will southwest extend travel funds

What To Do When You Have Expired Southwest Travel Funds

When you cancel the flight, you don’t receive a refund. Instead, you’re provided a credit, which is called a Travel Fund by Southwest. These travel fund credits are different from a Southwest LUV voucher given to passengers for customer service reasons.

You receive travel fund credits if you paid money for your ticket. If you used Southwest Rapid Rewards points, those points are reinstated and any booking taxes refunded to your credit card.

There are several things you need to know about travel funds. Listen carefully, as these rules even tripped me up:

• The credit is issued through the Confirmation number on the original reservation. It’s up to you to remember that you have the credit and while it may be listed in your account, there are reasons why it might not.
• The credit can only be used for the same passenger as the original ticket. You can’t cancel your ticket and then use the credit for anyone else.
• The credit will expire one year after the PURCHASE DATE of the original ticket. Not the date of the flight, but the day you bought the ticket.
• You need to complete your flight by the expiration date of the credit.

In March 2017, we bought tickets to Chicago. We needed to change our flights and I ended up canceling one of the Southwest flights and changing to United because the United tickets were much cheaper. I knew that I’d get a credit for Southwest that we would use for future flights. (If it were today, I never would have done it .)

I’d already made most of our flight reservations for the rest of the year, and Southwest wouldn’t work very well for the few things not booked. We did have a trip the following year, but it was two days after the vouchers were due to expire. I wasn’t going to plan an additional trip just to use the vouchers. So my big plan to save money might have caused me to lose out on $400.

As it turned out, we didn’t lose all the money. I ended up needing to book a solo trip from New York to Seattle. While Southwest wasn’t the first carrier I thought about on the route, it allowed me to leave from the same airport as Sharon, and spend some time in the LaGuardia AMEX Centurion lounge to get some work done.

That flight used up most of my $190 credit but we had nothing to do with Sharon’s funds and they eventually EXPIRED . I Googled and found messages about how you may turn these credits into a voucher , but I couldn’t find a strict policy saying they had to do this.

What did we have to lose, except $190? I hate asking Sharon to make these calls ( Note from Sharon: I really detest talking on the phone ) but it was her ticket. I looked up a number for Southwest Corporate Sales Support. I’m not sure if this is the correct number but it did work to get the job done. If you want to see the numbers, the list is on Southwest’s Website HERE .

An agent quickly helped Sharon to investigate the problem. The credit was expired but they could issue us a LUV Voucher. $100 would be removed from the value of the expired travel fund and anyone could use this voucher within a six-month period from issue. Unlike the travel fund, It could be used by any traveler, not just the original ticketed passenger. They would issue the voucher to us by email at the address on file and we should receive it in three to four days.

OK, so don’t call for the expired credit and hope to book a flight that day with the voucher as that ain’t gonna happen. As it turned out, we had to call a second time ( Note from Sharon: “WE” had to call again? How about *I* had to call a second time? Joy of joys… ) and found out the first representative didn’t enter the request properly. After that call, I received an email a few days later with the voucher information on it.

Southwest put some exceptions for existing travel funds and funds created for flights during the peak of the COVID crisis in 2020.

Previously, Customers’ travel funds that have expired or would have expired between  March 1 – June 30, 2020 , or travel funds that were created because of a cancellation between  March 1 – June 30, 2020 , had an expiration date of  June 30, 2021 . We are now expanding the window of funds eligible for extended expiration dates and extending the expiration date of these funds.  Funds that are set to expire or funds that are created between   March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020 , will have an expiration date of   September 7, 2022.

If you have funds covered by this policy, you have until next September to complete your travel. However, passengers who booked tickets after September 7, 2020, and received travel funds are set to see those funds expire. Remember you need to complete travel by the expiration date.

Final Thoughts

I guess the first thing I want to stress is to keep close track of when your Southwest credits expire. We were lucky to use one just under the wire and had to let the other one expire. If the travel fund amount is worth over $100, you can call and try to have Southwest transfer the value to a voucher. Even if it’s just a few dollars, it’s still your money. Just remember that money has to be spent in six months.

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10 comments.

Hi. If credits are about to expire (say September 1), and you want to travel after (say September 10), can you book travel for a date like August 20th before the expiration date, and then CHANGE the flight to your desired travel date?

I’ve never tried this but the expiration date of the credit is built into SW’s booking system. When you change a flight on Southwest, you’re cancelling the first reservation and then booking the new one, but at the same time. My guess is that the system wouldn’t let you do the change because the new flight date is past the expiration date of the credit. Depending on the value of the credit, you’re only option may be to take the $100 fee and transfer it into a voucher. That will give you another six months and more flexibility on who can use the money.

One additional comment: The LUV voucher will apparently be issued only for individual flight credits > $100, but not if you have multiple sub-$100 flight credits that sum to > $100. So in my case, I had 3 credits that were each $100 — the 3 sub-$100 credits were not redeemable at all, so I only was able to get a credit for the amount of the over-$100 credit (less $100 for the voucher issuance). Still better than nothing, though…

I think that’s the way it works. Amount of credit – $100 = voucher. So if the credit is less than $100, oh well. Makes it even more important to make sure you don’t forget to use vouchers before they expire.

Is it the $100 fee per travel fund? Or if you have multiple travel funds would it be only $100 total?

The $100 gets deducted from each travel fund when it gets converted into a voucher.

This policy is so customer unfriendly. I bet a very large percentage of these time limited credits get lost in the shuffle of booking and later changing multiple flights. Southwest could set up a place to hold these credits and their expiration dates transparently like Alaska air does with My Wallet. It would cost SW some money to do this as many customers just lose track and forfeit their credits. Paying with money instead of points gets messy when you change reservations. I love Southwest overall but this policy is a problem.

I find it hard to call Southwest’s policy customer unfriendly when it is the most generous refund policy of any airline. I guess it’s much easier to keep track on Delta, United or American where if you need to cancel your flight, you’re probably not going to get anything back because of the hundreds of dollars in fees they’ll charge.

last yr, decided to send an email to the Exec Off, where it kindly issued a 6-month voucher for my sub $100 credit as a 1-time courtesy

You can check your Travel Funds here https://www.southwest.com/flight/travel-funds-search.html

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How to Use Southwest Travel Funds

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Southwest is one of the most popular airlines to fly in the U.S., partially because it offers a generous cancellation and flight change policy. However, depending upon the ticket you buy, you may receive travel funds instead of a cash refund in the event your flight plans change.

Here's how to use Southwest travel funds.

How do you get Southwest travel funds?

