Southwest Airlines Community

I'm not sure anyone would consider searching for and then choosing specific flights, entering personal information and credit card info, and then choosing the "purchase this flight" button to be being "scammed." ... View more

Right now, demand is increasing but capacity is still very limited due to the scheduled changes made because of the pandemic. This means prices will rise until capacity is increased. Unfortunately, it's unclear right now when Southwest will began adding flights back to the schedule, but I expect it will be 3rd quarter, hopefully, 4th quarter likely. ... View more

@Courtney123 wrote: The Federal Mask mandate has made it a CRIME for a 2 year old to not wear a mask on a flight. Your toddler could be arrested and thrown in jail with hardcore criminals if he can't keep his mask on. Don't chance it.   While this, obviously, isn't actually happening, there are frequent reports of people being removed from flights for non-mask compliance, including families with young children. You also risk being banned by the airline. If you have concerns about your 2+ age child being able to wear a mask onboard, I'd recommend you delay air travel at this time. ... View more

@lauryn wrote: Hello friends, I received SWA recent email today, incentivizing member's to convert their travel funds into SWA Rapid Rewards (RR) points. Member's can convert their travel funds into RR points. What they’re offering me. SWA Conversion rate: $70 = 5380 RR Points $10 = 780 RR Points $5 = 390 RR Points.   However, my funds don’t expire until September 7, 2022. I’m wondering if I should keep these funds since I may travel between now and then OR Is their a better value in converting the funds into points?   First: I'm not aware of a new conversion offer. Are you sure this is current, and not an older email?   The cost to use points is 78/$1. If the offer to convert is the same, it's a "good" offer (when compared to buying or transferring points). There is no better conversion value than 78/$1.   Are you sure of those numbers? The $10 and $5 convert correctly, but the $70 comes out less than it should be: $70 x 78 = 5460 pts. ... View more

Vouchers may be reissued without a fee, depending on why the Voucher was issued in the first place (for example, if it was issued due to a negative customer service situation). I have never heard of anyone having Travel Funds reissued as a voucher without having the fee deducted from their balance. ... View more

@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. ... View more

This ones is pretty simple. Bonus + RR point accrual is better than no bonus + not accruing RR points. 😉 ... View more

Those on the same reservation as an A-Lister receive sequential positions. This is an announced, official benefit that's been around for a while.   Companions are currently receiving sequential positions from their Companion Pass Holder, regardless of status, even though they are on separate confirmations. This hasn't been officially announced yet, but is in a "testing" phase, and should be announced soon -- along with appropriate details/limitations, etc. ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: Chalk that up to trying to keep the response as simple as possible, making a poor assumption about the the OP's situation, and the sometimes difficult to explain combination of funds being associated with an individual traveler while also sharing the same travel fund number. Based on further information from the OP I adjusted the response.   --TheMiddleSeat   Understood. I do find it's often difficult to explain things in a way that doesn't include too much extraneous information. ... View more

@lharms2 wrote: I am having the same issue rationalizing their priority of new customers vs. loyal.   We worked really hard last year to try and earn a companion pass and just barely got one. Now they are basically giving them away with little effort. They have also stated that they don't plan to extend the current calendar year companion passes that we earned, so I'll be surprised if we get much use out of ours.    I was also part of the group that had an existing flight last year and cancelled within the Sept 2022 extension but then I optimistically booked another flight for the holidays. As others have mentioned, it seemed to me like we were punished for attempting to fly since when we cancelled that holiday flight, our travel funds reverted back to expiring in March 2021. Seeing as I haven't been eligible to receive a vaccine, I'm not going to risk flying when I could easily wait a few months and hopefully be vaccinated.    Unfortunately, I have 4 separate travel funds(each for a different person so can't be combined) for about $104 each, so asking for the 6-month after expiration extension would result in $4...   After reading about all the extensions other airlines are offering, I am really surprised that Southwest hasn't gone their usual above and beyond.      Question: When did you use those 2022 funds to book for the holidays? Your funds should now expire one year from that date (not their original expiration date). It seems unlikely it was March 2020, as that was still the beginning of the pandemic. Is that when you originally booked your flights?   There is a known issue with funds that were cancelled during the period that allowed extension through September 7, 2022 (March 1 - September 7, 2020), that were actually not extended. If you cancelled then rebooked on the same day, for example. These funds would continue to expire on their original expiration date after rebooking.   If this applies to you, reach out to Customer Relations and carefully explain the issue.   Contact Customer Relations  ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: Sounds like you've done your research.  Yes, after the travel funds expire you can call Customer Relations and get the expired travel funds reinstated as LUV vouchers.  You have 6 months after expiration of travel funds to do this and then the resulting vouchers are good for 6 months so time it correctly if you aren't going to be traveling immediately.  Additionally, the $100 "fee" is per travel fund, not per person, so if you one person has multiple travel funds there would be multiple fees.  If a passenger has multiple funds and you need help combining them before they expire please reply and I can share that info. Contact Customer Relations    --TheMiddleSeat   I saw that you later corrected yourself -- I had wondered why you had posted this initially. For clarity: The fee is charged per fund, per person. When there are multiple passengers booked together on the same confirmation/travel fund, the fee is $100 per person.   The later info, regarding combining travel funds issued to a single person, remains great advice. ... View more

Also, just for clarity: Southwest allows small dogs and cats to travel as pets in a carrier under the seat in front of you, for a fee of $95. Southwest does not transport any pets in the cargo hold. ... View more

