How to recoup $1850 in Southwest Flights
Mar 6, 2014, 6:05 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 2
How to recoup $1850 in Southwest Flights
In July 2013, I purchased 5 Southwest tickets for myself and family members to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately I had to cancel due to conflicts with the childrens' mandatory school events. Apparently I have $1850 in travel funds that have to be used by July 2014. Southwest will not refund the money to my credit card. What is the best way to recoup the money I spent? Can I sell the credit to someone else? Any information is appreciated.
Mar 6, 2014, 6:12 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
I assume that these were non-refundable tickets that you purchased ( WGA fares ). I will also assume that each of the tickets cost $370.
If so, then 5 people each have a credit of $370. That credit can only be used in the name of the original person and cannot be sold as no one else can use that credit. That means that only the original person with that credit can use and fly with that credit.
Your only other option is to allow those credits to expire and you can then extend them for 6 months ( or possibly a year ) at a loss of $100 each. But then the credits can be used for anyone. So you would then have 5 credits of $270 that can be used for anyone.
If so, then 5 people each have a credit of $370. That credit can only be used in the name of the original person and cannot be sold as no one else can use that credit. That means that only the original person with that credit can use and fly with that credit.
Your only other option is to allow those credits to expire and you can then extend them for 6 months ( or possibly a year ) at a loss of $100 each. But then the credits can be used for anyone. So you would then have 5 credits of $270 that can be used for anyone.
Mar 6, 2014, 6:22 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 2
I am not sure if it was a WGA purchase or not. I do have 5 credits of $270 each. So basically I can let them expire, get charged $500, and then I would have a $1350 that I could sell to any one person? How would I then sell the credit?
Mar 6, 2014, 6:35 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: between Albuquerque and Santa Fe
Programs: Kimpton Inner Circle; IHG Spire elite; Marriott & SPG Gold, r
Posts: 838
But then the credits can be used for anyone.
Is that correct? If you pay the $100 to extend/renew the credit it can be used by anyone?
Is that correct? If you pay the $100 to extend/renew the credit it can be used by anyone?
Mar 6, 2014, 7:13 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
You cannot sell the credits as far as Southwest is concerned, but I am sure it regularly happens on Ebay and Craig's list. Obviously you will only be able to sell at a discount to face value and find someone who trusts you and you trust them.
Mar 6, 2014, 7:20 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
There is a work-around of sorts for this restriction. You can combine all the funds for a given passenger, let them expire (and they will carry the earliest expiration date of all the funds you combined), and pay $75 to have the funds re-issued as a travel credit usable for anyone.
Mar 6, 2014, 10:37 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,180
it is only a matter of time before Southwest LUV vouchers are tied to a single passenger name.
This is really the only inconsistency related to their travel funds. This would even help close a 'potential for internal fraud' scenario.
This is really the only inconsistency related to their travel funds. This would even help close a 'potential for internal fraud' scenario.
Mar 6, 2014, 10:45 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
They might as well stop issuing vouchers and issue RR points instead, since they are more flexible and tied to dollars. A $200 LUV voucher is effectively equivalent to 12,000 RR points.
Mar 6, 2014, 11:01 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 35
In July 2013, I purchased 5 Southwest tickets for myself and family members to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately I had to cancel due to conflicts with the childrens' mandatory school events. Apparently I have $1850 in travel funds that have to be used by July 2014. Southwest will not refund the money to my credit card. What is the best way to recoup the money I spent? Can I sell the credit to someone else? Any information is appreciated.
....jk...Sorry you had to cancel your trip but bs on school events imho
Mar 6, 2014, 11:20 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,180
If there is a delay causing luv vouchers to be printed for everyone at the gate, it is inconsistent to give unrestricted vouchers considering that over 80% of the passengers bought WGA flights.
Mar 6, 2014, 12:16 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Western US
Programs: WN CP, WN A-List Preferred, AS MVPG 75k, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 554
RR points can be used for any passenger. While LUV vouchers might get tied to a specific passenger I don't see any inconsistency in allowing them to be used by for any passenger, since RR points may be as well.
They might as well stop issuing vouchers and issue RR points instead, since they are more flexible and tied to dollars. A $200 LUV voucher is effectively equivalent to 12,000 RR points.
They might as well stop issuing vouchers and issue RR points instead, since they are more flexible and tied to dollars. A $200 LUV voucher is effectively equivalent to 12,000 RR points.
Mar 6, 2014, 12:49 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
Posts: 1,414
RR points can be used for any passenger. While LUV vouchers might get tied to a specific passenger I don't see any inconsistency in allowing them to be used by for any passenger, since RR points may be as well.
They might as well stop issuing vouchers and issue RR points instead, since they are more flexible and tied to dollars. A $200 LUV voucher is effectively equivalent to 12,000 RR points.
They might as well stop issuing vouchers and issue RR points instead, since they are more flexible and tied to dollars. A $200 LUV voucher is effectively equivalent to 12,000 RR points.
I know I wouldn't VDB for 12k points, for example, but a $200 LUV voucher, probably.
Mar 6, 2014, 1:04 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Alki. Seattle, WA
Programs: WN~A List Pref, CP, Hyatt-Diamond, Hilton Diamond, ANT~a Dave Matthews Addiction thing
Posts: 723
horrible idea. A LUV voucher is worth way more than 12k RR points because the flight it is redeemed on is elite qualifying, earns points, and can be used on BS flights at the same redemption rate.
I know I wouldn't VDB for 12k points, for example, but a $200 LUV voucher, probably.
I know I wouldn't VDB for 12k points, for example, but a $200 LUV voucher, probably.
$200 BS OW purchased with 200$ LUV voucher. A+ earns 4,800 PTs minimum with no promo, all PTs go to tiers. BS get free drink and A1-15 boarding
And then maybe after giving out 200 million PTs for vdb, they devalue again....
12,000 RR PTs, none of that.....
Last edited by antinseattle; Mar 6, 2014 at 1:12 pm
Mar 6, 2014, 1:45 pm
#15
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Forget what the rules ought to be. The question is what the rules are for OP's specific situation.
OP's first stop should be with his travel insurer. Many cover business & school commitments, so long as those can be properly documented as "mandatory".
OP's first stop should be with his travel insurer. Many cover business & school commitments, so long as those can be properly documented as "mandatory".