Thanks to its no-fee change/cancellation policy, Southwest provides a full refund or issues travel funds to your account. To benefit from this generous policy, you must cancel your flight at least 10 minutes before departure.

Here’s how to determine what kind of refund you’ll get:

You get a full refund to your original payment method when you book Anytime or Business Select tickets.

You get travel funds when you book Wanna Get Away or Wanna Get Away Plus tickets. If you use Rapid Rewards points, they will be returned to your Southwest account. Any refunded taxes will go to your travel funds.

Business Select and Anytime fares offer the most flexibility, but they also cost more than Wanna Get Away fares. Wanna Get Away fares, on the other hand, offer the lowest prices. But if you need to cancel or choose to rebook to a lower-priced flight , your only choice is to receive travel funds — cash refunds aren't on the table.

» Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards program: the complete guide

Where can you see your travel funds balance?

When you log in to your Rapid Rewards loyalty account, your travel funds appear at the top of the "My Account" screen.

This shows the total available travel funds that you have, but it does not provide the details. You need to click on "View Details" to see the balance of the individual travel fund reservations. Here, you find the expiration date and balance for each reservation. As of July 28, 2022, any unexpired funds and any funds created from there on out will no longer expire. Southwest is updating their system, so for the time being, an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2040, will be displayed in the expiration field. Eventually, that field will go away altogether.

If you don't have a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards account, booked a flight that didn't have your loyalty number attached to it or have travel funds from a special purchase ticket, then you'll need to track them manually. Signing up for a Rapid Rewards account is free to do.

Unfortunately, you cannot manually add travel funds to your profile. To track your travel funds manually, visit the " Check Travel Funds " page on Southwest's website. You'll need to provide the passenger's first and last name plus the confirmation number from the reservation. On this page, you can also check the balance of Southwest LUV vouchers and gift cards.

» Learn more: Don't just redeem miles — redeem them wisely. Here's how

What can I do if my travel funds have expired?

While unexpired funds and newly created funds no longer have an expiration date as of July 28, 2022, what if you have travel funds that expired just before this change in policy? According to the Southwest Community message boards, your one hope is to call customer service within six months of the expiration and ask them to reinstate your travel funds as a LUV voucher. The LUV voucher will be good for another six months from the date of your call. Southwest charges $100 for this one-time extension and it comes out of your travel funds.

» Learn more: Southwest Airlines sweet spots

What can Southwest travel funds be used for?

Travel funds from Southwest can be used to book any available cash flight or to pay for the taxes and fees on award flights. They are treated like cash and can be used to pay for some or all of the amount owed. If you don't use all of the travel funds for the reservation, any remaining balance remains for future use.

» Learn more: Your guide to booking award flights on Southwest

Can I use Southwest travel fund for someone else?

Your travel funds can be transferred to someone else with a Rapid Rewards account if you bought a a Business Select , Anytime or Wanna Get Away Plus fare. That person would have to book their own flight using the travel fund, though. You won't be able to use your travel fund to book for someone else. Wanna Get Away fares are not eligible to transferred, so they can only be used by the ticketed passenger.

4 steps to book a flight with Southwest travel funds

Your travel funds can be used to book flights online, over the phone or at a Southwest Airlines ticket counter. For this illustration, we'll focus on booking a reservation online.

1. Have your original ticket confirmation number handy

Before booking a reservation, print out or write down the travel funds reservation number(s) that you'd like to use. Southwest's website does not allow you to choose from a list during booking.

2. Browse and select your flights

During the booking process, you'll select your travel dates, cities and times as normal.

3. Apply your travel funds

When you arrive at the "Passenger & Payment Info" page, click to expand the "Apply Travel Funds, LUV Vouchers and gift cards" section. Here is where you'll enter your travel funds' confirmation number and your first and last name before clicking "Apply funds." Then, continue the booking process as normal and pay any remaining balance owed with your preferred form of payment, such as the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card .

Again, you may use your travel funds for cash fares or to pay the taxes and fees on award tickets.

Remember, travel funds from other passengers may not be applied to your ticket.

4. Get confirmation

Now that you've filled out all of the necessary information and remitted payment with your travel fund, you should see a confirmation email pop up in your inbox.

» Learn more: Is a Southwest credit card worth it?

Using Southwest travel funds

Southwest travel funds are typically created when you cancel or change a Wanna Get Away reservation. They are automatically added to your account when you attach your Rapid Rewards number to the reservation before it is canceled. These funds can be used to book cash or award travel, and any unused amount from your new reservation can be used on a future flight.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

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1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

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UponArriving

Southwest Travel Funds (Expiration, How to use, Etc.) [2021]

Sometimes you need to cancel a flight or you just flat out miss a flight with Southwest. In those instances, all hope is not lost and all of your value is not lost either. That is because you will likely be issued Southwest travel funds (depending on the type of ticket that you purchased).

In this comprehensive article, I will show you everything you need to know about Southwest travel funds. I’ll discuss how you get them, how to use them, and important details like when they expire. I will also touch on gift cards and LUV vouchers for added clarification.

Table of Contents

What are Southwest travel funds?

Southwest travel funds are special funds that usually get issued when you are given a refunded credit for your Southwest flight. Southwest travel funds are different from gift card balances and Southwest LUV vouchers and I’ll discuss those below for added clarification.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Best Southwest credit cards

Southwest airlines rapid rewards premier card.

The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card comes with the following benefits:

• No foreign transaction fees
• 6,000 anniversary points ( learn more )
• Earn 1,500 Tier-Qualifying Points for every $10,000 in purchases, up to 15,000 Tier-Qualifying Points each calendar year
• $99 Annual fee

Southwest Airlines Priority Card

The Southwest Airlines Priority Card comes with all of the benefits offered below:

• 2X Rapid Rewards on Southwest purchases
• 2X Rapid Rewards on hotel and car rental partner purchases.
• 1X Rapid Rewards on all other purchases
• $75 Southwest annual travel credit ( learn more )
• 7,500 anniversary points each year
• Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
• 20% back on in-flight drinks, WiFi, messaging, and movies
• Earn tier qualifying points towards A-list Status
• $149 annual fee applied to your first billing statement

How to get Southwest travel funds

Typically, you will get Southwest travel funds whenever you cancel a flight or you fail to show up for a flight (a “no show”).

One of the most common ways to get Southwest travel funds is to receive a credit for your canceled flight.

Southwest Airlines has one of the most generous cancellation policies out of any major airline in the US. They allow you to change your flights with no additional fee (up to 1 hour prior to departure) and allow you to cancel your flight up to 10 minutes prior to the departure time.

