Southwest Airlines Community

Scratching my head at the "buy points" vs "credit card" argument.   I have 2 Chase RR credit cards. While I don't churn and get new ones every 2 years like some do, I do get significant value from them. I received over 100,000 points for the initial signups, and the spend requirement was money I was going to spend anyway. I put all purchases that I can through the cards, and pay them off each month. The annual fees are offset by the anniversary points. Last year I received just over 85k points from the cards -- and my spending was actually down from earlier years. (To be clear, I didn't spend $85k, there were multiple bonus offers and multipliers included. I believe I spent about $35k across the 2 cards.)   In addition, I received 4 Upgraded Boarding's, a $75 Southwest credit, and some other Southwest discounts.   The "cost" to me was only the annual fees, $99 and $125. This isn't even remotely comparable to purchasing points.   (Admittedly, I'm now -- in light of the latest point devaluation, and the fact that I'm sitting on a cache of points after a year of very limited travel -- reevaluating my spending habits and will likely move it all over to a cash-back card that returns greater value. Unfortunately, each points devaluation also devalues the Chase RR cards, and Chase has yet to make any sort of adjustment to that formula.)   These comparisons aside, buying points will always cost more than the point's actual value. The difference can be minimized through special offers, but it will always cost more.   In addition to "topping off," the only other reason I can see to ever buy points is if the "value" received from a points booking vs a cash one (refundability, for example) is worth that additional cost.   ... View more

Yesterday's Click and Save email included a 75% bonus points offer. This is much cheaper than the best subscription price. Even with the bonus, you're still paying significantly more than the points value -- especially after the latest devaluation.    As we've often repeated here, buying points is really dumb, unless you just need a few to "top off" your points total in order to purchase a particular fare (giving value to points you might otherwise not use).   A points subscription service -- priced as it is -- is particularly dumb.  ... View more

The chart at the link I shared includes the turn-around time for the testing locations. ... View more

@SWFlyer007 wrote: I have a trip (hopefully) to Cozumel Mexico on Friday, April 24th, 2021 to Cozumel.  After booking I then researched the protocol of entering and leaving Mexico and the COVID restrictions.   I was aware that I needed a Negative test 72 hours prior to my departure, which I will get the day before I leave.  However, I will then need another Negative test within 3 days of my departure.  On the date of departure, it will be 5 days since I had the test to go to Mexico, so I will still need another one once I land in Cozumel.  I've done some research about testing stations in Cozumel, but as of right now I'm a bit confused.  Can anyone assist me with how to obtain a test with results in one day, (same day) on the Island of Cozumel.  I read somewhere that hotels will give the test but I've not found any in Cozumel that state they will provide them.  Maybe one of the SWA employees on here can ask the FA that travels to and from Cozumel.  Any help, assistance, or suggestions will be most helpful and appreciated.    Sorry I don't have any advice from experience to share, hopefully someone else here does. But Mexico does list a few non-hotel testing locations here.   In case you haven't seen it -- the above is linked from Southwest's Mexico covid travel info page.     ... View more

