Southwest is extending expiration dates for travel credits even further, and is also adding an option to convert the credit to points.
Canceling your Southwest flight – Updated April 16, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. CT.
If you decide not to travel, as long as you cancel your flight at least 10 minutes before its scheduled departure, the funds used to pay for a nonrefundable ticket (Wanna Get Away® fares) are normally valid for one year from the date of purchase.
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.
It can take up to five business days for the new expiration date to appear in your account. It will also take our Technology Team a few days to make these changes.
It’s important to note, while these unused travel funds will be available until September 7, 2022, once the funds are used to make a purchase, the expiration date of the travel funds will then follow our normal ticketing rules and will expire 12 months from the date of purchase.
For example:
Your original unused travel funds with confirmation number OLD111 expired on March 19, 2020.
These unused travel funds were extended to an expiration date of September 7, 2022.
You use some of those funds on August 1, 2020 to book new travel in September under confirmation number NEW111.
If for some reason you need to cancel this new flight, your unused travel funds associated with confirmation number NEW111 will be valid for 12 months from the booking date which means they will expire August 1, 2021.
Any remaining unused travel funds tied to OLD111 will be available through September 7, 2022.
We have also added a new benefit for our valued Rapid Rewards Members. Those Members who have travel funds that are set to expire or funds that are created between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020 will have the option to convert those travel funds into Rapid Rewards points at the same rate you would be able to purchase a ticket with points today. We hope this provides our Members ultimate flexibility as Rapid Rewards points never expire, never have cancel or change fees (fare difference may apply), and you can redeem your points for anyone you choose.
Our Technology Team is working to build this conversion capability, and we will be in touch when it is ready for you to use. In the meantime, you don’t need to take any action—your travel funds will be automatically extended for the two years mentioned above, and you will be able to make this conversion once we bring this new functionality to fruition.