Anytime fare or a Business Select fare

If you purchased an Anytime fare or a Business Select fare then you can cancel up to 10 minutes prior to the departure time and receive a full refund. However, if you fail to cancel your flight you will be issued Southwest travel funds in place of that refund.

Wanna-Get-Away fare

If you purchased a Wanna-Get-Away fare you are not allowed to receive a full cash refund. Instead, you will receive Southwest travel funds whenever you cancel your ticket at least 10 minutes prior to departure. But keep in mind that if you fail to show up for your flight and don’t cancel your ticket at least 10 minutes prior to departure, you will not be issued any type of credit at anytime and you will lose all of your travel funds. 

Award reservations

If you had an award reservation then your Rapid Rewards will be deposited back into your account. However, any taxes and fees associated with your reward travel reservation will be held for future use in the form of reusable travel funds under the name of the traveler(s).

Also keep in mind that if you purchase Southwest EarlyBird, that is a nonrefundable purchase and you will not receive travel funds for that. To find out more about Southwest EarlyBird click here .

2020 Coronavirus travel funds update 

Extended expiration.

If you purchased a nonrefundable fare (such as a Wanna-Get-Away fare) for travel between March 1 and September 7, 2020 and you cancel your flight “in accordance with Southwest’s No Show Policy,” you will receive travel funds good through September 7, 2022.

However, once you use those travel funds for a purchase they will then expire one year from the date of purchase.

So for example if you redeemed travel funds on July 1, 2021 then those travel funds would expire July 1, 2022.

Travel funds with an expiration date of September 7, 2022, can be converted into Rapid Rewards points at the same rate you would be able to purchase a ticket with points today.

You must request to convert your travel fund by December 15, 2020.

Southwest gift cards

Southwest gift cards can be purchased from the Southwest website at anytime  or you can purchase them via phone by calling Southwest Airlines at 1-800-IFLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792).

You can choose any amount between $10 dollars and $10,000 dollars so the range is quite extreme. (Orders exceeding $1,000 can be made by printing the  Southwest gift card order form  and following the directions provided.)

You can also choose to have these gift cards delivered via email, or you can have them sent via mail. But note that if you were getting them sent via the mail, you will have to pay the shipping fees. If you prefer, you can also expedite the shipping of these gift cards.

A Southwest gift card is NOT valid for the purchase of:

• Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages
• Rental cars
• Southwest Airlines Merchandise
• EarlyBird Check-In
• Additional Southwest gift cards
• In-flight purchases

Related: How much are Southwest points worth?

Southwest LUV Vouchers

Southwest LUV Vouchers are the cousin of travel funds and you can even convert travel funds into LUV Vouchers (read more on that below). 

LUV Vouchers are valid as a form of payment toward future airfare only on Southwest Airlines through Southwest.com , toll-free Reservations 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792), or at any Southwest Airlines Ticket Counter.

Southwest LUV Vouchers are not redeemable as:

• Payment toward Government-imposed segment fees
• Excise taxes
• Passenger Facility Charges
• September 11th Security Fees or
• Payment toward miscellaneous charges
• Southwest Airlines Group tickets
• Southwest Airlines Vacations packages
• or travel either wholly or in part on other air carriers.

When do Southwest travel funds expire?

Southwest travel funds will expire one year from the purchase date (booking date) of the original flight. This is a huge thing to know because some people assume that the expiration date is one year from the date of travel, which is not the case.

Southwest Airlines does not offer free extensions for the expiration date for travel funds. However, you still might be able to get them to extend the expiration date of your travel funds. This will likely come at a cost of though.

Travel funds expire date extension

Many people extend the expiration date for their travel funds after paying a $100 reinstatement fee. The travel funds are then converted into LUV vouchers when the reinstatement takes place.

You may only have 6 months to request the reinstatement and you must make your request after your travel funds expire. Also, the LUV voucher may only be valid for 6 months from issue so inquire about its expiration date. 

Sometimes Southwest has reduced the value of the travel funds when they are reinstated so be on the lookout for that.

The good thing about getting a LUV voucher is that you should be able to use that for anybody. So in some instances, it could be very well worth it to pay $100 so that you can apply those funds to a different traveler. 

If your funds have already expired, then I highly suggest that you call and inquire about all of the above possibilities. If the phone representative is not willing to budge, then I suggest that you try calling back later and speaking with another representative.

Note that it is possible that the policies regarding reinstated travel funds are subject to change at anytime so always be prepared for alternative measures!

What about gift cards and vouchers?

Unlike Southwest travel funds, the gift cards do not expire.

However, Southwest LUV Vouchers must be redeemed and all travel completed by the expiration date indicated. If applied in conjunction with any other accepted form(s) of payment, the earliest expiration date of all payments applies.

Southwest will often grant extensions for LUV vouchers but will usually refuse an extension if that LUV voucher was received as a result of getting an extension from your travel funds expiration date. However, if you were given a LUV voucher because of some sort of customer service issue, then you will likely be granted at least one extension for the expiration date.

How to check/view your Southwest travel funds

If you would like to check the status of your Southwest travel funds then simply log-in to your Southwest account and then click on “My Account.” You will then see “My travel funds” at the top and you’ll just need to click on “View Travel Funds.” 

You can also do so by clicking here. You will need to have your confirmation number and the passengers first and last name. On that website, you can also check the balance of your Southwest gift card and vouchers.

If you do not have your flight details, you might run into some resistance because Southwest does state that you need this information to look up your travel funds:

Customers calling Southwest to request a refund or to research travel funds for a specific ticket must provide their confirmation number, ticket number or flight information (date, origin and destination).

How to use and apply Southwest travel funds

It is very simple to use your Southwest travel funds.

When you are getting ready to complete the booking of your flight, you should see a button on the checkout screen under the Payment method window for Travel Funds. You will want to click that and then enter in the confirmation number and passenger name from the reservation of the canceled or unused flight.

Keep in mind that the passenger name must match the name of the traveler on the new flight perfectly. You cannot use Southwest travel funds for someone else. You also cannot transfer your travel funds to someone else.

As Southwest states:

Travel Funds from an unused or cancelled reservation may only be applied toward the purchase of future travel for the individual named on the ticket.

But keep in mind the possible exception where you convert your travel funds into LUV vouchers. That route comes with a cost and some risk, but if it works out it can be a way to get around the transferability rule.