@ngo_bias wrote: Does anyone remember the H1N1 virus outbreak from 2009? No? The CDC states that it killed 575,000 Americans of all ages. Why didn't the airlines require H1N1 vaccine passports back then? Why? Because Trump was not president then, that's why. H1N1 came and went and so too will Sars2 Covid-19.     I hate to even reply to someone who is obviously trolling here (there are too many outright lies in these posts to be anything otherwise) but just in case a casual reader thinks there's any merit to the "H1N1 vs COVID-19 response = anti-Trump politics" argument:   Although they’re caused by different viruses, both 2009 H1N1 influenza and COVID-19 are respiratory illnesses that are transmitted in the same way. There’s also a lot of overlap in symptoms, complications, and risk factors for serious illness. However, COVID-19 is more likely to cause serious illness than 2009 H1N1 influenza and has led to more deaths worldwide. It’s also more contagious than 2009 H1N1 influenza.       2009 H1N1 Influenza COVID-19 Year started – year ended 2009–2010 2020–present Worldwide deaths about 284,000 in the first 12 months about 2,000,000 in the first 12 months Virus 2009 H1N1 influenza virus SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus Transmission respiratory droplets, contact with contaminated surfaces, asymptomatic spread respiratory droplets, contact with contaminated surfaces, asymptomatic spread Contagiousness less contagious than COVID-19, contagious from 1 day before symptoms begin until 5 to 7 days after becoming sick more contagious than 2009 H1N1 influenza, contagious from 2 days before symptoms begin until 10 days after testing positive Symptoms fever and chills, fatigue, cough, body aches and pains, headache, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, digestive symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting similar symptoms to 2009 H1N1 influenza, but also includes loss of smell and taste Symptom onset sudden after 1 to 4 days gradual after 2 to 14 days Age group most impacted people younger than 30 adults over age 30 Illness severity 94–98 percent mild 80 percent mild, 20 percent severe or critical Risk factors being 65 years or older, being younger than 5 years old, being pregnant, having certain underlying health conditions being 65 years or older, being pregnant, having certain underlying health conditions Complications pneumonia, worsening of underlying health conditions, secondary bacterial infections, respiratory failure, inflammation of tissues of the heart, brain, or muscles, injury to the kidneys or liver, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis same complications as 2009 H1N1 influenza, but also includes: long-haul COVID-19, blood clots, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) Treatments supportive care, FDA-approved antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) supportive care, FDA-approved antiviral remdesivir (Veklury), various treatments under Emergency Use Authorization Vaccines several vaccines developed several vaccines developed   Lots of factual detail here: H1N1 Influenza vs. COVID-19: Pandemic Comparison     ... View more

@JenT wrote: Hi all, we had a trip planned in Aug 2020. I paid $2710.56 for those tickets. When SW offered the conversion of travel funds to points, I went ahead and did this, and received 211,419 points. I received 78 points per $1 spent.  I understand as a frequent traveler who would have used the points before their Sept 2022, I realize this was a mistake. But, can you help me understand how much of a loss I am taking, given the devaluation? Thank you!   Points bookings now cost 83 points per $1 base fare.(Base fare is the airfare portion of travel, minus any taxes and fees.)   Calculating an exact loss is difficult, as there are multiple factors involved. For example, the amount you converted to points (at 78/$1) may have included taxes and fees, but when you rebook using points you only pay the 911 fee.   As noted, many bloggers are using 6% as an approximation. In your case that's $162.64.   Points bookings have some benefits that are difficult to exactly value. These include less taxes, and full refundability. These reduce the sting of the 6% somewhat.     ... View more

This changed overnight, without notification.   Points redemption are now 83 points per $1 base fare. Previously they were 78 points per $1 base fare.   While not surprising, it is disappointing. Southwest certainly isn't leading the industry's race to the bottom, but they're definitely in the running.   This is especially distasteful following the recent conversion of Travel Funds to Points covid accommodation. Those who converted lost significant value (although to be fair they gained refundability & non-expiration). ... View more

