Using PU503s
 

Greetings...I have several of these PU503 certs that are due to expire in April. I want to use them for a trip in Sept. Do you have to fly by the expiration date or just book the tickets before the expiration date? Thanks!

Look at the fine print on the coupons accessible through your online account. I think it says it has to be redeemed by the expiration date. Let me know if I'm wrong because I'd love to book trips later in the year with coupons that I have expiring in April.

I think the mistake I made was redeeming them too soon. This year when I make Plat and Diamond, I'll wait until the last possible moment to redeem the coupons so they will be valid a year from the date I request the award. I should have waited until Dec 31 to ask for the SWUs that I havent yet used.

I did the same thing :( Needed the 25K miles, cashed in on the tickets too, and now they expire in late March, 2 weeks before my April SYD trip. Just glad I have 6 more that expire in October.

Several times I have been allowed to use my PU503s (or SWUs) certificates on future dates past the certificate expiration date. The expiration date doesn’t refer to the flight date, but the actual exercising of the certificate (date of ticket purchase). Pretty sure it will be the same for you.

You can use it for travel after the expiration date. You just have to redeem the cert before the expiration date. Make sure to insist that they reissue the ticket. You don't want any headaches when they wait to reissue the ticket and the cert has passed its expiration date.

Just double check the fine print....

This is exactly right. The coupon just has to be attached to a ticket before the coupon expires. Then you have 1 year from the ticketing date to travel. As mentioned above, dog them until they reissue the ticket. This is really important. Their usual protocol is to wait until near the time of departure in case you change your mind. That doesn't work when the coupon is about to expire. Make sure they reticket it before it expires. With the website you can now click on the hyperlinked ticket number in your reservation. If it's been reticketed, then next to the fare basis should be "/PU503"