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@JohanaSouthwest wrote:

"ipsedixit",

With all due respect, the previous advice is not an option as the original purchase date carries on to the new ticket. Please see the following Southwest Travel Funds note below.

 

Important Information
-Nonrefundable funds applied toward payment of a new reservation will remain nonrefundable.
-If you apply Ticketless Travel Funds toward the purchase of a new reservation, your new reservation record will reflect the expiration date of the oldest Ticketless Travel Funds used to pay for this reservation. Therefore, the expiration date of your new reservation and all Ticketless Travel Funds associated with your new reservation may be less than 12 months. The Ticketless Travel Funds expiration date will be printed on your new Ticketless Travel Itinerary and Receipt.
-Unused travel funds may only be applied toward the purchase of future travel for the individual named on the ticket.


 

With ann due respect, I'm not sure why you're not understanding this. 😉

 

  • Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021

  • Any newly created travel fund because of a flight cancellation between March 1-May 31, 2020, will have an expiration date of June 30, 2021

 

You said you have funds set to expire on March 28, 2020. Your funds will now have an expiration date of June 30, 2021. (per the 1st bullet point above)

 

If you had used those funds to book a flight, and then cancelled that flight, your funds would now expire on June 30, 2021. (per the 2nd bullet point above)

 

The information you refer to is the normal policy. The above exception has been put in place due to the COVID-19 situation.

 

Also, again, if you require an "official" answer, you'll need to contact Southwest directly.

Re: Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@ipsedixit wrote:

why not just book a random flight and then cancel it so your refund clock resets


The funds retain the original expiration date, this does not extend travel funds.

 

@chgoflyer I think @JohanaSouthwest  was referring to the other post that said to book a random flight and cancel to reset the travel funds, which is not part of any policy, the funds retain the expiration.

 

There is one exception worth noting - travel funds that get "combined" with another travel fund take on the earliest expiration of the individual funds, so if you did have a travel fund in the temporary window, and one out of the window, booked them together, then canceled I supposed the new fund would now be inside the temporary policy for extension to next year.

 

Note to original poster @JohanaSouthwest  - it will take a few weeks for the software to account for all of the travel fund extensions, so if it is necessary for you to book your new travel right away you may need to use new money now until the funds are extended in software.

 

IMO the prices will be depressed for some time so you likely won't give up much by waiting for a little time to book something this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Re: Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@ipsedixit wrote:

why not just book a random flight and then cancel it so your refund clock resets


The funds retain the original expiration date, this does not extend travel funds.

 

@chgoflyer I think @JohanaSouthwest  was referring to the other post that said to book a random flight and cancel to reset the travel funds, which is not part of any policy, the funds retain the expiration.

 

There is one exception worth noting - travel funds that get "combined" with another travel fund take on the earliest expiration of the individual funds, so if you did have a travel fund in the temporary window, and one out of the window, booked them together, then canceled I supposed the new fund would now be inside the temporary policy for extension to next year.

 

Note to original poster @JohanaSouthwest  - it will take a few weeks for the software to account for all of the travel fund extensions, so if it is necessary for you to book your new travel right away you may need to use new money now until the funds are extended in software.

 

IMO the prices will be depressed for some time so you likely won't give up much by waiting for a little time to book something this summer.

 


I think maybe you're confused.

 

If you book a random flight and then cancel the funds will now expire June 30, 2021. (If you do so before May 31, 2020.)

 

 

  • Any newly created travel fund because of a flight cancellation between March 1-May 31, 2020, will have an expiration date of June 30, 2021

 

Re: Policy Update & Clarification: Extending Travel Credit

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

@JohanaSouthwest wrote:

There is a new policy posted a week ago on the Southwest web site by an employee named RGREEN1 stating: "Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021"

After reading this, I understand that this updated travel policy states that my current travel funds programmed to expire tomorrow March 28, 2020 will have a new expiration date of next year June 30, 2021.

Can someone from Southwest confirm to me that this is correct and official? Is the expiration date of my current travel funds going to be reset by another year from March 28, 2020  to expire on June 30, 2021 instead?

I really need an official answer on this since I was planning to travel this summer but haven't been able to book my flights before the expiration of my travel funds due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 national situation. I can not set up a trip and later find out that the current pandemic situation will be extended. Therefore, I urgently need clarification about how accurate is the statement on the Policy Update & Clarification:Extenting Travel Credit for Southwest customers.

Thanks.


 

 

Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021

It will take our Technology Teams a few weeks to make these changes to the expiration date of the funds, and we appreciate your patience while our Teams work quickly to make this happen.

 

 

Your funds will now expire June 30, 2021. That new expiration date may not be reflected online for a few weeks, however. My advice would be to document everything.

 

Note: This is a primarily a customer-to-customer forum, so you won't likely receive an official answer here. If you still desire one, reach out to Southwest directly via any of the methods shown below under "Contact Us." I recommend Twitter for the quickest response.