Southwest Airlines Community

@tjonkman1 wrote: No I think you’re misunderstanding. You’re talking about canceling the flight within 24 hours of the flight itself. Not 24 hours after booking. You can get a full refund no matter what if canceled before 24 hours of your flight. I’m wondering if I can just switch it to using travel funds and be refunded the amount on my credit card.  Did you buy a refundable fare? If so then you have to refund the ticket and buy a new ticket with the travel funds.    If you bought a non-refundable fare then you can do this only within 24 hours of purchase as described by @dfwskier as the ticket won't be refundable after that.   There's no provision to swap flight credits for cash on an existing ticket that you keep.   You said canceling within 24 hours of your flight to get a full refund - actually it's up to ten minutes prior to departure but only if you have a refundable fare. You'd be issued a flight credit from the cancelation for any other fare.             ... View more

@CupCrusher40 wrote: ty Have to check the original receipt email.   Or I think it will show you the total to be canceled and give you one last chance to change your mind but I'm not 100%, I vaguely recall that you select everything to cancel a flight and then at the end it says $XXX to travel credit and you can confirm that you want to cancel.   Although funny thought - what if the buttons are "yes" and "cancel" - yes I want to cancel the flight. Oh no I just canceled the cancellation instead. It would turn into a Monty Python skit.     ... View more

You should edit your post to remove your personal information, anyone can see these posts as it is customer to customer.     ... View more

@floridaguy wrote: I would not believe any of this unless I could verify with reliable documentation.   Sounds like another board where someone said that Bill Mitchell changed the battery caps from yellow to black as the yellow detracted from the beauty of the Chevrolet orange engine.   Bill Mitchell could not have "ordered" Delco battery group to make that change.  All of this stuff is great theatre, but mostly nonsense. Which part isn't believable? I'm certain about re-use of the seat covers.      ... View more

@kingsmatt80 wrote: Yes.  I opened a new card in 2021 with my wife as authorized user.  Got my signup bonus in 2021.   Wife opened a new card in 2022 (and I got the referral bonus of 20,000).  My wife then received the signup bonus of 50,000 points while still being an authorized user on my card.  Chase does not allow more than one signup bonus every two years per card member. So this is a good example that you should not have a problem receiving your signup bonus as a new card member while still being an authorized user of another person's card.. Did you have to change the type from Plus to Priority or between type of card?     ... View more

@mpeete001 wrote: I am looking into getting an unlimited season pass and am wondering how much they cost. if you mean "fly around the world" where you can fly as often as you want under certain conditions then no, Southwest doesn't have that.   I've heard of it for a few other airlines but not that common in the USA.   In those cases you still pay the fees for each flight and then you might also pay for upgrades like seat selection, baggage, etc.     ... View more

@rescue_96 wrote: Is it okay to request extra luggage or seats from third party travel agencies like  I'm not going to click an unfamiliar link but if the idea is for strangers to take your luggage then I think there are a lot of obstacles.   You can easily pay for an extra bag, I don't know if you are familiar with Southwest but you get two free checked bags to start with which is sufficient for most travelers.   I'm not sure what you mean about extra seats. Southwest doesn't participate in any third-party discount websites so if that's involved then no.     ... View more

I hope your surgery goes well! Safe travels.     ... View more

Going to have to check the footnotes. Potentially not if it is a promotional bonus point.   End of Year - Tier Qualifying Points (southwest.com)     ... View more

@SoCalFlyer97 wrote: It appears the answer is "Yes".   I would double-check your terms of your account specifically but according to the currently published terms for the Priority Card, any Southwest Airlines product purchase counts if purchased directly through Southwest Airlines, except for Upgraded Boarding and in-flight purchases. I assume this would include Early Bird Check In.   $75 Southwest® Annual Travel Credit: A statement credit will automatically be applied to your account when your Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Priority Card is used for Southwest Airlines® purchases (excluding Upgraded Boardings and inflight purchases), up to an anniversary year maximum accumulation of $75.   https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/southwest/priority   I think this also excludes non-airline related or partner purchases like Southwest Hotels and Car Rentals as these transactions are handled through other providers. So one clarification would be that it may not matter if you used your upgraded boarding positions or not since they aren't eligible for the $75, they are a separate category.     ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: Being an authorized user on another person's account is not the same as being a cardholder.   Yes you can get your own card and earn your own bonus points. Disagree actually, they had told my wife that she'd have to get off of my card for a year to be eligible for the bonus.         ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: found this on the web   "Can you take full size suitcase through security?     No. You won't get through security with a bag that does not fit on the xray conveyer. It might be true in some airports that you can not get a full size suitcase to the gate, it is certainly not true in all airports. I have seen full size cases at the gate of more than one airport.Jan 6, 2022"   So the rule of thumb is that if it fits the x-ray bag screener, then you can take it thru security   edit add: a bit more on the topic: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/checkpoints-borders-policy-debate/1864257-friend-brought-checked-size-luggage-through-tsa-security-gate.html I'm having deja vu that I did this before, probably because I was under the 45 minutes and the ticket counter said to take it with me because I wasn't going to make it (I made it).   I agree with the comments that if it fits through the screening equipment you are good to go taking it through the airport, it's up to the gate agent to reject you from carrying it on and most airlines are happy to gate check items to speed up boarding.   If you were trying to get onto an empty flight with plenty of space just carry it on. But in your case with four seats open you'll be gate checking.   Sidebar: you get two free checked bags with Southwest anyway - take two smaller ones if your big one is going to be too large for this plan.       ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: Your bag will likely travel on your orignal flight.   Why not take it to the gate and gate check it for whatever flight you end up on? Agreed - standby may not be cleared until right before take-off so the baggage handlers wouldn't have time to grab it from the other cart and switch it.   Make a gate check and you should be good.    Which method of standby are you using? If you are eligible for the same day change you may be able to be confirmed for the other flight when you arrive and check the luggage.   Ask when you arrive, if it was sufficiently likely to standby they may do the opposite and check your luggage to the non-stop but then wait and see if you actually make it.    The trick I learned from @bec102896 is go to on the website and start to buy 8 seats for the desired flight and see if you can - if yes then there are at least eight seats open and chances are better. If there are only a handful of seats open (or none at all) then chances aren't so good.         ... View more

