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Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

dfwskier
Aviator A

@NOLA1206 wrote:

I've seen this misinformation on a few different forums written by the same people. If you had TF that were expiring in November 2020 and you used them to rebook a new flight and then had to or chose to cancel them, your expiration date reverts right back to November 2020. What SW was offering with the cancel by Sept 7 and get 2 years extension was for new reservations that were canceled during the 6 month time frame. I tried every trick that was posted on SW Community to get that elusive extension, only to find my TF expiration date revert right back to the original.

I would definitely take the advice of chgoflyer and go the route of the $100.00 fee for a 6 month extension. That's what I did. Good Luck


 

Actually, Southwest was not "offering" the fix. Southwest never changed it's stated travel fund expiration policy - except for travel funds created between 3/1/20 and 9/7/20.

 

Some travelers figured out that you could use expiring travel funds to buy new tickets and then cancel those tickets before 9/7/20, and the resultant new travel funds would be good thru 9/7/22. They shared the insight with others who shared the insight, etc, etc, etc.. It was discussed here ad nauseum most of the summer.

 

It did work, I used some travel funds that were to expire in January, February, and March  2021 to buy new flights. Then I cancelled those flights before 9/7/20. The new travel funds all had 9/7/22 expiration dates.

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

NOLA1206
Explorer A

Well, I can tell you from my experience, that did not work for me. My expiration date stayed at November 2020

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

fak
Explorer C

I've had a similar issue.  Covid is no more over than it was 6-12 months ago. Plus who was thinking about traveling prior to September 20 when the funds expired.

I took the $100 hit to get the 6 month extension which took me to 4-29-21. Booked a flight for March, but had to cancel due to Covid. Have no where to go before 4-29-21 and they won't extend.

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

jksobonya
Aviator A

@fak wrote:

I've had a similar issue.  Covid is no more over than it was 6-12 months ago. Plus who was thinking about traveling prior to September 20 when the funds expired.

 


Me 😅 And I'm not a middle age white man either 🤣 I first flew in August 2020, again in October, again in December, again a week ago. No problems with any of the flights, and if I can be totally honest, the flights in 2020 were more enjoyable than most because less people were around! Last week though, things were more or less back to "normal" - the airports were very crowded, which I was happy to see. 

 

COVID is more or less over now, in the sense that we have come to terms that we need to learn to live with it like we've learned to live with any other contagious virus - cold, flu, etc. We have a vaccine now,  so there's no more excuses; enough with the theatrics, it's long past time that we stopped treating COVID like a death sentence (it's not), that flying is dangerous (it's not), and stop living in fear, and get back to living.

 

--Jessica

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

asinger3
Explorer C

Pandemic is not over.  We had to cancel our travel a group of 6 people because of a family member testing positive 2 days before departure.  We did the right thing and all stayed home due to exposure to the sick person.  Now Southwest should do the right thing and extend the travel funds (at no charge) some used so we can rebook our trip.  They are not losing money on extending funds these trips are paid for with our money and we would have all gone on the trip if this were not a COVID problem.   Would they prefer we just all get on the plane after knowingly being exposed? That is what they are encouraging in my opinion. Frustrating.  Long time customers right now questioning our loyalty to Southwest. 

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

dfwskier
Aviator A

@asinger3 wrote:

  Frustrating.  Long time customers right now questioning our loyalty to Southwest. 

 

Lets talk facts:

 

1) You bought a non refundable ticket right in the middle of the pandemic.

 

2) You knew or should have known the rules: non refundable and if unused the resultant travel fund expires one year from the purchase date.

 

3) When you bought the ticket, YOU assumed the risk that you might not be able to take the flight. In return, SW gave you a cheaper fare.

 

4)The rules don't  say except in case of (insert reason here).  There are no exceptions.

 

5) No other airline would treat you better than Southwest.

 

You made a decision to buy a cheap ticket. You could have bought a refundable ticket, but you chose to not do so - right in the middle of the pandemic..  Now you have to live with the consequences of your decision.

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

dfwskier
Aviator A

@fak wrote:

I've had a similar issue.  Covid is no more over than it was 6-12 months ago.  

 

I think that the over 1,500,000 people that have traveled every day  over the last 3 weeks probably disagree with you.


 

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

sadie1079
Explorer C

I am in the same boat.  This has been confusing.  I was just told even though I rebooked and then cancelled due to COVID, my ticket was not granted value until 2022.  I feel like I just wasted 98$ at Southwest.  Too many confusing emails from Southwest.  I had two that they would have refunded my money and I did not do that as I hoped to fly in the future.  Now I want to fly in Dec, but they say it expires in September.  Sad.

Dr. Connie Grossman

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Hey Doc,

You either bought your ticket in September 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic and should have considered that OR your travel funds expire September 2022. Double check your dates.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Can't use Travel funds by Expiration due to Covid

MTBfan1015
Explorer C

No, I was in the same situation with SWA and AA.  AA took care of me and extended funds eligibility.  SWA did not.

 

Totally ridiculous that this where they try to take a stand on flexibility.  I've emailed and called and will just admit defeat and loose $1100 in the next few days.