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cancelled travel- travel funds

tsclark66
Explorer C

 I had $21.00 in travel funds from a COVID related cancelled travel.  It was about to expire and i needed to travel to SLC.  I used the $21. along with over $100.00 to book the travel.  Unfortunately that travel got cancelled too.  I just went to rebook a trip to Houston and was delighted that the trip was almost exactly what i had record of as my credit.  HOWEVER, i guess my $21.00 credit expired and SW airlines takes 100% of whatever that voucher is in.  In this case it is $127.00.  Really?? I have actually NEVER EVER had something like this happen.  Just horrible.  I will never fly SW again and I was a loyal fan.  Hate this.  Of course the person on the phone, could not help me.  😞

I was going to use these funds to fly for Cancer testing in Houston.  Hope your proud SW

4 REPLIES 4

Re: cancelled travel- travel funds

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

When you mix travel funds and cash, any future travel fund generated inherits the earliest expiration date of the travel fund(s) used to complete the purchase.  This is standard policy and explained in this FAQ available at https://www.southwest.com/faq/travel-funds

 

Think of a travel fund like a store credit that expires. The expiration date depends on the payment you used to book the original ticket. Note that all travel must be booked and completed by the travel fund’s expiration date.

  • Booked with a credit card or gift card:
    The travel fund will expire 12 months from the date you booked the ticket.
  • Booked with a Southwest LUV Voucher:
    The travel fund will adopt the expiration date of the voucher used to book the ticket.
  • Booked with travel funds:
    The travel fund will keep the expiration date of the original travel fund used to book the ticket. For example, on March 1, you use a travel fund that expires May 20 to book a ticket. Later, you cancel that ticket. The expiration date for these funds is still May 20.


If you book with a combination of these payments, the travel fund adopts the expiration date of the fund that expires soonest.

 

The last sentence of the above policy is what occurred in your situation.  The funds were mixed and given the expiration date of the $21 travel fund you used to make the purchase.  Apparently that date passed and the fund expired.  It's always beneficial to know the policies of credits before you book non-refundable tickets.  Sorry you had to learn the hard way.

 

--TheMiddleSeat  

Re: cancelled travel- travel funds

tsclark66
Explorer C

It would be fine if my $21 expired.  Not the brand new $107.00 I added to it 2 weeks ago!  Honestly saying you can explain that away is just not right

Re: cancelled travel- travel funds

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

It's always beneficial to know the policies of credits before you book non-refundable tickets.  Sorry you had to learn the hard way.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: cancelled travel- travel funds

bec102896
Aviator A

Sorry you had to learn the hard way. On a case by case basis you can request an extension but it comes with a $100 fee so you would end up with only $21 again and that new voucher they would send would be valid for 6 months (your new reservation would expire on the date of the voucher issued so don’t end up in the same boat) 

 

When I was new to Southwest I made the same mistake and they explained it to me like if you were making chocolate milk you have the milk and once you put the chocolate in and mix it you can’t unmix it your stuck with the chocolate milk or you lose it should you decide to not drink it. 

I know it’s a hard lesson to learn but hopefully you will understand in the future. Sometimes it’s best to just pay in full on a card and skip the travel fund to give yourself more time to use the funds should the trip be questionable.