@Smichel wrote: I have a credit on my account from a previos flight that had to be canceled. I'm thinking about booking 2 flights right now for a trip my husband and I are taking this summer because the rates are pretty good right now and applying the credit. (The balance would be paid from my checking accnt) I just want to make sure I understand the policies correctly. If the rates go down between now and then I can change our flights and I would still get the full credit of the difference on my account right? They would just have the same expiration date as the original credit?   [Deleted & reposted to fix typos]     Mostly. 😉   Just a few things to keep in mind:   Non-transferability: Travel Funds (credits from previous cancelled flights) are limited in use to the original passenger(s) only. So, if the credit you already have is only in your name, the system will only allow it to be applied to your portion of the new booking, assuming it's for 2 people (you and your husband). This shouldn't be an issue if the credit is smaller than your portion of the airfare. However, once you've made that booking, if you cancel or re-fare (because the fare decreases), you'll have credits in both your name & account, and also your husband's name & account. Those credits will only be usable by the person whose name is on the credit. This gets a bit complicated. The easiest way to reduce that complexity is by booking individual flights for each person. (The trade-off is you'll need to check in each person separately.)   Expiration of Travel Funds: Whenever you apply any Travel Funds to a new booking, that new booking takes on the earliest expiration date of any funds applied. That expiration will also apply to any new funds used (from a credit card). All travel must be completed (not just booked) by the expiration date, which would apply to any credits you receive from re-faring in case of a fare decrease.   One special consideration would be if your existing travel fund expires September 7, 2022. (Southwest extended some funds to this date last year as an accommodation due to the pandemic.) If the existing fund does expire 9-7-22, then when you apply it, the new booking will take on a new expiration that's one year from the date you make the new booking. Any eventual credits would also have this expiration.   Using travel funds for multiple people can be a little complicated. Let us know if you have any other questions. Hope this helps! ... View more

@jksobonya wrote: @chgoflyer wrote: @scha0984 wrote: Where is any of this extension information posted online?  I haven't seen this $100 and seems that some know it and some don't or they decide to not share it.    Nothing is posted online. This unofficial policy is a special goodwill accommodation that may be granted by Customer Relations when upon request. Previous to the pandemic, knowledge of the policy was relatively rare. Phone reps may or may not advise customers of this potential option, and many don't mention the fee. That fee has risen from $50 to $75 to $100 per travel fund/person over the years, and everything about this -- including that fee -- is subject to change at any time.   Officially, once your funds are expired, they're gone. I may finally be in this boat with expiring travel funds I may not be able to use. I had a flight booked for May, but due to flight cuts I canceled the flight out of frustration only to find out that the funds were expiring in June 2021 because I had applied a previous travel fund (from all the way back in June 2020) to the reservation. I believe this fund had an expiration of September 2022 at one point, but when you use it (and then cancel it) the 2022 expiration doesn't hold and it reverts back to the original expiration. There could be a potential argument to be made that any fund that was granted an expiration of 2022 should keep the 2022 expiration if it is used and cancelled again, but that doesn't seem to be the case.   Regardless, if I can extend the travel fund by reissuing it as a voucher, I would do that, even at a $100 loss. I'll have to see what I can do.    --Jessica   For clarity, as we've often seen confusion over this issue: When you apply a travel fund that was extended to September 7, 2022 to a new booking and then cancel that booking, the fund's expiration changes to one year from the date of the new booking (not the original expiration date of the fund).   An exception would be if you also used an earlier-expiring fund on that reservation, as in that case all funds would take on the earliest expiration of any funds applied. ... View more