Southwest travel funds FAQ

If you do not know your confirmation number, then try to search your inbox for Southwest emails. You should have been given an email at the time of booking containing your confirmation number. The subject line will usually state “Your reservation is confirmed.” You might also be able to locate the confirmation number by logging into your Southwest account and clicking on your past activity which you find under “My Trips.” If all else fails then consider calling the following phone number: 1-800-435-9792 (1-800 I FLY SWA).

You should note that you can only use these funds for airfare or for Southwest vacation packages. They cannot be applied for other purchases like in-flight purchases, Southwest Earlybird, and other random airline incidentals.

A lot of people don’t have use for their travel funds and they want to know if they can convert the travel funds into cash money. The answer to this question is no. If Southwest allowed customers to do that, it would honestly defeat the entire purpose of issuing travel credits in the first place so it is understandable that they do not allow this.

It is possible that when you go to apply your Southwest travel funds that they will not work. If that is the case, then I suggest calling up Southwest right away and explaining to them that you believe that you have travel funds that should be applied and that they are not working during the checkout process.

If you would like to check the status of your Southwest travel funds then simply log-in to your Southwest account and then click on “My Account.” You will then see “My travel funds” at the top and you’ll just need to click on “View Travel Funds.” 

When you are getting ready to complete the booking of your flight, you should see a button on the checkout screen under the Payment method window for Travel Funds. Click that and then enter in the confirmation number and passenger name from the reservation of the canceled or unused flight.

Southwest is one of the most generous airlines when it comes to changing flights and canceling your flights. Receiving Southwest travel funds for your cancellations and no show instances can be a great way to not miss out on a lot value. Just make sure that you stay on top of tracking the expiration date for your funds so that you properly use them in time.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

23 comments

Hi, I tried to get my travel funds reinstated within the 6months period(by deducting 100), but they were not ready to do it, I have an other travel funds which is about to expire, I booked something and cancelled due to the corona virus scare, though I explained my situation about it, they were not ready to do it.I have been traveling via southwest from past 10 years, even though they were not ready to do it.They would have updated the funds on the app long back.Its so confusing with so many promotional emails from southwest.

So just to make sure, did you make your request after your travel funds expired or before?

I have 2 travel funds, one of them got expired in dec2019, and the other one is expiring on march 22nd 2020.So I requested for both.

The southwest site says you CAN use travel funds for southwest vacations. https://www.southwestvacations.com/deals/benefits-of-booking-southwest-vacations?clk=GSUBNAV-VAC-WHYBK&intcmp=GSUBNAV-VAC-WHYBK

Thanks for that. I’ve updated the article to clarify.

Question that may be very pertinent to this. I had small amount of travel funds to use ($20) which were expiring on 8/15/20. I just applied those to a new flight I just purchased last month (say 2/15/20). With the COVID-19 situation prices continue to drop and I noticed the new flight now is $34 less so I changed to get that $34 credit.

However, now when I look at my Travel funds, I do see the $34, but the expiry date is 8/15/20 (not 2/14/21 which is what I was expecting). It appears since I used that old Travel fund of $20, it is now applying that original expiry date to my new Travel funds. Is this how it should work? I could not find anything on this but it is important to know. It may not be worth to use those small travel fund amounts if they are expiring soon since any future larger credit you may get won’t have a long life.

I would be surprised that SWA would do this (the ticket I bought on 2/15 was $200 – so saying that when I applied that $20 travel fund to it, making that original ticket date be the new expiration date seems silly).

I have the same issue. On 2/20/2020 I booked a flight for this coming weekend using a credit card and a small travel fund balance that was set to expire on 7/16/2020. I’ve now cancelled that flight for obvious reasons, but the website shows the full amount (not the just the amount on the original travel fund) expires on 7/16/2020. Is this a glitch, or by design? If it’s supposed to work like that, then like the other poster wrote, be careful if you book a flight using a combination of travel funds and credit card…if you cancel that flight, you won’t get a full year credit on the amount you paid by credit card…

I recently (March 13,2020) had to make a change in travel. I did not have a computer access and call wait times were in excess of 90 minutes. I COULD NOT use my travel funds on the SOUTHWEST Android app. That is such a huge limitation. I could not load a desktop site on my phone.

Travelers should be aware of the limitation in using Travel Funds is ONLY AVAILABLE via the FULL SOUTHWEST.COM desktop site. Not their mobile app.

Southwest “should” fix this arbitrary limitation.

Excellent information! I canceled my trip last week due to the virus. I had purchased two tickets. When I book my next flight, I will obviously use the travel funds for my ticket. Will I be able to use those travel funds for the other person’s ticket…….she had a ticket on the canceled flight? I tried to call the airline for this question, but the wait time was long.

Travel funds are credited back to the passenger name on the original ticket. No one may use that credit except the original passenger. So if you bought three tickets for three different passengers, then each passenger will have a separate credit listed under their Specific name And under that confirmation code.

If you have travel funds that expire June 1, 2020 to you have to actually fly by June 1, 2020 or just book your next trip by then?

I was wondering the same thing. Have you found out the answer to this yet?

I am wondering that same thing. If my travel funds expire in April 2021, can I use them for a flight in June 2021?

I need to use my “credit” by March 13, 2021 from a cancelled flight. Can i book a ticket for later in the year or do I actually have to fly by March 13?

I do not understand why if I pay for tickets for other family members and they can’t be used, why I can not get the voucher back in my account? It really just doesn’t seem fair!

I purchased tickets for travel for my wife and me to fly to Hawaii last October. Due to personal reasons we could not go at that time. I promised my wife I would take her this past spring but due to the Covid outbreak you are not allowed to travel to Hawaii without quarantining for 2 weeks. My funds expire in October 2020 so basically I will lose my money unless I use the funds for other travel which I do not want to do until the Covid risk lessens. We are elderly and have other health problems so SWA is basically telling us to travel somewhere we don’t need or want to go and in the process risk our lives. What an airline!! By the way I have taken over 700 flights on SWA over the years and have been a loyal customer. As a result I will fly SWA as little as possible in the future. This will be easier now as all the other major airlines have done away with their change fees as well.

does using travel funds for a southwest flight count as a qualifying revenue flight. there are promos that require a revenue flight

I canceled over 10 upcoming flights on Southwest in mid-March just as the pandemic travel restrictions were starting in CA (I also canceled many more on 3 other airlines — I fly a couple times a week). I then went to transfer the credits to points and couldn’t find the cancelation notice (even though I wrote down when I canceled). I was told that the funds were “stuck” and therefore even though they had documentation of cancelation, I had to call corporate to have them establish the credit. I called corporate but after holding for 30 minutes, I didn’t have time to complete the transfer (but the person assured me the cancelation was in the record and would be issued when I called back). When I called back I was placed on hold for about 30 minutes and they told me that they didn’t see that I had canceled and would only issue credit for no-show (due to COVID) but the funds had to be used in a couple months (before my job will allow me to travel). Is there anything you advise?

