Southwest Airlines Community

@cockerel1978 wrote: So Jessica, now that the headlines say that they are pushing mandatory vaccines for airlines, I guess your statement that Covid on planes is FAKE news and does not happen because of the planes high quality air filtration.  That what you said, those are your own words.  So why the vaccine mandates, if your statement is a correct fact?     Or could your “subjective opinion” that your pushing on people in this forum as facts, like what your write is only the truth, happened to be wrong? Vaccine mandates for domestic airplane travel in the United States has been "suggested" by Fauci, but his mere suggestion doesn't mean that it is going to happen. It's not. He has already walked back his remarks by saying:    “Right now, I don’t think people should expect that we’re going to have a requirement in domestic flights for people to be vaccinated,” Fauci said on CNN Monday evening. “When I was asked that question, I gave an honest answer. It’s on the table, and we consider it. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. I doubt if we’re going to see something like that in the reasonably foreseeable future."   --Jessica ... View more

A hotel stay with bonus points would probably be the easiest way, Rapid Rewards Dining gives you 3 points per dollar spent last I looked and if you have signed up for Rewards for Opinions taking surveys could get you there, I just checked and it looks like they are taking new applicants! You get 500 points just for signing up and I believe they are offering a minimum of 50 points per survey for the holidays although you could get more. You'd have to grind and complete around 200 surveys at 50 points a survey lol. However, points may take up to 6 weeks to post (in my experience it takes less than a week) so relying on the surveys alone may be risky with only 9 days left.    :edit: Rewards for Opinions is technically a "Rapid Rewards Partner" so I am not sure if that counts toward Companion. Still, sign up anyway, it's an easy way to earn points here and there. You can read about ways to get points and what qualifies here:   https://www.southwest.com/html/rapidrewards/eoy-tier-communication.html    --Jessica ... View more

@cockerel1978 wrote:   It’s all over the news how transmissible it is on a plane.  I mean it’s common sense.   No it isn't. This is false. COVID - and any germ for that matter - is essentially non-transmissible on an airplane due to the air filtration system on planes which filters the air with outside air every couple of minutes. 3 top airline CEOs all agree. No major outbreaks have ever occurred as a direct result of being on a plane.     With that said, you may be thinking of the news headline that Southwest CEO Gary Kelly recently tested positive with COVID. I doubt highly he got COVID from being on a plane. He was, however, at a Senate hearing testifying to the above with many other individuals, and that's likely where he got it.    I hope you reconsider.    As far as flights that you booked that were cancelled and not extended out to 2022, Southwest had a policy from March-September 2020 where if you cancelled your flight within that window of time your travel funds were extended out to 2022. If you cancelled your flight before or after this timeframe, your original expiration date remained.    --Jessica ... View more

Here are the Southwest Gift Card Terms and Conditions:    https://www.southwest.com/html/air/products/gift-card-terms-and-conditions.html    Some key points (see what I did there ;)) --    A Southwest gift card can be used for Passenger travel only on Southwest Airlines, excluding Southwest Airlines group tickets. A Southwest gift card may only be redeemed at southwest.com, on the Southwest Airlines Mobile Apps and Mobile Website (only for initial flight booking), by calling Southwest Airlines at 1-800-435-9792 (1-800 I FLY SWA), or at Southwest Airlines ticket counter locations. A Southwest gift card is not valid for the purchase of Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages, cargo, hotel, rental car, Southwest Airlines merchandise, Southwest Airlines group tickets, EarlyBird Check-In, oversized and excess baggage fees, upgraded boarding at the airport, Pet Fare, unaccompanied minor service charge, additional Southwest gift cards, or inflight purchases. Sales tax, security fees, and passenger facilities charges may be paid for with a Southwest gift card.   Ironically, bullet #3 does not say anything about purchasing points, however, bullet #1 says that gift cards can only be used for passenger travel, so it would seem that gift cards cannot be used to purchase points.   --Jessica ... View more

@mockerfab4 wrote: I'm willing to do it, but why are there no exceptions or thought put into that when trying to make changes so customers can save money and the airlines can maximize their revenues? There are numerous factors that go into flying any particular route - sometimes it's more expensive when you make a change, but sometimes it isn't. There's no easy answer for this one.    --Jessica ... View more