@jksobonya wrote: @chgoflyer wrote: Ultimately though, Trump's initial stalling, constant denial of the severity of the pandemic, CDC meddling, and repeated spread of misinformation caused significant damage to the US, and led to additional deaths that could have been avoided. I don't blame Trump for "excess deaths" nearly as much as I blame governors at the state level and their reckless actions regarding how they handled COVID positive patients in  nursing homes and other facilities at the start of the pandemic. All you have to do is look at governor Cuomo of New York, but my state (PA) and several others are in the exact same boat. The reality is that nearly half of all deaths in the entire United States to date (and it's probably more than that) are directly linked to nursing homes and elderly facilities. If we're going to point fingers about something or someone leading to additional deaths that could have been avoided, the nursing home scandals in multiple states (particularly NY) should be your first and only stop. If only the nursing homes and elderly facilities were properly protected in the beginning - instead of pivoting and destroying our *entire* economic infrastructure by closing all essential and non-essential business - our "death count" would literally be cut in half. Trump doesn't deserve the blame for this. He wanted to open the economy back up last Easter. He was right. We never should have let all of this go on for as long as it has. We're causing a lot more harm with continual shut downs and keeping businesses performing at normal levels than we are helping under the guise that we are "saving lives."     --Jessica     I'm no fan of Cuomo, and it is absolutely true that actions many governors took (on both sides of the political aisle) caused many unnecessary deaths, especially at long-term care facilities. But, again, this isn't as simple as oft-repeated talking points might make it seem. This virus critically affects the most vulnerable, and the most vulnerable are the elderly in care facilities. Especially tragic is the loss of life to caregivers in these facilities, often because of inadequate protection.   I suggest that if this was addressed nationally at the beginning of the pandemic -- instead of making states scramble on their own to obtain PPE, for example -- the result would have been very different. This is again what I meant about national leadership, and the lack of it having huge consequences.   New documents show Trump officials' 'haphazard and ineffective' approach to procuring PPE at start of pandemic, House committee says     The AARP maintains a dashboard of where across the US nursing homes were most affected. The data may surprise you.   AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard     This article is predictable a little soft on Cuomo, but does give some insight into the details of the situation. It isn't as black & white as it may seem from the memes.   Does Cuomo Share Blame for 6,200 Virus Deaths in N.Y. Nursing Homes?     Trump was absolutely wrong to even suggest things should have been fully open by last Easter. Opening things up in order to "save the economy" would have, of course, led to many, many more deaths. And lots of deaths isn't going to help the economy. For reference, we can look at what happened in other countries, and on a smaller scale individual states who opened up too soon.   Saving Lives Saves Livelihoods   The success of countries that crushed the curve shows that the “lives versus livelihoods” debate that was prominent early in the pandemic in many countries presents a false dichotomy. The best way to protect livelihoods in the longer term is to crush the virus first and only then reopen the economy.     ... View more

@Kvainuku wrote: I would like to book a flight for late in the fall while flights are fairly cheap. Although I am confident I should be receiving my companion pass within the next following months, should all continue as planned. My question is, will I be able to edit my fall reservations once I get companion pass to my current flights booked? I will be flying with the person I plan to add onto my companion pass in the fall. I am fairly new to all this. Please advise, thank you!   What many people do is book the potential companion's flight separately using points. Then, once the Companion Pass is earned and assigned to that person, you can add their reservation as a Companion and cancel the points booking. That will return the points to the account used to make the reservation. As long as there is a seat available on the desired flight (at any fare level) they can be booked as a Companion.   Hope this helps! ... View more

@RussN wrote: I recently took my companion with me on a trip and I purchased a Business Select. they did not get a adjacent number to me.  I can see the reason behind this since there are only 15 spots in Business Select boarding.  However,  since the policy says they get to board with our A-List Preferred status I would think they would board in the area I would normally board if I booked a normal ticket or at least check them in 36 hours in advance.  It seems we get less benefits when we pay more for a ticket.  Now my daughter that is listed as my companion and is only 15 years old now has to book back in the B's and I can tell you I don't feel comfortable leaving her behind while I'm on the plane.  This also discourages me from using Business Select since there is no benefit for my me. I would like to put that as a recommendation.     You're correct that unfortunately Companions don't receive A-Lister boarding benefits when the CP holder is on a BS fare.   Since this is primarily a customer-to-customer forum, your best bet is sending your suggestion directly to Southwest:   Submitting a Suggestion and/or Complaint      ... View more

