@denisenoelle wrote:
I recently booked a trip that was going to cost me $183.00. Since I had travel funds in the amount of $19 that I knew was going to be expiring soon, I used that towards the trip for the slight reduction in what I would have to pay. Turns out I had to cancel the trip. While I expected I would lose the $19 since it was nearing its expiration anyway, what I didn't expect was that I would lose the rest of what I paid as well! Logic told me that the approximate $160 I paid in new money would be good for one year from the date I booked the flight, but no -- the entire thing now expires on August 1st. Since I have no plans to fly anywhere before then I'm losing it all, which I don't think is fair. Had I not used that stupid $19, I'd have $183 available to use for a year instead of just until August 1st of this year. Wish I'd known.
Unfortunately, your understanding is correct. Whenever you apply any travel funds or vouchers to a new booking, that itinerary takes on the earliest expiration date of any of the applied funds.
There's one unpublished policy that may help you somewhat. Once the funds are expired (within 6 months), reach out to Customer Relations and request they be reissued as a voucher. There's a $100 fee (deducted from the balance), but this will allow you to recover at least some of the funds. These requests are granted on a case-by-case basis (almost always approved), and the voucher will be valid for 6 months from the date of issue.
