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Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

b2bserver
Explorer C

Like many of the people here, I have some expiring travel funds that I need to use soon. Problem is, I have young kids who most likely can't be vaccinated anytime soon so as much as I want to fly, they can't.

 

From what I read, if I book a flight with the funds and cancel before the flight, the new fund expires at the earliest expiration of the original funds. Or if they've already expired, it's $100/fund to convert to a voucher.

 

My question is, what if I rebook a flight instead of cancelling?

 

For example, say I have:

 

Fund A - $50 - expires 7/1/21

Fund B - $60 - expires 10/1/21

Fund C - $70 - expires 11/1/21

 

I use all three to book a flight for 6/30/21. Then on 6/29/21, I try to move the flight to 12/1, same airports and route, just different dates. What would happen to the funds? Would they still be applied towards the 12/1 flight price or would I pay the difference as if I didn't have any fund?

 

Lastly, has anyone been able to combine multiple funds into a single voucher and only pay $100 once? I'd be ok with the $100 fee per voucher but per fund it wouldn't make sense.

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

dfwskier
Aviator A
Solution

@b2bserver wrote:

Like many of the people here, I have some expiring travel funds that I need to use soon. Problem is, I have young kids who most likely can't be vaccinated anytime soon so as much as I want to fly, they can't.

 

From what I read, if I book a flight with the funds and cancel before the flight, the new fund expires at the earliest expiration of the original funds. Or if they've already expired, it's $100/fund to convert to a voucher.

 

My question is, what if I rebook a flight instead of cancelling?

 

For example, say I have:

 

Fund A - $50 - expires 7/1/21

Fund B - $60 - expires 10/1/21

Fund C - $70 - expires 11/1/21

 

I use all three to book a flight for 6/30/21. Then on 6/29/21, I try to move the flight to 12/1, same airports and route, just different dates. What would happen to the funds? Would they still be applied towards the 12/1 flight price or would I pay the difference as if I didn't have any fund?

 

Well if you use all three of your funds to buy the ticket, then cancellation would yield a 7/1/21 expiration date.

 

Lastly, has anyone been able to combine multiple funds into a single voucher and only pay $100 once? I'd be ok with the $100 fee per voucher but per fund it wouldn't make sense.

 

Sure, use all three of the funds to buy a ticket. Then cancel that ticket.  You will have turned three travel funds into one larger fund.


 

Re: Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

b2bserver
Explorer C

@dfwskier wrote:

@b2bserver wrote:

Like many of the people here, I have some expiring travel funds that I need to use soon. Problem is, I have young kids who most likely can't be vaccinated anytime soon so as much as I want to fly, they can't.

 

From what I read, if I book a flight with the funds and cancel before the flight, the new fund expires at the earliest expiration of the original funds. Or if they've already expired, it's $100/fund to convert to a voucher.

 

My question is, what if I rebook a flight instead of cancelling?

 

For example, say I have:

 

Fund A - $50 - expires 7/1/21

Fund B - $60 - expires 10/1/21

Fund C - $70 - expires 11/1/21

 

I use all three to book a flight for 6/30/21. Then on 6/29/21, I try to move the flight to 12/1, same airports and route, just different dates. What would happen to the funds? Would they still be applied towards the 12/1 flight price or would I pay the difference as if I didn't have any fund?

 

Well if you use all three of your funds to buy the ticket, then cancellation would yield a 7/1/21 expiration date.

 

What would happen if I rebook instead cancel? Or is rebook the same as cancel + buy when it comes to funds? (I thought they were different)

 

Lastly, has anyone been able to combine multiple funds into a single voucher and only pay $100 once? I'd be ok with the $100 fee per voucher but per fund it wouldn't make sense.

 

Sure, use all three of the funds to buy a ticket. Then cancel that ticket.  You will have turned three travel funds into one larger fund.

 

Of course so simple!