@Air_Matt wrote: Been waiting as well. Pretty sure with the bonus points I will hit the companion pass. Once we hit it we can use it for the rest of this year and next year correct? That's right! So the sooner the better, but at least as long as it hits this year you'll get it for all next year.     ... View more

Does the travel credit show up in your account? I wanted also to double check that the travel credit was in your name and not someone else’s.    ... View more

@Rhonda3404 wrote: Hi all, I’m making a change to a reservation, to get an earlier flight time. Can I use travel funds to pay the difference?  I keep getting an error message.  Thank you! The answer would generally be "yes" except if you used points for the original booking then you have to pay the extra in points.   David   ... View more

@SoCalFlyer97 wrote:   I first search SW Hotels to see what kind of Rapid Rewards deals are abroad. Currently, there is a general consensus that each Rapid Reward point is valued at approximately $0.015 per point, a key factor. Other requirements for me are free cancellation support and safe/decent location.     Very nice write-up!   For people that have companion pass, the value might even be rated higher. $0.02/point isn't unreasonable and could be as high as $0.03/point if the account holder booked companion pass tickets on every single fare.             ... View more

@SoCalFlyer97 wrote: @SoCalFlyer97 wrote: @Will0329 wrote:   It's too bad southwest is dropping burbank to San Francisco.   It looks like BUR-OAK nonstop still holds strong with multiple departures daily which will get you into the San Francisco area via the BART. However, I've noticed today that the WGA BUR-OAK airfare is on the high side at $114 going into 2024 compared to a BUR-SFO search for as low as $69 via connecting flights.   Since it looks like you plan to travel next summer, I would keep a watch out for a future sale and book BUR-OAK during the sale period and connect to San Francisco via the BART if you can. If prices drop as the summer gets closer, you can always rebook and collect the difference in fare via a flight credit for WGA or WGA+ fare. @Will0329    Southwest announced a $49 sale today and it looks like some of the flights between BUR and OAK had a minor drop in fare from $114 to $99 during May 2024. Also there's some $79 and $89 departures for this fall. I you're able to take the BART from OAK into SF, I would explore these options before the sale expires this Thursday. The only thing better than taking the BART from OAK is taking the BART from SFO 😂   *if going to downtown SF   SFO is just an extremely busy spot and during pandemic with suppressed schedules I understand that things were going very well there. Those that could ramp up could do so while the international flights were down.   Now with international flights back up SFO may be looking at some weaker on-time performance, etc. and someone like Southwest that's able to shift more flights to OAK it will make sense for them to do that.   That's just my interpretation as a fellow passenger.         ... View more

@Bergerqueen wrote: Congrats on your status, but good luck with accessing the free Wi-Fi!!  I have been an A-List Preferred member for years and loggin into the free Wi-Fi used to be simple. Ever since Southwest updated their landing page in July(?) 2023, I haven't been able to access my free Wi-Fi either using my confirmation number (this is new) or using my Rapid Rewards number.  I get the same message every time "It's not you, it's us!  Refresh this page and try again" both on my tablet and cell phone.  None of the customer service agents, flight attendants, or gate agents have heard this complaint.  It's really a pain to pay every time and have to email customer service to be refunded... I have a potential workaround for you - go to the "activate free texting" and do that first if you are on a phone or tablet and then try the ALP login again. I had this get stuck before too but it ended up working if I did the other activities in a certain order and then tried to login for the free benefit internet again.   But sometimes it works from the beginning and I'm not sure what the difference is.         ... View more

@floridaguy wrote: If Southwest wants to sell wifi, it needs to work.  Otherwise, give refunds.  End of story. They do give refunds. ... View more

@Southwestluver9 wrote: I booked flights using a couple Southwest flight e-pass domestic certificates. Something came up and I now need to cancel the trip. Can I receive the e-pass back or flight credit? I believe so, if not then change it to something a few months out until you know your schedule and then change it again to the flight you need in the end.   You have to call to do this anyway, so you can ask the agent what the options are for when you need to reschedule.     ... View more

