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Travel fund exceptions

jillann58
Explorer C

I just had an extremely frustrating experience attempting to use multiple travel funds in my account to book a new flight. I did not realize (because it is not stated anywhere on the SW website) that you are only able to utilize two travel funds per reservation. I ended up paying $124 for a flight while I still have $76 banked in travel funds. Given the rate of cancellations that have occurred since March, you would think that this policy would be changed by Southwest. You already have my money; I just want to use it now!

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Travel fund exceptions

dfwskier
Aviator A

@jillann58 wrote:

I just had an extremely frustrating experience attempting to use multiple travel funds in my account to book a new flight. I did not realize (because it is not stated anywhere on the SW website) that you are only able to utilize two travel funds per reservation. I ended up paying $124 for a flight while I still have $76 banked in travel funds. Given the rate of cancellations that have occurred since March, you would think that this policy would be changed by Southwest. You already have my money; I just want to use it now!


Actually, the rule is not that you can use a maximum of two travel funds.

 

The rule IS that you can use a maximum of three forms of payment. So if your remaining fund had been $125 rather than $76, you would have been able to use it.

 

What people do to get around it is to use two or more travel funds to buy a ticket and then 

cancel that ticket. The net result is they turn multiple travel funds into one travel fund.

 

I suspect that the vast majority of passengers would not need to use 4 forms of payment 

Re: Travel fund exceptions

bec102896
Aviator A
Solution

So if you just booked your flight *within the last 24 hours* you could go and cancel the flight you just booked and request a refund of the $124 you paid. The other funds will remain as travel funds then you can use that new confirmation number to combine with another travel fund and another form of payment. Keep in mind you would be paying the current price when you go and rebook but this way you can in a way combine travel funds.

 

As you discovered you can only have 3 forms of payment for a reservation 2 travels funds or vouchers plus a credit card or paypal if you have a  3rd travel fund/voucher that would completely pay for the flight then you could apply that

 

-Blake

Re: Travel fund exceptions

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@bec102896 wrote:

So if you just booked your flight *within the last 24 hours* you could go and cancel the flight you just booked and request a refund of the $124 you paid. The other funds will remain as travel funds then you can use that new confirmation number to combine with another travel fund and another form of payment. Keep in mind you would be paying the current price when you go and rebook but this way you can in a way combine travel funds.

 

As you discovered you can only have 3 forms of payment for a reservation 2 travels funds or vouchers plus a credit card or paypal if you have a  3rd travel fund/voucher that would completely pay for the flight then you could apply that

 

-Blake


One way to partly get around this in the future is if you were booking round trip, instead book separate one-way tickets which can stretch out your travel funds - you'd get three forms of payment for one ticket, then three forms of payment for the second ticket.

 

Or as @bec102896 mentioned, cancel if within the last 24 hours and get your cash back, then rebook as one-ways using the travel funds and paying the lesser remaining balance.

 

Consider that as long as you use the travel funds it would be mostly academic other than the cash flow / timing issue.

 

 

 

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