Flexible return on companion voucher?
 

A family member wants to climb Denali with a companion, and we have a companion voucher. The challenge is that the return date is not precisely known. Anything they choose would be more than 80% likely to change. I presume that a change would require upgrade to refundable fare plus a fee of $125 each.

If they buy a non-refundable outbound with a refundable return, will they be able to walk up to the airport whenever they want to return and catch the next flight for no extra cost? The fare rules are not completely clear on this, except that any downfare amount would be nonrefundable.

I believe the most restrictive rule on a ticket governs the entire ticket, although I'd hope that if the return is in Y, and both travelers changed to the same "different" flight (prior to departure time of the original flight), there may not be an upfare.

They won't be able to determine the cost until the time they make the change.

Just be sure to make the change prior to departure of the originally ticketed return. If you no-show for the flight, AS will cancel the reservation and all monies paid are forfeited even on a fully refundable fare.

James

Interesting that the same day or next day fare might be less than the refundable fare. Maybe not $125x2=$250 less but maybe so.

Unrelated, can anyone here confirm that changing (not refunding) the refundable fare return will or will not incur $125x2 change fee?

Soutwest doesn't require you to change to a refundable fare, that's just what's usually available when changing day of or within a couple of days of travel. But not always. No different than AS except no $125 fee on top of it all.

I can. Been burned by this before. Both legs of the ticket inherit the restrictive non-refundable/change fee policies of the most restrictive segment. I've had forgiveness from phone reps when I called in after explaining that I didn't realize that, but YMMV. That's why, even as a non-Gold, I always split into two one-ways if one of the segments is a refundable fare, but this isn't an option for a companion ticket.