Using cancelled flight funds

[conniegodinez]

Hello,

 I am looking to use my cancelled flight funds before my expiration date. Am I able to book a new flight prior to my expiration date even if I am flying after the expirations date?

Please advise!

Thanks!
Connie

[chgoflyer · Accepted solution]

No, all travel must be completed by the expiration date.

[CareforNOLA]

@conniegodinez, even worse, if you use travel funds that expire on day 1 to buy a ticket on day 360, but you pay extra (above the amount of travel funds), and then you cancel the new ticket, I am fairly sure you get the old expiration on the entire new ticket.

So I try not to use travel funds on a trip that I might have to cancel.  I buy rickets very far in advance, so I always end up with a lot of travel funds from re-booking cheaper tickets, then I use the funds for last minute changes.

[DancingDavidE]

For multiple funds that have separate confirmation numbers of different ages, they will expire individually.

I guess I don't know about the case where you add cash to funds wtih an already aged confirmation number. Maybe you can call and get that reinstated for its own 365 day expiration.

[chgoflyer]

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wrote:

For multiple funds that have separate confirmation numbers of different ages, they will expire individually.

I guess I don't know about the case where you add cash to funds wtih an already aged confirmation number. Maybe you can call and get that reinstated for its own 365 day expiration.

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Actually, no.

Whenever you apply a travel fund to any itinerary, that new itinerary takes on the expiration date of the travel funds applied. If you apply multiple funds, there are no longer any individual expirations -- all of the funds will take on the expiration date of the earliest expiring fund. This includes any new cash you add.

Example: You book a flight on Jan. 1 for travel on March 15, then later cancel that flight. You now have travel funds that expire December 31. In October, you book a flight to travel on December 1 using those travel funds and $50 new money. That new itinerary now expires not in October of the following year, but on December 31. If you have to cancel that December 1 flight, the funds you have -- in total, including the new cash you added -- will only be good for new travel that is completed before December 31.

You cannot call and get expiration dates "reinstated." Southwest will never change the expiration date of any funds -- officially, they say that their systems don't even allow them to do it.

Once your funds are expired, you can call and request they be reissued as a voucher, for a fee of $100 which is deducted from the funds. You have 6 months from expiration in which to make the request, and the voucher will be valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Vouchers are valid for travel only, not including any taxes of fees (which must be paid for separately) but are usable by anyone -- not just the original passenger(s) as with travel funds. Requests are granted on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed. This is a non-publicly published internal policy, and everything about it is subject to change at any time, including the amount of the fee, which has been raised from $50 (then $75) over the past couple few years.

[jfaz99]

I would to use my unused funds to book a new flight for me and wife