@gsking wrote:   @bec102896 wrote: I'd be curious if the mandate ended in March (or whenever it ends) which airlines would still require them.  Exactly.   There's no real standard being applied,  so there's no way to decide when things are "better".   I'd be willing to bet some airlines keep them longer than mandated,  because they feel it improves their market position.      I still hope they give us a maskless "smoking section" in the back of the plane.   It'd be a fun way to see how the cliques interact.  😄 Ha! I didn't read the update on this thread until just now, so I didn't realize an extension was already in place. So disappointed. But I'm sure it is extended to combat the "winter of death" that they are projecting. Feels like a Game of Thrones episode - Winter is Coming. Winter is Always Coming. Winter is Never. Going. To. End.    lol I'll be in that "maskless" section if they ever implement anything like that!   --Jessica ... View more

You shouldn't have any problems once you're in the US, but Canada has its own set of requirements to re-enter the country. According to Canada's travel page, it sounds like you need to be vaxxed to be exempt from testing or if you are unvaxxed there is a whole other set of procedures to follow including testing negative and even quarantine to re-enter Canada:    https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada   Unvaccinated - Entering Canada by air or at a land border crossing Meet these requirements if you are eligible to enter Canada, and do not qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, or other special exemptions for your situation.  Find out if you can enter Canada  Assess your quarantine plan before you travel  Get your pre-entry molecular test result  Register in advance for your arrival test  Use ArriveCAN to submit your travel and quarantine plans  Have your ArriveCAN receipt, test results, and quarantine plans ready for assessment by a Border Services Officer Medical conditions that prevent you from being vaccinated Unvaccinated travellers over the age of 12 are not required to quarantine upon entering Canada if they meet the following conditions: have a medical contraindication for getting a COVID-19 vaccine, and comply with the public health measures outlined in the handout provided to them at the border --Jessica ... View more

Sorry, you can't just be on your phone not paying attention to the flight attendant when you are sitting in the emergency exit row and instructions are being given, even if you've sat there before and "know" the rules. You have to pay attention when they are talking to you. You were out of line.    --Jessica ... View more

Bumping thread   The current mask mandate on planes / public transit is expected to end in about a month (January 18, 2022) - I have not heard whether it will be extended again. (IMO - it had better not be, but my hopes are not high.)  Who wants to make a bet on this? What's the over/under it will be extended or dropped? 😉    --Jessica ... View more

You'd think I would have screen capped the declaration by now, so I'm just going by memory, but you are basically agreeing that you do not have any symptoms or feel unwell to travel, and you acknowledge that masks are required.   --Jessica ... View more

According to Southwest's "Baby On Board" policy (located here: https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/family/baby-on-board-pol.html)  What special rules apply to infants and toddlers? If you're traveling with an infant or small child, you should know that proper use of a Child Restraint System (CRS) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh 40 pounds or less be secured in an appropriate CRS when traveling by air. See below for additional information. Southwest Employees may ask for age verification at any point within the Customer journey, so Customers should travel with a copy or original of any government-issued ID, such as a birth certificate or passport, for their Lap Child. A medical release for travel is required for any infant under 14 days old.   If you have a social security card, that will be fine, since that is a government-issued ID!   --Jessica ... View more

According to Southwest's "Baby On Board" policy (located here: https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/family/baby-on-board-pol.html)  What special rules apply to infants and toddlers? If you're traveling with an infant or small child, you should know that proper use of a Child Restraint System (CRS) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh 40 pounds or less be secured in an appropriate CRS when traveling by air. See below for additional information. Southwest Employees may ask for age verification at any point within the Customer journey, so Customers should travel with a copy or original of any government-issued ID, such as a birth certificate or passport, for their Lap Child. A medical release for travel is required for any infant under 14 days old.   If you have a social security card, that will be fine, since that is a government-issued ID!   --Jessica ... View more

Agree! There are many ways to earn points - hotels, dining, and even taking surveys are all options - don't give up if you are a little short!   --Jessica ... View more

Haven't heard anything about MAX 7s since there has been so much focus on the MAX 8 these past few years.    I did find this from June 2021:    https://www.flightglobal.com/fleets/united-views-737-max-7s-as-potential-737-700-replacements/144377.article    The 737 Max 7 remains in flight testing, with Boeing aiming to begin delivering the type in 2022. The company operated the first Max 10 flight on 18 June and aims to hand over the first of that type in 2023. The Max 8 and Max 9 are in service.   --Jessica ... View more

Ooh interesting! Excited to learn more about this new fare option, this has been on the rumor mill for so long and it's finally happening!   --Jessica ... View more

