Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Lsdolphin]

I'm not sure if it's a law, but I think all airlines will refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking. (I thought I read somewhere airlines have to offer this? Not sure though)
This is on SW's website:
https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/purchasing-and-refunds/refund-info-pol.html

• For nonrefundable reservations canceled within 24 hours of booking – If you cancel online at Southwest.com, through the app, or call us within 24 hours of booking, you can receive a refund of any fare (including Wanna Get Away) back to the original form of payment or choose to convert the airfare into Travel Funds (credit to be used toward future travel), assuming it was also canceled within 24 hours of booking and in accordance with the No Show Policy. If you purchased all or part of the reservation using a Southwest gift card or a Southwest LUV Voucher and canceled the reservation within 24 hours of booking, contact our Customer Relations department at 1-855-234-4654.

Yes this information I did see but as I mentioned I paid with travel funds which had an expiration date of 9/22 and once I booked my flight the expiration date changed to 8/28/21. So I’m just hoping that expiration date of travel funds will extend back to 9/22 when I cancel this flight.

 

[nkereina]

i was looking for this information last night on SWA website and couldn’t find it. as I mentioned above I used travel funds from cancelled April trip to book trip for December and the new expiration date that popped up was 5/28/21. So if correct this is good news! Thank you

This is the current policy: https://www.southwest.com/Coronavirus/

Midway down on the page it says:
"However, in recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:
-Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020, will now expire September 7, 2022.
-Any travel funds created because you cancel a flight between March 1 – September 7, 2020, will expire September 7, 2022."

If you book a flight and cancel it now, prior to September 7th, travel funds will be created and thus will expire 9/7/22. I mentioned up-thread that I had to do that earlier this week for the purpose of combining multiple travel funds from my cancelled April trip. When I canceled my new booking to combine the funds, the travel funds did show a 5/27/20 expiration date, which is one year from the date I booked it. That's the default. However, the travel fund expiration date updated to 9/7/22 in accordance with this policy during the overnight hours, and the updated expiration date was visible to me when logged into my RR account on the next business day.

If you have any remaining travel funds from your cancelled trip, you can check the expiration date when logged into your RR account. If it still shows 5/28/21, I would call about it because that shouldn't be the case. For your December trip, you'd have to cancel by 9/7/20 in order to retain a 9/7/22 expiration date, otherwise it would default back to 5/28/21.

 

[Leigh L]

Yes this information I did see but as I mentioned I paid with travel funds which had an expiration date of 9/22 and once I booked my flight the expiration date changed to 8/28/21. So I’m just hoping that expiration date of travel funds will extend back to 9/22 when I cancel this flight.

I'm sorry, I totally somehow missed the travel funds part.
I hope that works out and they do extend it back for you where it originally was.

 

[winnieofpooh]

This is the current policy: https://www.southwest.com/Coronavirus/

Midway down on the page it says:
"However, in recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:
-Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020, will now expire September 7, 2022.
-Any travel funds created because you cancel a flight between March 1 – September 7, 2020, will expire September 7, 2022."

If you book a flight and cancel it now, prior to September 7th, travel funds will be created and thus will expire 9/7/22. I mentioned up-thread that I had to do that earlier this week for the purpose of combining multiple travel funds from my cancelled April trip. When I canceled my new booking to combine the funds, the travel funds did show a 5/27/20 expiration date, which is one year from the date I booked it. That's the default. However, the travel fund expiration date updated to 9/7/22 in accordance with this policy during the overnight hours, and the updated expiration date was visible to me when logged into my RR account on the next business day.

If you have any remaining travel funds from your cancelled trip, you can check the expiration date when logged into your RR account. If it still shows 5/28/21, I would call about it because that shouldn't be the case. For your December trip, you'd have to cancel by 9/7/20 in order to retain a 9/7/22 expiration date, otherwise it would default back to 5/28/21.

Yeah, I might end up calling in eventually.

We booked yesterday using travel funds, and this morning I changed our arrival date and got a $30 travel fund credit. The travel funds from that are showing as a 5/28/21 expiration date.

Edit: unless that only applies to canceled flights, and not just changes?

 

[nkereina]

Yeah, I might end up calling in eventually.

We booked yesterday using travel funds, and this morning I changed our arrival date and got a $30 travel fund credit. The travel funds from that are showing as a 5/28/21 expiration date.

Edit: unless that only applies to canceled flights, and not just changes?