@floridaguy wrote: As a Southwest customer and shareholder, someone who stays within the size and weight limits of bags, I would prefer that Southwest refuse to load anything other than baggage.  All of this slows down the boarding process and adds to the cost of doing business.   Southwest never agreed to be part of your exercise regiment and you can ship your bike though other channels if that is critical to your life.  I would be in favor of Southwest stopping all items that are not baggage.     Refer all of those people to a freight shipper.   Maybe someone with 50 years of cargo experience: Air Cargo by Southwest Airlines-Same Day Cargo and Freight (swacargo.com)     ... View more

That member also states that he preboards all the time so I’m not sure he’s waiting around to observe or participate in family boarding.   My own experience with 4 and 7 year olds on 50+ trips is no problem, two kids board with one adult all the time and if we’re all four together also no problem.      ... View more

@DancingDavidE wrote: The footnotes are a little goofy on this page - will try to confirm this statement.   That would be a weird thing to take away from A-list.     It's suspiciously the same language from the fare description and I'm hopeful that someone just got caught up with all the footnotes, if you look here.   https://www.southwest.com/air/booking/?clk=GSUBNAV-AIR-BOOK   It would be strange to grant that ability to A-list and then take it away so soon. These must have all been in the master plan for some time as each new benefit change is rolled out and I can't believe they would have added that perk and then take it away.     ... View more

The footnotes are a little goofy on this page - will try to confirm this statement.   That would be a weird thing to take away from A-list.     ... View more

@bec102896 wrote: @DancingDavidE wrote: @sashalung wrote: Two days ago, I called SWA to request the cancellation of my outbound flight to LAS because my son fell ill, and, when I tested myself, the T line on my  COVID test was sort of pinkish. I still wanted to keep my inbound (return) flight but didn't know how to manage it on the website. A customer service representative informed me that my reservation was canceled, and the miles would be credited back to my account.   However, yesterday, shortly after my original flight departed, I received an email stating that I had forfeited my miles by not canceling in time. When I called SWA today, a young lady accused me of lying and claimed that I never called to cancel. I have been a loyal customer for approximately 30 years, hold two credit cards with SWA, and this is the treatment I receive. I'm curious if anyone else has experienced a similar situation. We have no control over their phone records; moreover, their phone system doesn't even allow outgoing calls (I was disconnected from the representative three times today, and nobody called me back). Yet, they expect us to believe that their records are flawless.   Punishing clients for being cautious and choosing not to board planes when they aren't feeling 100% seems strange, to say the least.       In fact my wife is on the phone right now to cancel one leg of a RT flight and the wait time is three hours. If only she listened to my advice on this too. 🙂     The system issues yesterday made it hard to get though on the phone you should be able to cancel one leg on the app though.  and you mean you didn’t share your A List phone number with your wife I asked if I could send it in via social media...yes, and done in five minutes.     ... View more

@mtnwen wrote: Well,  it seems the original  phone call was about that- the  fee they charge to redeem points  got denied on the person's credit card.     They shouldn't have used the stolen credit card 😂 ... View more

@sashalung wrote: Two days ago, I called SWA to request the cancellation of my outbound flight to LAS because my son fell ill, and, when I tested myself, the T line on my  COVID test was sort of pinkish. I still wanted to keep my inbound (return) flight but didn't know how to manage it on the website. A customer service representative informed me that my reservation was canceled, and the miles would be credited back to my account.   However, yesterday, shortly after my original flight departed, I received an email stating that I had forfeited my miles by not canceling in time. When I called SWA today, a young lady accused me of lying and claimed that I never called to cancel. I have been a loyal customer for approximately 30 years, hold two credit cards with SWA, and this is the treatment I receive. I'm curious if anyone else has experienced a similar situation. We have no control over their phone records; moreover, their phone system doesn't even allow outgoing calls (I was disconnected from the representative three times today, and nobody called me back). Yet, they expect us to believe that their records are flawless.   Punishing clients for being cautious and choosing not to board planes when they aren't feeling 100% seems strange, to say the least.       If you used your cell phone take a screenshot of the phone call with the number and duration showing that you had a long call with them at that time.   Make sure that they didn't cancel the wrong flight - i.e. the things you think should be remaining are still in your account.   Sidebar: always book one-way flights and it will be easier to self-service online when things like this come up.   In fact my wife is on the phone right now to cancel one leg of a RT flight and the wait time is three hours. If only she listened to my advice on this too. 🙂     ... View more

@lpgolf04 wrote: Boarding Pass says no. But on my itinerary it says I purchased it and I obviously was charged. Makes sense now. There’s no way 100+ other people paid for EB. Not impossible, but highly improbable.  Depends how many A-List there were, if there were excess A-list it could spill into the B’s but that would be 40-60 EBCI purchases.  You might have glitched the system buying it after 36 hours and it wasn’t applied, check back if you can get a refund if it doesn’t show on your boarding pass.     ... View more