 

Is the $100 fund to voucher conversion part of the official Southwest rules somewhere? As in has anyone ever been denied? Given that this consolidation would mean it'll all expire on 7/1, I don't want to risk it if there's a chance I can't get a voucher.

 


 


 

Re: Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

bec102896
Aviator A

@b2bserver wrote:

 

Is the $100 fund to voucher conversion part of the official Southwest rules somewhere? As in has anyone ever been denied? Given that this consolidation would mean it'll all expire on 7/1, I don't want to risk it if there's a chance I can't get a voucher.

 


 


 


It is not a published policy and is on a case by case basis. I personally haven't heard of anyone being denied however SW could deny the 6 month extension if they wanted or could stop allowing it at any time. With the $100 fee keep in mind that fee is subject to change as well. 

 

Also if your fund expires on July 1st and you book a flight for June 30th and go to change it beyond July 1st the website/app will give you an error saying your funds will be expired and you can only change it within the funds validity. 

 

Your best bet right now is book a flight for as close to the funds as you can where all 3 travel funds will cover the whole ticket then cancel it and after the funds expire you can Contact Customer Relations to request the 6 months extension. 

Re: Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

dfwskier
Aviator A

@b2bserver wrote:

@dfwskier wrote:

@b2bserver wrote: 

 

Well if you use all three of your funds to buy the ticket, then cancellation would yield a 7/1/21 expiration date.

 

What would happen if I rebook instead cancel? Or is rebook the same as cancel + buy when it comes to funds? (I thought they were different)

 

The system would not let you book a flight that is beyond the expiration date of the underlying funds. So that would not work

 

Lastly, has anyone been able to combine multiple funds into a single voucher and only pay $100 once? I'd be ok with the $100 fee per voucher but per fund it wouldn't make sense.

 

Sure, use all three of the funds to buy a ticket. Then cancel that ticket.  You will have turned three travel funds into one larger fund.

 

Of course so simple!

 

Is the $100 fund to voucher conversion part of the official Southwest rules somewhere? As in has anyone ever been denied? Given that this consolidation would mean it'll all expire on 7/1, I don't want to risk it if there's a chance I can't get a voucher.

 

 As said upthread, it is not an official policy, but I also am unaware of anyone being denied.

 

Let me  challenge your entire premise here by asking a question.

 

 Are you likely to travel before 10/1? If so it might make sense to let the 7/1 $50 die and use the others for travel. Your total "cost" would be $50 vs the $100

voucher cost.


 


 

Re: Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

strgth
Adventurer B
First, you're allowed 3 forms of payment but you can only use 2 of your travel funds (or a combination of points and travel funds as your 2). The 3rd payment (if needed) will need to some other form of payment such as a credit card.

Secondly, to be able to use all 3 travel funds as one payment, you're best to find an airfare that equals (or close to) the amount of the combined 3 funds. Then cancel so that you now have just one travel fund to deal with. This one travel fund still takes on the earliest of all the funds. Ex., July 1, 2021.

Lastly, you have to complete your travel (one way or both directions) by the travel fund expiration date. Just booking by the expiration date will not save you. If you're not able to complete your travel by then, it would be best to complete step 2 above first and then request a voucher (within 6 mos AFTER July 1, 2021). With the current fee for a voucher currently at $100, you may be issued an $80 voucher. Granted this process only gives you an additional 2 months to use the funds (Jan 1, 2022) BUT you have those 2 additional months to travel.

Re: Rebooking Flight Paid with Expiring Credit

b2bserver
Explorer C
Thanks everyone! I did the book + cancel twice to consolidate the funds and am now waiting for them to expire so I can turn them into vouchers. Worked like a charm! For anyone else who is following, you don't actually have to book a flight as close in price to the vouchers you're trying to consolidate. When you cancel, anything you paid out of pocket will be refunded to the original payment if it's within 24 hours. The big thing for me is the vouchers can be used by anyone whereas the funds can only be used by the original travelers. This is worth the fee for my situation.