Thank you for this great information. My question is about using SW travel funds by the expiration date, does “using” mean booking travel or travel by that date?

We have funds that expire in Sept. 2021. I plan to book flights next week for travel in Dec. 2021.

I too have the very same question…Seems it has been asked a lot on here and no one gets an answer. I sure hope to get an answer to this soon too.

So here’s the rub on travel funds, they expire 1 year after the booking date, not the travel date. But when you want to redeem them, the redemption date is the travel date, not the booking date. This is just pure evil!

Whoa! I am facing the similar issues that I read in this comment section. Really they have very conveniently kept hidden loopholes that would be experienced only by the customer who has to face such a situation. And very cleverly SW sneaks away gulping our hard earned money by luring you can have travel funds to use for future travel! Even though I pay with my credit card the travel fund could be used by only the passenger in whose name I bought the ticket. Why on earth the passenger who has enjoyed my buying ticket will get free travel funds to use but I can not use it if he/she is not flying and I need to fly for my own business to take care. Well, this time I had to cancel and rebook the tickets 4-5 times and in that rebooking I had to change my travel route that saved me and my husband more that $ 300 dollars for each of us. My husband is suffering with diabetes as well as lung cavity formed due to bacterial infection making him immunocompromised. Due to this corona/omicron fear he does not want to risk his life. Our travel funds are expiring on June 29, 2022. I spent several hours calling SW airline customer service, wait time 72 hours!, also tried calling through Southwest Credit card that I used to buy our tickets and from there trying to get some help with travel funds extension, no human available making me listening FREE MUSIC for infinite time. Why there is no e-mail facility to get in touch with them? No where on the entire site you can use e-mail contact except using the form the site want me to fill in. And unfortunately my issue is not among the reasons the page shows, I can not use e-mail route! Do you have any update about COVID 19 some modification in using travel funds beyond the expiration time limit? I would appreciate some feedback.

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Southwest Now Lets You Extend Expiring Funds for Another 6 Months

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Extend Southwest Expiring Funds for Another 6 Months

Southwest has shared a memo today with some unexpected good news. The airline is making a temporary positive change for those who have expiring travel funds.

Now through the end of the year, you can just contact Southwest and they will extend your expiring funds for another six months. This will be done through a Southwest LUV Voucher.

Here’s the text of the memo:

Knowing that our schedule will soon be extended past the 2022 holidays, Customers may be contacting us to use their funds that may not have expired yet but will expire before they want to travel. In preparation for the anticipated requests we will be receiving, the decision has been made to temporarily offer our Customers additional flexibility. Temporary Additional Flexibility – Effective June 1, 2022 $100 will not be deducted : For all Customers who contact us between June 1 and December 31, 2022, letting us know they are unable to use their funds during the RTF validity period, we will issue a Southwest LUV Voucher for the full value of the RTF, which means temporarily, you will not deduct $100 per our normal GOG exception. No longer required to contact us after the expiration date : Customers do not need to wait to contact us after the RTF expires. Between June 1 and December 31, 2022, If Customers contact us to advise they are unable to use their funds before the expiration date of the RTF and they do not want to wait until after the expiration date to request a Southwest LUV Voucher, we will force close the RTF and issue the SLV immediately. Please explain to the Customer that the SLV will be valid for six months from the issue date.

Southwest is being proactive and making a policy change that actually helps customers and makes it easier to extend expiring funds. You just contact Southwest and they will extend your funds for another six month, without deducting $100. That’s an additional six months since the date of of re-issuance.

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I spoke to a SW rep by phone 3 weeks ago, and he told me he was extending my and my husbands travel funds, expiring 9/7/22, to 12/29/22, which is 6 months from the date I called. But I was to wait for an email from SW confirming it, which I have not yet received. It is now 3 weeks since that call. Should I call again? I’m trying to be patient but I have a trip planned for a cruise in mid-November, and I need to get this flight on the books.

Confirming this worked!

[…] Hat tip to DDG […]

Not sure if everyone is aware of this memo. I called Southwest since I have Travel Funds expiring June 16. The CS rep said that they couldn’t extend the validity. I mentioned having read about this memo and was told that it’s only valid for funds issued during Covid with an expiry date in September. Will call again later.

The memo references Travel Funds. Do you think this would also apply to LUV vouchers that expire before the end of the year?

Say you have a credit expiring July 1, but don’t call to request until October 1, will the voucher be extended until Jan 1 or April 1?

My read is you’ll have waited until it expired, which may not be covered by this policy. Under the old system, at least, you would receive a voucher-minus-$100 expiring Oct 1.

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Southwest Airlines flight vouchers will no longer expire, company announces

Its insistence on not charging for baggage has long made it a passenger favorite, but Southwest Airlines have now worked out how to keep passengers loyal -- by announcing that vouchers with the airline will no longer have an expiration date.

The video featured is from a previous report.

As part of what Southwest calls a $2 billion attempt to improve customer service, Ryan Green, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, has announced that as of July 28, any vouchers created by Southwest will be valid until whenever the customer wants to use them. Green called it "ultimate flexibility that is unmatched in the industry" in a statement.

Any vouchers created before this date, but which have yet to expire, will also have their expiration date removed -- although passengers who couldn't take flights at the start of the pandemic, and had not rebooked, will not be helped by the announcement, CNN reported.

RELATED: What airlines owe customers if flights get canceled or delayed

Have a valid voucher? There's no need to do anything -- the new rules will apply automatically. You might initially see your voucher has been allocated an expiration date of December 31, 2040 -- but this is just a placeholder, says the airline. Once the technology can, it will obliterate all expiration dates.

Southwest is already generous with its allocation of credits. Travelers canceling a nonrefundable flight more than 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time are given a credit with the airline. There are also no change fees.

RELATED: From flight changes to cancelations, what rights to travelers have

"We repeatedly leaned in during the pandemic to give our customers more time to use their flight credits beyond a full year, which was our previous policy," Tony Roach,vice president of customer experience & engagement, said in a statement.

"Introducing this change in our policy is part of a massive effort to improve the things that are most important to our customers."

Other initiatives in the Southwest passenger experience revamp include enhanced Wi-Fi, new in-seat power and larger overhead bins. There are also enhanced online capabilities, including frequent fliers being able to add family members, and an easier way to check your travel funds.