@Firedog7jeff wrote: What happens if only 2 of the 6 people on the same confirmation number purchase early bird?   Not able to verify check in 36 hours in advanced.   In theory, those 2 would receive better boarding positions than the other 4. You should check in at exactly 24 hours prior to departure to see what positions were assigned to the EarlyBird Check-In passengers, and obtain positions for the others.   If any of the passengers are A-List members (Southwest's top tier frequent flyers) then all passengers on the same confirmation will receive sequential "A-List" positions.   There's been some reports that possibly an unresolved issue exists that may grant all the passengers sequential EBCI positions.   Please come back and let us know how it works out! ... View more

@amsands wrote: I appreciate the message. I said in my post that swa is not responsible for weather and that I've exhausted all the ways to contact someone at sw. While they don't control weather, they are responsible for requiring me to check luggage against my will and judgement, not retrieving it when I couldn't board and not being available to help. I didn't plan this either and I was returning home. This is paramount to your telling me I shouldnt have been somewhere after being robbed. This is the same attitude I got from the guy who asked me why I didn't call at the time it happened. I guess I'll have to snail mail a letter.    Your frustration is completely understandable considering your experience. It's unfortunate, but sometimes things like this happen. Now, with schedules cut way back and staff spread thin, more so than ever. Not a justification, just a statement.   You may still receive a (delayed) reply from one of your messages, but it couldn't hurt to send a snail-mail letter. Be aware though, that, as noted above, it's unlikely Southwest would compensate, due to the situation being triggered by weather. But it's at least worth having your complaint heard.   Good luck. ... View more

@gsking wrote: Just an FYI... my wife either had her two month CP extended to June,  or (more likely) was awarded the new promo for flying 4 flights... even though they weren't through work.    Anyone in the same situation may want to check the app.      Congrats!   FYI, They didn't have to be through work. From my earlier post:   "FYI: While targeted, it was confirmed by a Southwest rep on another forum that as long as you were targeted and then registered, the bookings could be made through any channel." ... View more

In the unfortunate absence of the ability to block specific users who post here only incorrect and potentially damaging info, my recommendation is to always carefully consider the source, and look for info that has been confirmed as correct by other members.   Unfortunately, there will always be those who seek to create heat, instead of light. ... View more

@Thay wrote: They have posted to my account, but the wine club posted in January. And yes, the total was enough to get to Companion. I have not been able to get anybody on phone with Rapid Rewards Customer Service. Only communication has been via email and they are quick to state the rules. I’ve even asked for a call back with no success. 20 years veteran of the “club”.   I think maybe you're not understanding what I've been saying. The wine club points can post in January and still qualify for Companion Pass earning in the previous year, as long as the purchase was made in the previous year. The link I posted earlier verifies that.   2021 Rapid Rewards® Qualifying Transactions for 2022 Status   When you say they "state the rules," what "rule" are they stating as the cause of you not earning Companion Pass?   As we've noted, for something like this you should reach out to Customer Relations (not the regular phone line, not the email form).   Contact Customer Relations  (I'd recommend via Twitter or Facebook direct message.) ... View more

@YeahNoMaybe wrote: A car seat in a middle seat could potentially impede the evacuation of a passenger sitting in the window seat if it were to be necessary.   This.   And, as long as there's no one in the window seat, the car seat can be in the middle (with the adult passenger on the aisle).     ... View more

@Frequentflyer89 wrote: False. They literally told us today it was implemented two weeks ago because people “didn’t feel safe” with children not wearing masks. Giving me a break!!  And no, no one told us until we boarded the plane. My son literally never had a mask for the 3 hours we waited to board our plane not during check in not during anytime except when we sat down in our seat on the plane.    Masks for everyone age 2 and up has been policy since basically the beginning of the pandemic. As noted earlier, it just became law recently, under the new administration. It's stated very clearly all over the Southwest website, and repeated when you book your flight, in the email confirmation you receive, and when you check-in online.   Enforcement prior to boarding is the responsibility of the airport, but pre-boarding PA announcements by Southwest staff repeat the requirement. My guess is it's possible that it was assumed your child was under age 2, until boarded and the FA realized he had a seat (as required for children over age 2), so then enforced the mask requirement, per federal law.   You can think whatever you'd like about the policy's need, but that doesn't change it's requirement.   Ultimately, if you were unaware of the policy, it's because you weren't paying attention. ... View more

If you're unable to cancel on the website it's unlikely you'd be able to on the app. ... View more

It's noted when you check in for your flights.   It's a federal law. ... View more

@Thay wrote: All purchases were made in 2020. I was told by RW Customer Service rep that as long as I made the purchases in 2020, they would count toward 2020 companion pass.   Ok, great. As I said, those points would qualify to earn Companion Pass in 2020, but only after they post to your Rapid Rewards account, and per the link I shared that can take 6-8 weeks.   So again, have they posted to your Rapid Rewards account?   If so, were they enough to get you over the threshold? ... View more

If you have any difficulty getting a refund, provide screenshots of your phone's calls log, showing that you did try to contact Southwest in good faith.  Your best bet is to reach out to Customer Relations via Twitter or Facebook direct message, so that there's a paper trial.   Southwest CS has been slammed due to the weather all over the US, and the situation is exacerbated by the power issues in Texas. ... View more

For simplicity, I usually just Google "WN + the flight number," and the top link is usually Flight Aware, which will show you the current status, along with the full schedule and flight history. ... View more