The policy does say travel funds created because you cancel a flight -

Midway down on the page it says:
"However, in recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:
-Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020, will now expire September 7, 2022.
-Any travel funds created because you cancel a flight between March 1 – September 7, 2020, will expire September 7, 2022."

So that's probably why. But also, in my experience, the updated expiration date to 9/7/22 was not viewable in my RR account until the next business day after I canceled it. It defaults to the one year date from your booking date, but seems to update to the 2022 expiration during what I assume is some batch processing SWA does.

 

[shoreward]

Yes this information I did see but as I mentioned I paid with travel funds which had an expiration date of 9/22 and once I booked my flight the expiration date changed to 8/28/21. So I’m just hoping that expiration date of travel funds will extend back to 9/22 when I cancel this flight.

I cancelled a friend’s booking made with travel funds about 8 hours later. The original expiration date of the funds was one year from yesterday. Several hours later, the expiration date was changed to September 2022.

Yeah, I might end up calling in eventually.

We booked yesterday using travel funds, and this morning I changed our arrival date and got a $30 travel fund credit. The travel funds from that are showing as a 5/28/21 expiration date.

Edit: unless that only applies to canceled flights, and not just changes?

I would give it till the end of today for the expiration date to update to 2022.

 

[teawar]

I also support waiting a full 24 hours before calling.I canceled 3 flights for My family members early morning on 5/28 that were schedule to fly to Hawaii on 6/12. These were rescheduled from a March trip I booked back on 9/25/19. The travel vouchers showed of an expiration date of 9/25/20. I checked several times yesterday to see if it rolled over to the new September 2022 expiration, and it had not, which made me a little nervous. I checked this morning on 5/29 and the dates had all changed. I’m confident the same will happen for you. Good luck!

 

[eeyore29]

To those who have a better handle on all this than I do...am I understanding this correctly?
In April, we booked flights for August. If I cancel those flights since we're not going with the current guidelines, I'll lose whatever I paid for EBCI, but I'll have until 9/7/22 to use the money I paid for the flights...? And I'd have to cancel those flights by 9/7/20 in order to get the 2 year allowance?
But if I change to a December flight for now, to hold onto my EBCI, and then change to another flight later, I only have 1 year from the original purchase date to use the money I paid, so I'd only have until April 2021 to use those funds...?
So I have to weigh our priority of losing $50/person (EBCI) & paying for EBCI again versus having 2 years to use our travel funds...?

 

[MarBee]

So I booked a dummy flight with my travel funds. I used all of the ones that expired 10/4/20 plus some that expired 9/2022.
I cancelled the flight today. Now all of those funds say they expire 10/4/20.
Anyone have any advice?

 

[Erica Ladd]

They say it takes at least 24 hours to update

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

I'm glad I didn't book Christmas flights to Disney yesterday. With the changes that came out late yesterday, I don't think we'll be going at Christmas. We also have an August trip that is in jeopardy. I'll have a large stash of funds.

 

[Leigh L]

So I booked a dummy flight with my travel funds. I used all of the ones that expired 10/4/20 plus some that expired 9/2022.
I cancelled the flight today. Now all of those funds say they expire 10/4/20.
Anyone have any advice?

Check tomorrow. I canceled DH's August SW flight about a week ago (booked with a travel fund from 9/2019 and a gift card). When I canceled it said 9/18/20, but the next morning had changed dates.

 

[nkereina]

To those who have a better handle on all this than I do...am I understanding this correctly?
In April, we booked flights for August. If I cancel those flights since we're not going with the current guidelines, I'll lose whatever I paid for EBCI, but I'll have until 9/7/22 to use the money I paid for the flights...? And I'd have to cancel those flights by 9/7/20 in order to get the 2 year allowance?
But if I change to a December flight for now, to hold onto my EBCI, and then change to another flight later, I only have 1 year from the original purchase date to use the money I paid, so I'd only have until April 2021 to use those funds...?
So I have to weigh our priority of losing $50/person (EBCI) & paying for EBCI again versus having 2 years to use our travel funds...?

You have it correct. However, if you cancel now, most people have had success with contacting SWA and receiving a LUV voucher in amount of what you paid for EBCI. From what I have seen, the success is mostly by contacting them via social media message. Also, the LUV voucher would most likely be issued to one person for the whole total, and would only be valid for one year from the issue date.

So I booked a dummy flight with my travel funds. I used all of the ones that expired 10/4/20 plus some that expired 9/2022.
I cancelled the flight today. Now all of those funds say they expire 10/4/20.
Anyone have any advice?

Yes, as others have said, wait and see tomorrow. It updated overnight for us.