(The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

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What to do if you can't use your airline credit by its expiration date

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread around the world, people are making major adjustments to their everyday life — namely, by social distancing and staying home except for essential errands or mandatory work assignments.

While we're a community of avid travelers, we're not encouraging any travel right now unless it's absolutely essential. There will come a time for your next trip — we promise! But the best way for things to return to normal as quickly as possible is for you to stay put.

Visit TPG's guide to all coronavirus news and updates

As airlines are slashing their schedules and reducing their capacity to unparalleled lows, we know many of you may be wondering what to do with your travel credits. Even if you'd planned to put them to good use on a flight in the next few weeks or months, it's too soon to say when we might be able to pack our bags and travel again. So, here's everything you need to know about your airline credits, including what airlines are providing increased flexibility — and how to get an extension if they're not.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Alaska Airlines

"Credit certificates may be issued when you exchange or cancel a nonrefundable Alaska Airlines ticket," says Alaska's official policy . "Your credit certificate will remain valid for 12 months from the issuance date of your original ticket, or 30 days from the date of exchange or cancellation, whichever is greater."

We reached out to Alaska Airlines to see if they have any specific policies in place to help travelers during the coronavirus outbreak, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

American Airlines

As for American Airlines , the airline's eVouchers are valid from one year of the date they were issued. They can be used on American Airlines or any Oneworld partner or American Airlines codeshare flight. You can redeem them online or by calling American Airlines reservations.

A spokesperson for American Airlines told TPG that travelers with questions about their eVouchers should contact a customer relations specialist.

TPG reader Dominique B. had a voucher from American Airlines that was set to expire on March 25. Dominique replied to the email the voucher was sent in, and the airline agreed to extend it for one year. The process, Dominique said, was "very simple and easy," and only took about two days from start to finish.

Delta Air Lines

Delta's eCredits , such as Delta Travel Vouchers, Delta Dollars (typically compensation from an oversold flight) and Transportation Credit Voucher (such as compensation from a service issue), can be applied toward a Delta ticket.

Currently, any Delta ticket expiring in March or April will be extended to enable rebooking and travel until Dec. 31, 2020. If you don't take your flight, your ticket number automatically becomes an unused eCredit within 24 hours. A Delta spokesperson confirmed to TPG that "eCredits, like tickets, expiring in March and April will be automatically extended to Dec. 31, 2020."

Hawaiian Airlines

Credits on Hawaiian Airlines are also valid one year from the date they're issued. Reservations must be booked within one year of the date the credit was issued, as well. A spokesperson said, at this time, the airline will suspend mileage expirations through Dec. 31. TPG asked for clarification about travel credits, but did not hear back in time for publication.

On JetBlue , your credits are valid one year from the date they were issued until 11:59 p.m. on the date of expiration. You can refer to your Travel Bank statement to view your current balance, as well as transactions and each credit's expiration date.

We reached out to JetBlue to see if they have any temporary policies regarding Travel Bank Credits in place to help travelers during the coronavirus outbreak, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

TPG reader Jeremy C., however, told the TPG Lounge he was able to get a JetBlue credit extended by two weeks by using the airline's online chat service.

If you cancel your Southwest reservation at least 10 minutes prior to departure, the fare paid for by the unused ticket will be applied as travel funds toward your future flights. All travel booked with unused funds or a Southwest LUV Voucher must be completed by the expiration date listed on your ticket.

Travel Funds expire 12 months from the date the original flight was booked — not from when the flight was canceled and the Travel Funds issued. This expiration date is also a "must-fly-by date," not a "book-by date."

In light of recent events, Southwest has modified this policy. Funds that have expired or will expire between March 1 and May 31, 2020, will now expire on June 30, 2021. In addition, any newly created travel fund generated because of a flight cancellation between March 1 and May 31, 2020, will have an expiration date of June 30, 2021, a spokesperson told TPG.

United Airlines

You can use your United electronic certificate only on United and United Express-operated flights, as well as United Express-marketed flights operated by other airlines. Your credits aren't valid on other Star Alliance airlines, unfortunately.

Your credit will expire expire one year from original date of issue, unless otherwise noted.

In the TPG Lounge, Jon W. said he called the [United] 1K desk and asked about his credit. "They extended it 60 days," he said. So, if you have elite status , be sure to leverage it during this unprecedented time.

If your credit isn't automatically extended

Message the airline.

Your best bet for finding the most current information about your personal airline credit — and asking for an extension if you need one — is going to be to get in touch with the airline. But, as you can imagine, call lines are swamped (yes, even on the elite status lines). Many airlines are asking travelers to only call if it's an urgent travel matter and, if not, to call back at a later time and date.

That said, we have some strategies up our sleeve for getting in touch with them. Messaging them on Twitter or Facebook can't hurt, and they may be able to extend the expiration date of your credits for you. As many TPG readers pointed out, they were able to get travel credit extensions by messaging the airline on social media and sending emails.

Related: How to quickly reach an airline customer service agent

Rebook your flight

In some situations, it might make sense to cancel your flight and rebook at another time.

For example, if you're a United flyer with a voucher, you can book a ticket with the voucher by March 31 (or earlier if it expires before then). If you want to change or cancel, the flexible booking policy will apply , a spokesperson for the airline confirmed.

Plus, if you're already scheduled to travel before April 30, there is currently no fee to change your flight. This is in addition to the airline's previous waiver, which scrapped all change fees for domestic and international tickets purchased between March 3 and March 31. This policy is in place for any of United's published nonrefundable fares, and if you end up canceling your flights, you can retain the value of your ticket to be applied to a new ticket without a fee for up to 12 months after the original issue date. This applies to Electronic Travel Credits, the spokesperson confirmed.

Related: Can I cancel or change my award ticket due to coronavirus travel waivers?

Book a ticket

This may seem counterintuitive, but hear us out.

It's something of a gamble, but you can book a ticket using your airline credit and then cancel it to reset the expiration date. Keep in mind travelers have had mixed results with this method, but it's worth a shot if none of the aforementioned avenues work.

Bottom line

It's a weird time, to be sure, but it will pass. Again, you should only be traveling right now if it is absolutely essential and urgent.

We know you had some amazing plans lined up, and while they might need to be put on hold for the time being, your trip will happen sooner or later. In the meantime, keep these strategies in mind so that your credits don't expire — and that you can keep them around when the time does come to plan that trip.

'I was completely flabbergasted:' A year into pandemic, travelers finding some flight credits are expiring

Shelly McClaskey and her family planned to spend Christmas in Los Angeles with family but canceled their flights a few weeks before the trip due to COVID-19 shutdowns in Southern California.