@jksobonya wrote: @chgoflyer wrote: Vaccines save lives.   If we would have had actual national leadership at the start of the pandemic, and if people would have thought about others as much as they do themselves, and acted appropriately, the US would be back to normal by now.   We had more national leadership last year than anyone cares to admit - people just refuse to acknowledge it because it gives credit to President Trump. The entire world scoffed at President Trump when he said that a COVID-19 vaccine would be available in less than a year, because vaccines typically take years to develop. No one - NO ONE - said that it was possible. Even Fauci wasn't convinced and said that it would take well over a year to have an approved vaccine. The news outlets said it would take a miracle. Well, a miracle occurred. Trump and his team got a vaccine developed in about 9 months. Like him or hate him, Trump along with all of those involved in Operation Warp Speed made the vaccine happen, and he is the sole reason why we are able to have the vaccine now and why we are able to get back to normal now - instead of years from now. If anyone else was in charge, we wouldn't have had a vaccine this soon - that's all but guaranteed.    --Jessica   Trump deserves some credit for Operation Warp Speed, but it's way more complicated than you might think. Government funding, primarily thru dose purchase commitments, certainly helped considerably. But In many cases drug companies found the administration working against them rather than providing assistance.   For example, Pfizer, despite trying to get help from the administration, was denied and ultimately received primarily resistance -- their vaccine (the largest one deployed as of yet in the US) was developed without the previous administration's help.   Fact check: Trump wrongly takes full credit for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine     Credit where credit is due, this article gives a much more nuanced overview of the topic:   Biden Got the Vaccine Rollout Humming, With Trump’s Help     The speed of the covid-19 vaccines' development is absolutely remarkable, and represents a huge leap for science. The mRNA technology was under study before the pandemic, but the severity of the global pandemic and the race to get shots into arms accelerated the process. The benefits from this successful vaccine program -- led by teams of scientists and epidemiologists, not politicians -- will be realized for many years to come.   This is a huge win for science.   Here's a great article that details the work that got us to where we are now:   A gamble pays off in ‘spectacular success’: How the leading coronavirus vaccines made it to the finish line     Ultimately though, Trump's initial stalling, constant denial of the severity of the pandemic, CDC meddling, and repeated spread of misinformation caused significant damage to the US, and led to additional deaths that could have been avoided.   It's hard to overstate the damage he did. When I say we lacked leadership this is to what I'm speaking. Leadership is based on transparency and fact-based information -- not denials, hoax claims and miracle cures. (I mean, at a minimum Trump literally caused deaths when his idiot followers drank bleach and od'd on hydroxychloroquine. I guess they just didn't understand his "sarcasm.")   As US surpasses 400,000 COVID-19 deaths, experts blame Trump administration for a 'preventable' loss of life   Damning analysis of Trump's pandemic response suggested 40% of US COVID-19 deaths could have been avoided   Study Finds ‘Single Largest Driver’ of Coronavirus Misinformation: Trump     Anyone who honestly thinks Trump provided any kind of "leadership" related to the pandemic certainly has a very different understanding of the word than I do.   While everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, I'll suggest that the belief that Trump caused more overall good than bad with regards to the pandemic is simply an ignorant one; a skewed viewpoint doubtlessly based on politics, and one not materially based on the relevant facts.         ... View more

I've never found the Orange Line particularly busy. The Red Line however... ... View more

@kristin12 wrote: I booked a guaranteed business class seat that was five times the cost of a regular seat because I was traveling with a service animal and wanted to ensure we would be able to get on/off as quickly as possible. Yet, when I boarded there were no seats available. Southwest is refusing to even partially refund me (all I asked for was the difference between the regular versus business class seat). I understand SW doesn't assign seats but if you are paying extra for medical purposes being in the first 15 rows should be fulfilled. It is as simple as checking someone's ticket/what they paid for. This policy is ridiculous and as a frequent traveler I can confidently say that I will never fly Southwest again. DO NOT PAY EXTRA FOR ANYTHING WITH SOUTHWEST. This was an absolute scam and customer service could not have handled this in a more unpleasant way. This would cost the airline, at the most, a few hundred dollars to have a happy customer who would continue flying with them for decades.      Unfortunately, Southwest has no "business class." They do sell a perhaps questionably-named Business Select ticket, which guarantees you'll receive a boarding position no higher than A-15, which means you'll be among the first 15 non-preboard passengers to board the plane. I'm curious as to how you could board that early and find "no seats available"? Perhaps you didn't realize that you needed to be at the gate and ready to board before boarding began?   In any case, there was really no reason to "pay extra for medical purposes," as your disability would likely have allowed you and your service dog to pre-board. This would have very likely given you your choice of almost any seat on the plane.   Hopefully you'll find this info helpful for the future. ... View more