@Brashyej wrote: My Laptop Was In My Checked Bag Because I Didn’t Want To Carry It On Due To Me Having Two Full Bags Already. I Didn’t Feel The Need To Take It Out My Luggage So I Left It .  Well, I hate to say it, but this is entirely on you. Never put valuables in your checked luggage. This is Basic Flying 101. This is very likely not Southwest's fault at all, but someone at the airport who saw/inspected your bag en route to the plane.    For the future, the correct thing to do would be put make room in one of your carryons for your laptop.    --Jessica ... View more

It seems to be loading just fine for me ... if I'm not logged in.    I'm also not a RR CC holder, so I can't redeem anything, but I can see their rewards catalog and offerings.   I just tried logging in, and I get the same message (site is under construction). Not sure how long it's been like this; it used to have different messaging.    --Jessica ... View more

Nope. You don't need proof of vaccination, either.    --Jessica ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: I suspect the process has been going on so long that most people have received one like you did, when their license was up for renewal.  Could be, but I'm thinking a lot of people are just renewing their normal license and not opting to get a REAL ID, because it costs more and you have to jump through so many hoops documentation-wise to get it.    In early 2020 before things hit the fan, articles were saying that millions of Americans did *not* have REAL IDs yet, only about 3 in 10 did. (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/real-id-deadline-us-airports-worried-millions-of-americans-wont-have-required-identification-card/) I mean I was one of those millions back then, so things could have changed, but I'm doubting it's improved that much. I'm waiting for this to become "an issue" whenever it finally gets implemented. You know there are going to be some people saying "...but I didn't know!!" when they get can't go through TSA to catch their Southwest flight ;D    --Jessica ... View more

@bwallet wrote: I'm not sure about other states, but we finally have them in Oklahoma, and they are a PITA to get. You need to make a special appointment to do it, and you need to bring multiple documents verifying stuff. If a passport is the best id, shouldn't that be enough to get a real id driver's license? Oh yeah, I agree. You have to bring several pieces of documentation verifying who you are. When I got my REAL ID and saw that the only thing different about it was the star in the corner, I was like "That's it?" but I think the reason it is so secure is because you have to prove you are who you say you are in a myriad of ways when you apply to get it.    --Jessica ... View more

While calling is still the preferred method that Southwest recommends to resolve resolutions, there are alternate methods. I am surprised they could not help you on Facebook messenger. I have an ongoing DM with Southwest on Twitter and whenever I have a problem with a flight I pull up the message and write my latest inquiry - I always get a response that way - and almost always same day, if not within hours. They've changed my flights numerous times - but always in advance of the flight, I have never tried it en route or within 24 hours of a flight.    --Jessica ... View more

Love the pics!   --Jessica ... View more

This is impossible to predict, flights prices fluctuate due to a variety of factors, and COVID has only exasperated that (but things are slowly - but surely - returning to some level of normalcy compared to 2020). My only advice would be if you see a price you are happy with, book it now - if you see that the flight price goes down, you can rebook the flight (at no charge!) and the difference in fare will be given as a travel credit to use later. I do this all the time.   --Jessica  ... View more

I'll take "This Didn't Happen" for $500, Alex.   --Jessica ... View more

Southwest has only been flying to Miami for about a year. It's a pretty new route.    --Jessica ... View more

Seems odd. Were you logged into Southwest when you made your purchase? Do you see your flight under "My Upcoming Trips" in your account? Did you receive a confirmation e-mail?    If the answer is "no" to all the above, my guess is that your purchase did not actually go through and your pending charge is going to drop off after a few days. If your charge is processed though, contact Southwest and explain the situation. If you were charged, you have to have tickets, otherwise Southwest will have no choice but to refund you.    --Jessica ... View more

Just found out that PHL is never going to reopen the economy lot. They are going to use the space for "expanded cargo services."    https://www.inquirer.com/business/philadelphia-international-airport-economy-parking-lot-closed-thanksgiving-travel-20211104.html    This is a horrible move and it's going to come back and bite them. The economy lot has 7,000 spaces and there were times in the past when it was completely full. What are passengers supposed to do now? JuSt taKe An UbEr is not something just anyone can do (one way averages $60 for me) and jUsT tAkE SePtA (aka the train) isn't reliable either because the trains don't run 24/7. They are recommending arriving to the airport "3 hours in advance" Thanksgiving week to try to get a parking spot in the long term parking garages. Absurd.   Something is going to give.    --Jessica ... View more