The insurance company executive wasn't eligible for a refund and happily accepted $878 in Southwest Airlines credit because the suburban Chicago family travels three or four times a year and goes out of its way to fly Southwest.

She didn't think about the money again until a couple of weeks ago when she tried to book three tickets from Chicago to Baltimore for a late-June trip to her teenage son's lacrosse tournament in Delaware.

Southwest's website flashed an error: the travel credits couldn't be used because they expire before the end of the planned trip.

McClaskey dug up the email from her canceled flight and saw that the expiration date for her Southwest "travel funds" is June 2. That's a year after she bought the tickets for the California Christmas trip. A year is the standard deadline for rebooking and, in Southwest's case, completing a trip using credits. But Southwest and other airlines extended expiration dates when travel ground to a halt a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic .

Learn more: Best travel insurance

McClaskey figured she was covered by Southwest's more generous COVID-19 policy, which broadly extended credit expiration dates to September 2022. But that policy covered travel funds that expired or were issued between March 1 and Sept. 7, 2020. Her credits weren't issued until Nov. 22, the date she canceled her flight to LA.

"To be honest with you, I didn't even look at the (email) confirmation of the travel funds,'' she said.

As the pandemic enters its second year, a hodgepodge of expiration dates, travel-by restrictions and other fine print on the mountain of travel credits and vouchers airlines issued threaten to sting passengers eager to take those already-paid-for-but-postponed trips and those not yet ready to travel again.

Consumer Reports' advocacy division said it has already seen a "dramatic'' uptick in complaints and questions about airline vouchers and travel credits in the past two months, a shift from complaints about the lack of refunds in the early months of the pandemic, as people realize expiration dates might be looming.

 "It hit people, 'Oh my gosh it's 2021,''' said William McGee, Consumer Reports' aviation adviser. "It seemed like a long way off last year and now it’s not.''

The situation is far from dire for all travelers who canceled trips during the pandemic – many airline ticket buyers are covered by expiration dates that run into 2022. Southwest passengers who canceled eligible flights early in the pandemic have more than two years to use their credits, for example. A couple of airlines issued blanket extensions with little fine print, but many policies are based on ticket purchase or flight cancellation dates, as McClaskey found out the hard way with her Southwest ticket.     

An airline-by-airline look at pandemic flight credits

► United Airlines, which was blasted for its early pandemic refund policies , extended the expiration date of tickets purchased as far back as May 1, 2019, to March 31, 2022.

► Allegiant Air issued a blanket expiration date of two years from the date of ticket purchase for all vouchers issued.

► Delta extended travel credit expiration dates to the end of 2022 but only if you bought your ticket by April 17; otherwise, you have a year from the date of purchase. That means travelers who bought a Delta ticket in May and beyond have looming expiration dates.

► American is giving travelers until December 2021 or a year after ticket purchase to use flight credits issued last year, but only if the canceled tickets were purchased by Sept. 30;passengers who bought tickets after that date are covered by the standard one-year expiration date.

► JetBlue  is giving passengers 24 months to use travel credits issued by June 30, 2021; credits issued after that are good for one year.

► Alaska Airlines  travel credits issued on or after March 1, 2020, are valid through Dec. 31, 2021.

► Frontier Airlines initially stuck with its standard 90-day voucher expiration date but has since extended it to one year. 

► Spirit Airlines extended the expiration date of credits issued from March 2020 to Dec. 31, 2021, but the flight has to be booked by Sept. 30, 2021. 

Confused yet? So are the experts. McGee has been sorting through airline travel credit policies issued during the pandemic and finds the process dizzying. Some airlines have multiple types of credits and each airline has different names for credits, from reservation credit to e-credits.

"What hope does that person who goes to Disney World once every 18 months have?'' he said.

Got flight credits? Dig up the details now 

Travelers planning a getaway this spring or summer are quickly learning – and in some cases cursing – the particulars on the travel credits and vouchers they received during the blur of the pandemic's first year.

But anyone who hopes to cash in their travel credits, even for flights in 2022 if eligible, should start researching the details now. Airline customer service lines and social media feeds are jammed with passengers frantically searching for information on their travel credits. 

"One of the biggest mistakes I think travelers make is making an assumption about the terms and conditions on their voucher rather than looking specifically at the fine print,'' said Scott Keyes, founder of bargain airfare publisher Scott's Cheap Flights .

Instead of furiously searching an airline's website for its pandemic policies and trying to decipher what fits your situation, search your email or travel documents for the confirmation you received when you canceled the flight. 

It's likely to have the expiration date of any travel credits and pertinent information you need to check balances and rebook online or over the phone, including the confirmation numbers and ticket number from the canceled flight.

Another source for travel credit information: your airline frequent flyer account.

Expiration date means different things at different airlines

A big question travelers need to answer is how the airline that issued their pandemic flight credits defines an expiration date. This is also usually found in the fine print.

Southwest, American, Delta, Spirit and Allegiant require travelers to complete their travel by the expiration date, while United requires travel to start by that date.

JetBlue, Alaska and Frontier simply require you to rebook by the expiration date.

Another important detail to dig up when researching pandemic credits and vouchers: Whether they are only good for the ticketed passenger or can be pooled.

Most major airlines only allow the ticketed passenger to use the funds from canceled flights so you can't use those credits your mother banked. Vouchers doled out for a variety of other reasons can often be pooled or transferred. American, for example, allows up to eight vouchers to be used in a single trip. American issues vouchers instead of flight credits for things like a fare difference on a rebooked flight.

Can I extend my expired or expiring flight credit?

The airline industry is not known for the most customer-friendly policies, but the pandemic crushed travel. A year into it, the number of flights is still down 50%, the number of passengers is off 40%, according to industry trade group Airlines for America. In April 2020, passenger counts plummeted 95%.

"Counter to their sort of historical reputation of airlines being tight-fisted and customer unfriendly, they've had to do a bit of a 180 during the pandemic and be much more accommodating and flexible,'' Keyes said.

Hefty ticket-change fees , most notably, are largely gone unless you buy airlines' no-frills basic economy tickets.

Keyes said travelers with expiring credits should reach out to airlines to politely ask for an extension, explaining the reasons you can't or don't want to travel now and any other factors. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still advises against travel to help stop the spread of COVID-19.)

He recommends calling back or trying a different social media channel if the first request is rejected.

"You'd be surprised to see how much they’re gladly willing to give you a six-month or 12-month extension,'' he said.