Southwest doesn't comment publicly on internal employee matters, so that official reply is all you'll ever hear.     ... View more

@cmcarpen78 wrote: FYI - your federal mandate doesn't apply to persons with disabilities.    Actually, it does. The mandate requires those with disabilities seek an exception from the carrier should they want to travel without wearing a mask. You can find information about Southwest's exception request procedure below. Be forewarned though, the exception policy is tough.   Exemption to Federal Mask Requirement on Southwest Airlines ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: @SWAisMyGoTo wrote: If I pack my bike in a hardsided case and it gets damaged or stolen, will SWA pay for repair or replacement? Yes it will. Only bike packed in softside cases or cardboard are excepted  . If it measures less than 62 inches and weighs less 50 pounds, it'll fly free. Otherwise it'll coast you $50.,   Bicycles (defined as nonmotorized and having a single seat) properly packed in a bicycle box or hardsided case larger than 62 inches in total dimensions will be accepted as Checked Baggage. Pedals and handlebars must be removed and packaged in protective materials so as not to be damaged by or cause damage to other Baggage. Bicycles packaged in cardboard or softsided cases will be transported as conditionally accepted items.   That fee is $75 (as you posted upstream).  😉 ... View more

@norsebassist wrote: I am trying to book a flight that costs $365 round trip. I have three separate travel funds ($91.00, $98.24, and $107.80), all three expiring 05/21/21, but the site only allows me to use two of the three, with the nebulous "The method of payment was not added due to payment rules" as the explanation. All three travel funds are less than the total due, so I don't see why I can't use all three. Any ideas? Hold times for the 800 number are greater than 2 hours, so that's a waste of time.   That's unfortunately just how the system works. Calling won't help, as there's nothing the phone rep can do.   The work-around is to use 2 funds to book a flight, then cancel it, and you'll have a new fund that effectively combines the first two into a single fund. Then use that fund plus the 3rd to book the actual flight you need.   This only works if all the travel funds have similar expiration dates, as the new funds will take on the earliest one. And if all the travel funds are for the same person. Sounds like it would work for you.   When booking, choose flights as close to the total of the two travel funds as possible, and when you cancel be sure to choose to have the taxes & fees refunded back to your credit card instead of lumped in with the travel funds.   Good luck!   ... View more

If you honestly think your initial comment lacked insults, and used an appropriate tone for civil discussion, I'd suggest you read your own words again.   Hopefully going forward you'll consider all of my advice. I do honestly wish you good luck.         ... View more

Check the terms of the offer. ... View more

@lharms2 wrote: I originally booked March 2020 and then cancelled in June 2020. I then used those cancelled travel funds to book something in June 2020 for December 2020. I didn't cancel that flight until November of 2020 and now those travel funds are stated as expiring in a few days(March).  If I read your interpretation, they should expire June, not March, correct?      When you cancelled in June you created a travel fund that should have been extended to September 7, 2022. When you used that fund to book in June (for December) those funds took on a June 2021 expiration, which is what you should have received when you cancelled in November.   It's only 3 months more, but if it's worth it to you reach out to Customer Relations and carefully explain the scenario.   Let us know how it works out. Good luck!   Contact Customer Relations  ... View more

Vaccines save lives.   If we would have had actual national leadership at the start of the pandemic, and if people would have thought about others as much as they do themselves, and acted appropriately, the US would be back to normal by now. Instead we have people who think they know more than experts, who have literally spent their lives studying infectious diseases, because they read something online their cousin posted. It's insanity.     ... View more

Did you not try to cancel the flight online yourself, within the 24 hour period? ... View more