RustyShackleford1

As I understand it, it's possible for me to buy a ticket with someone else as the traveler; this is useful if they have a CP, and not me, because then they can add me as the companion. Useful if I have a bunch of points and they don't.

Relevant, because my wife is gonna be the one of us with a CP for 2020 and 2021. We take turns, so each is only doing the card bonus dance every 4 years, thereby minimizing the chance of card apps being rejected, not qualifying for the signup bonus, and such.

Unfortunately I have $430 of "travel funds", from a change in holiday plans. They'll expire in a year, while we're still using my wife's CP. My understanding (just called WN) is that I can NOT buy a ticket for her with those funds. Thus it'll be stupid to use those travel funds for anything but solo travel. I doubt I'll do any solo travel in the next year, except for a flight next month, where Southwest is more expensive that other airlines. But I'm thinking I should go Southwest anyhow and use up those travel funds. Make sense ? Any other angle on this I'm missing ? Thanks.

expert7700

-combine them into one big TTF then let it expire-paying $100 to revive them

-fly ALOT (of 5.60 tax/fee flights)

-fly A LITTLE (of higher tax/fee international flights)

-buy flights on days that end up cancelled due to airport closure/weather. refunds usually allowed.

synergistic

Best case scenario, those funds expire next year, and Southwest is willing to reactivate them as a LUV voucher (usable by anyone) for a $100 fee - unfortunately there's no guarantee that will still be an option.

If the solo travel you're doing next month is less than $100 more expensive than the competition, I'd probably just use the funds that way.

RustyShackleford1

How long is LUV voucher good for (we'll be on her CP for 2 years) and why do you think it's going away ?

Yes, next month the WN is exactly $100 more expensive ! $300, so there would still be $130 on the TFs.

RustyShackleford1

Already in one fund. But I'd have to pay the $100 twice if it only revives it for a year, since on wife's CP till end of 2021.

lougord99

It only revives it for 6 months and I am pretty sure you can only do it once. However, you can do it up to 6 months after they expire, so effectively you have a year.

figment7

Once its LUV voucher you can use it to buy your wifes flights then add you as the companion is what they are saying to do. That way you use your funds on wifes flights (as a luv voucher after the 100 fee) and then add you as companion.

RustyShackleford1

Ah, now I'm seeing it. I don't need to extend it until 2022 when I'm the CP holder (Lord willing, how long will they let us use credit-card bonuses to qualify, but that's another discussion). Once it's a LUV voucher, wife can use it, so problem solved.

So I think I'm better NOT using WN for this Feb flight. Because even if I spend $300 to fly on WN, which costs me $100 over AA, I still have $130 of travel funds which are barely worth $100 to save.

Scenario A: Spend $200 on AA Feb ticket. Later spend $100 for LUV voucher. Get to use $430 value of LUV voucher on 2-for-1 basis (wife's ticket and me on CP);

Scenario B: Use $300 of travel funds on WN Feb ticket. Later spend $100 for LUV voucher, Get to use $130 value of LUV voucher on 2-for-1 basis (wife's ticket and me on CP).

Seems to me like Scenario A winds by $100.

Still, I'm wondering why @synergistic seems to think LUV voucher might not be available. I gather it's that they let you have it on a case-by-case basis.

synergistic

It's not that I actually think it's going away - it's just not an option that (to my knowledge) is guaranteed in any way or even documented anywhere customer facing. Folks have been treating it as liable to disappear at any time for years, and I personally think the new travel funds tracking feature makes changes like that even more likely. I wouldn't try to hazard a guess as to what the odds are.

Regardless, the way things work right now, you'd be ending up with a LUV voucher that would be usable by anyone - you would only have to revive it once and then you could use those funds to book flights for your wife. I'm not personally familiar with how long the LUV voucher is good for, but the above posts indicate that it's six months. I can't fathom why you would need to keep reviving it until your 'turn' with the CP comes back around.

RustyShackleford1

I realized I used $170 of that $430 travel funds for a ticket I'm probably going to cancel if wife's CP comes through in time for return leg of that Feb trip. If I do that, does it go back to the $430 travel fund, or would I now have 2 travel finds, $260 and $170 ?

If so, how would I combine them ? By buying on ticket expensive enough to use both, and then cancelling it ?

RustyShackleford1

I finally realized that and edited my message while you posted this :-)

figment7

Yes part two of your question would be what I would do to create 1 big travel fund then hopefully they allow you the reinstate method at an expense of $100, and who knows maybe something happens and you have to fly this year by yourself and can use it then and save the $100 fee.

synergistic

I'm not 100% sure, but yes, I think you'll end up with two separate travel funds that you'd want to combine before they expire. I've read that you can buy an expensive ticket - costing more than the pair of travel funds - and then request a refund within 24 hours. That will give you the overage back to your credit card, and a single travel fund combining the two you'd applied to the ticket. I'm hopeful that one of the people who have done that will respond here, as I've not done it personally.

figment7

I just go and try to find one real close to what my travel funds are using any city pair and usually can find something either close (more expensive) or further out (less expensive) maybe having to either lose a buck or two or paying a buck or two more than my travel funds. Keep in mind you can only do 3 payment methods!

RustyShackleford1

I bought the $200 AA ticket. When (and if) I cancel my return Feb ticket, I'll do the combination procedure. Then in 6 months, if I haven't used the combined TF for any solo travel, I'll purchase the LUV voucher.

Thanks for helping me figure this out, folks, and happy new year.