North Carolina writer Matt Lardie wasn't looking for an extension when he called Delta Air Lines in early February. He just wanted to get a handle on an estimated $1,500 in credits from canceled flights. Lardie and his husband had to cancel a Mexico trip for a friend's 40th birthday celebration and business trips to Europe and are starting to think about rebooking trips.

"The woman I was talking to was going through all of my credits and she said, 'Oh, you have one and it just expired yesterday,' '' he said. "I just said, 'Oh, crap.' I had completely forgotten about it. '' 

The customer service agent told Lardie a supervisor might be able to reinstate it if he planned to travel within the next 30 days.

He called his family in California, whom he hasn't seen in a year, and booked a trip to Los Angeles for late March. It was more than 30 days after the $400 credit expired, but an agent let him extend it as long as he agreed to forfeit the rest of his credit. His new ticket was $280, so he lost $120.

Some airlines are doing blanket extensions on travel credits and vouchers as the pandemic continues. In January, Alaska Airlines extended the expiration date of credits it issued on or after March 1, 2020, that were due to expire by July 5. The new date: Dec. 31.

Southwest Airlines isn't extending credits – unless you pay a $100 fee 

McClaskey appealed to Southwest for a brief extension, first over the phone and then on Facebook. Her travel funds expire June 2, and the lacrosse tournament they're going to is the last weekend in June. 

She got the same answer every time but one: no extensions. Use the funds by the expiration date or lose them.

"We aren't making any exceptions to the expiration date of travel funds,'' a Southwest representative told her via Facebook Messenger last week. "In order to keep your credits, all travel must be completed by June 2.''

The airline's social media representatives repeat a version of that every day when passengers ask for an extension.

McClaskey said one Southwest representative did offer an option to avoid losing her nearly $900 in flight credits.

The option: a six-month extension for a fee of $100 per ticket, deducted from the travel funds. (Other major airlines told USA TODAY they do not offer extensions for a fee.)

Southwest does not publicize the extension-for-a-fee option, which predates the pandemic, but it is mentioned regularly in online travel forums and in the forums on the company's  Southwest Airlines Community . Southwest representatives repeatedly hint at the option in the airline's replies to questions about expiring funds on Facebook and Twitter.

Southwest passengers are not able to extend the travel funds until after the expiration date. McClaskey said she was told the extension can take 30 to 45 days to process, so that wouldn't help her June trip. The family is currently studying places to visit before June so the money isn't lost.

Shaun Baker, who works in information technology in Sacramento, California, was also told about the six-month extension option for $100 and found it strange.

"There have to be alternatives other than give it up and talk about it afterwards,'' he said.

Baker canceled a few Southwest flights last year and banked the money, but a bunch of his travel funds only have a one-year expiration date so are expiring in May.

To avoid losing money or paying the $100 fee, he scrambled to book a flight to Louisville, Kentucky, to see his mother, returning on pricey Memorial Day so his funds were eligible. He hasn't even been approved for the time off yet.  

Nicole Cloutier's Southwest travel funds, collected from canceling two pandemic flights, including a Christmas flight to Mexico after she tested positive for COVID-19, expired in early February because that's when she booked her initial trip a year ago. She asked Southwest for a few weeks' extension so she and her husband could rebook a trip to Cancun to celebrate their Feb. 20 anniversary.

Southwest told her the only options were paying the $100 fee or travel before early February. 

"I went round and round,'' she said. "I was completely flabbergasted that they weren’t extending these.''

The couple ended up squeezing in a trip to Cancun in January.

Southwest called the six-month extension for $100 a "gesture of goodwill'' for customers, a one-time exception the airline grants upon request, and has since before the pandemic began.

"We do not currently plan any changes to our policy,'' spokeswoman Brandy King said via email. "We understand that these are uncertain times and were pleased to offer a two-year extension for those customers who booked or had travel funds expiring during the peak of the pandemic. Today, we have a high percentage of customers who are utilizing those funds to travel, and we continue to work with any customer who reaches out on an individual basis.''

McClaskey tried – to no avail. She said she told Southwest they were losing her as a customer and that she would share her experience with friends.

"It's really unfortunate because I feel like Southwest has been so accommodating up to the pandemic. I'm completely shocked that this is how they're treating their customers during the pandemic.''

Southwest Extending Flight Credits Six Months But Only If You Ask

by Gary Leff on June 2, 2022

One spouse tests positive for Covid-19 while abroad, do they both stay and quarantine, or is it ok for one of them to go home? (WaPo)

“There’s no one else I’d want to spend the rest of my tomorrows with. Will you marry me?” (She said yes.)

Just saw this on my flight on ⁦⁦ @SouthwestAir ⁩ to Houston. Truly sharing the love! #loveSouthwest pic.twitter.com/2OWj6rNNod — Susiebird (@ImSusiebird) May 31, 2022

Pilot calls police for help after ground staff abandon flight meanwhile disabled man abandoned on plane calls police for help

Business travelers face higher prices, and packed flights, hotels you’ve experienced it yourself.

Southwest Airlines will extend expiring flight credits for 6 months wait until close to the end of validity to get the maximum time out of the new vouchers.

Temporary Additional Flexibility – Effective June 1, 2022

$100 will not be deducted: For all Customers who contact us between June 1 and December 31, 2022, letting us know they are unable to use their funds during the RTF validity period, we will issue a Southwest LUV Voucher for the full value of the RTF, which means temporarily, you will not deduct $100 per our normal GOG exception.

No longer required to contact us after the expiration date: Customers do not need to wait to contact us after the RTF expires. Between June 1 and December 31, 2022, If Customers contact us to advise they are unable to use their funds before the expiration date of the RTF and they do not want to wait until after the expiration date to request a Southwest LUV Voucher, we will force close the RTF and issue the SLV immediately. Please explain to the Customer that the SLV will be valid for six months from the issue date.

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

More of a holiday effect, but I checked flights yesterday DCA-XNA for 7/1 – non-stop coach was $1,300, first was $1,900… about 4x what I’m used to seeing. 7/2 was the same way. Fortunately I was able to go 6/30 instead, where first came in at $600+, about $200 more than I usually pay but still within reason.

Crazy thing, from the seat maps it looks like 7/1 and 7/2 flights aren’t even 1/4 full. I’m sure AA knows what they’re doing though…

Wish I had known that Southwest would extend expiring travel funds for 6 months. Even before this temporary new policy, I would have happily given up $100 in funds to extend the rest. I had hundreds worth in funds expire a few months ago. Now I can’t find the details needed to try to resurrect them.

We booked two round trip tickets from Orlando to Islip over a year ago. I used one round trip last November. Do we still have credits from our original booking?

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Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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