 

[MarBee]

They say it takes at least 24 hours to update

Check tomorrow. I canceled DH's August SW flight about a week ago (booked with a travel fund from 9/2019 and a gift card). When I canceled it said 9/18/20, but the next morning had changed dates.

You have it correct. However, if you cancel now, most people have had success with contacting SWA and receiving a LUV voucher in amount of what you paid for EBCI. From what I have seen, the success is mostly by contacting them via social media message. Also, the LUV voucher would most likely be issued to one person for the whole total, and would only be valid for one year from the issue date.


Yes, as others have said, wait and see tomorrow. It updated overnight for us.

You guys are awesome! And correct as usual! 24 hours and now it’s 9/22

 

[winnieofpooh]

I cancelled a friend’s booking made yesterday with travel funds, and then cancelled about 8 hours later. The original expiration date of the funds was one year from yesterday. Several hours later, the expiration date was changed to September 2022.

I would give it till the end of today for the expiration date to update to 2022.

You were right! Checked this morning and it was updated to 9/22.

 

[pooch]

I know, asked and answered a dozen (or more) times here. DD has 3 different travel funds under 1 confirmation number in her name. One of the three does not have the 9/7/2022 expiration date (really its only $11 but...) If I use that as part of the travel funds payment for a dummy flight, then cancel it, all 3 travel funds will have the 9/7/2022 expiration date, correct?

 

[nkereina]

So any family is going to be planning a vacation at a Disney Resort, and after having all their dining plans cancelled by Disney, families may find that 'availability' really means take-out?

I know, asked and answered a dozen (or more) times here. DD has 3 different travel funds under 1 confirmation number in her name. One of the three does not have the 9/7/2022 expiration date (really its only $11 but...) If I use that as part of the travel funds payment for a dummy flight, then cancel it, all 3 travel funds will have the 9/7/2022 expiration date, correct?

Yes, you would have to combine it with one other travel fund on a dummy flight booking, then cancel it. By the next business day, the new travel fund from the dummy flight should update to 9/7/22 leaving you with that travel fund and the other one you did not use, for a total of two. Keep in mind you can use a maximum of two travel funds per person when booking a flight.

 

[Girlworthfightingfor]

As of right now, we are planning on going over Thanksgiving. I bought our return flights with points the day the schedule opened but didn't buy the flight down as I was waiting to cash in our vouchers for our canceled summer trip for points since we are not positive that we will be going in November. I didn't realize that as long as I canceled the flight before September 7, the voucher would still have the September 2022 expiration date.
Anyway, now the price has gone up considerably and I'm kicking myself. Let's say I purchase the flight now but the price comes down later. Can I cancel that flight and rebook with the travel voucher immediately (since the expiration date will say June 1, 2021) but still retain the 2022 expiration date? Or do I need to cancel, then wait a day for the expiration date to return to 2022 and then rebook?
It's definitely a pricey one way flight but we have the vouchers to cover it. I know it's a holiday week and will be chancing it waiting for the price to drop.

 

[nkereina]

Let's say I purchase the flight now but the price comes down later. Can I cancel that flight and rebook with the travel voucher immediately (since the expiration date will say June 1, 2021) but still retain the 2022 expiration date? Or do I need to cancel, then wait a day for the expiration date to return to 2022 and then rebook?
It's definitely a pricey one way flight but we have the vouchers to cover it. I know it's a holiday week and will be chancing it waiting for the price to drop.

The 2022 expiration date will be retained for travel funds as long as you *cancel* a flight before September 7th, 2020. It won't work if you just change a flight for a price decrease, you'd have to actually cancel and create a new booking. If your question is whether any remaining travel funds will convert to the September 2022 expiration date, I believe they would under the current policy. You could still logistically book immediately after with your travel funds that would have a 6/1/21 expiration, and then anything remaining after that should convert to 9/2022 by the next business day.

 

[Girlworthfightingfor]

The 2022 expiration date will be retained for travel funds as long as you *cancel* a flight before September 7th, 2020. It won't work if you just change a flight for a price decrease, you'd have to actually cancel and create a new booking. If your question is whether any remaining travel funds will convert to the September 2022 expiration date, I believe they would under the current policy. You could still logistically book immediately after with your travel funds that would have a 6/1/21 expiration, and then anything remaining after that should convert to 9/2022 by the next business day.

Thank you. If I immediately rebook (not just change but cancel and repurchase) because the price decreases and then we choose to not go and cancel the flight before Sept. 7, would that travel voucher have the 2022 expiration date?