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Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

l8dyluck
Explorer C

On January 11th I purchased airline tickets for myself and my young child for travel in April, spending $637.40 per ticket. Due to unforseen family circumstances we had to cancel our trip. I know the funds expire a year from the date of purchase, but I am not planning to take another trip with my daughter this year. I was hoping to be able to use it for a trip the same time next year. I researched my options to see if there was a way to extend the expiration date of unused travel funds. I found a few posts on online forums re: this issue and I also spoke to a SWA service representative, but was finding different answers, so I thought I would ask here. According to SWA service rep, she said I would have to wait for the funds to expire before I could contact SWA Customer Relations Funds Dept on extending the expiration. That is the opposite of what I read in other online forums. I'm afraid if I wait until they expire I could take the change of losing $1300. Please advise. Thanks!

14 REPLIES 14

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

Southwest never extends the expiration date of travel funds. Your best bet is to wait until they expire and then call Customer Relations and ask for them to be reissued as a LUV Voucher. The fee for this is $100, which will be deducted from the funds balance. You have 6 months from expiration in which to make the request, and the voucher will be valid for use by anyone (not just the original passenger) for 6 months from the date of issue. These requests are granted on a case-by-case basis. Keep in mind that this unofficial policy is subject to change at any time, including the amount of the fee. Good luck!

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

doxer1050
Explorer C

I have unused travel funds with an experation date of March 2018. I plan on taking a trip in April 2018. In order to use these funds I will have to wait for them to expire and pay the $100 fee for a voucher. I then can apply that voucher to my flight in April. I am afraid that waiting until mid March to book a flight for mid April may be more expensive compared to booking the flight now. For example; if I wait until the funds expire, pay for the $100 voucher and the flight is $100 more expensive at the time I book it, I really took a $200 hit.

 

I know this may seem like alot of work to save possibly $200 but what if I were to book a flight prior to my unused funds experation date, with a value as close as possible to the unused fund amount. Then cancel that flight next week. If I am correct I would then have a new experation date for my unused funds of Jan 2019 and I can use them to book my flight for April 2018. This way I know the price will not go up as I get closer to April and I will not risk the flights I want being sold out.

 

Thoughts?

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

jennyfer1799
Explorer C

I would like to know if that is true.

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@jennyfer1799wrote:

I would like to know if that is true.


 

If what is true?

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

FF
Explorer C

Unfortunately, regardless of how many times you book a flight and cancel it, the expiration date is determined by the original confirmation code as the applicable travel funds can be used for a year from the original booking date.

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@FFwrote:

Unfortunately, regardless of how many times you book a flight and cancel it, the expiration date is determined by the original confirmation code as the applicable travel funds can be used for a year from the original booking date.


Combining old funds and new funds also makes the expiration the oldest date for all of the funds.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

LadyRai14
Explorer C

Hello, last year I purchased a round trip from Chicago to Las Vegas conformation # B685C8 totaling $135.97. Due to a suddent health problems and hospitalization I had to cancel my trip. I would like to use my refund for a different trip to Atlatnta. However, my expected travel date is October 4, 2017 and my ticket's expiration date is for September 30, 2017. Which leads to the purpose for this email to ask for an extention on the expiration date.

 

The  round trip I would to purchase are for these flights

  • 08:20 AM
    Depart Chicago (Midway), IL (MDW) on Southwest Airlines
    Stops:
    St. Louis, MO
     
    Flight
    #1507
  • 12:50 PM
    Arrive in Atlanta, GA (ATL)
     
  • 12:40 PM
    Depart Atlanta, GA (ATL) on Southwest Airlines
    Flight
    #634
  • 01:35 PM
    Arrive in Chicago (Midway), IL

 

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Read the post directly above yours.


@LadyRai14 wrote:

Hello, last year I purchased a round trip from Chicago to Las Vegas conformation # B685C8 totaling $135.97. Due to a suddent health problems and hospitalization I had to cancel my trip. I would like to use my refund for a different trip to Atlatnta. However, my expected travel date is October 4, 2017 and my ticket's expiration date is for September 30, 2017. Which leads to the purpose for this email to ask for an extention on the expiration date.

 

The  round trip I would to purchase are for these flights

  • 08:20 AM
    Depart Chicago (Midway), IL (MDW) on Southwest Airlines
    Stops:
    St. Louis, MO
     
    Flight
    #1507
  • 12:50 PM
    Arrive in Atlanta, GA (ATL)
     
  • 12:40 PM
    Depart Atlanta, GA (ATL) on Southwest Airlines
    Flight
    #634
  • 01:35 PM
    Arrive in Chicago (Midway), IL

 


 

Re: Extending Expiration Date for Unused Travel Funds

bec102896
Aviator A

@LadyRai14 

 

I would recommend editing your post to remove your confirmation number as that might be considered personal info and I wouldn't want anything to happen to your funds.