Southwest - most expensive round trip route
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 2
Southwest - most expensive round trip route
I have a $650 voucher for a coach class ticket that I need to spend & complete travel by January 2021. Travel is only valid for 48 contiguous tickets and excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Most round trip fares I could find are about $$320 round trip as this requires 21 day advance reservation. Anyone know of more expensive routes? I plan to book and then cancel for a credit that can be used in 1 year.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
You'll need to give us more information about that voucher. In general, once you've used funds to book a flight, if you cancel that flight the funds take on the expiration date of the voucher itself. (There are some exceptions, but they are rare.)
As as far as finding expensive flights, check out the transcons, they're likely to be among the highest fares.
As as far as finding expensive flights, check out the transcons, they're likely to be among the highest fares.
#4
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,545
SWA refundable fares are great for time-shifting routine future spending into the present, for purposes of hitting spending thresholds like sign-up-bonuses and Chase Hyatt $5K EQNs, because it’s super easy to self-service cancel & refunds post in under 48 hours. A $1200 dummy transcon roundtrip, cancelled when your routine spend approaches $1200, works perfectly.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
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Okay... I going to answer but must point out the OP has 1 post. One.
As to the original question, if you are looking to just fly somewhere to use your voucher - forget the $ amount... pick the city you want. Why would you fly to one city vs the other just to use up the funds.
If you are trying to extend in someway, well....
As to the original question, if you are looking to just fly somewhere to use your voucher - forget the $ amount... pick the city you want. Why would you fly to one city vs the other just to use up the funds.
If you are trying to extend in someway, well....
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 2
Just to be clear I got a travel voucher from a casino as part of a players club reward that allows me to book any coach class domestic ticket on any airline for up to $650 round trip. The catch is I need to book 21 days in advance through their travel agency. Choosing southwest because I can always cancel the ticket after it’s issued, and use the credit funds for up to a year.
#8
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Just to be clear I got a travel voucher from a casino as part of a players club reward that allows me to book any coach class domestic ticket on any airline for up to $650 round trip. The catch is I need to book 21 days in advance through their travel agency. Choosing southwest because I can always cancel the ticket after it’s issued, and use the credit funds for up to a year.
In your situation, you'll need the confirmation number in order to access and cancel/rebook the flight. (There are cases where some travel agencies don't share that with the passenger, but rather require all flight changes/etc. be made through them, just fyi.) You should no trouble finding a round trip WGA fare that's over (or very close to) $650.
#9
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
[edited to add] Sorry, I overlooked the need to complete travel by January 2021.
I literally just chose BWI-LAX and some random dates in July.
Last edited by ursine1; Dec 23, 2020 at 2:42 pm
#11
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
With those Harrahs vouchers, they’re unlikely to book you into a higher fare class if something lower is available. So ask for a day and route in which the lowest fare hits your $650 or whatever. You actually don’t want full fare as any refund request goes back to the agency,
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
With those Harrahs vouchers, they’re unlikely to book you into a higher fare class if something lower is available. So ask for a day and route in which the lowest fare hits your $650 or whatever. You actually don’t want full fare as any refund request goes back to the agency,
And - when you do book, make sure they add our RR number when they book it. Hard to add later sometimes when booked through an agency.
Sometimes you can find higher fares as you get closer to flight time if the plane is full. But - that 21 day thing may not be enough.
Also.... longer distance if far from the reason a fare is high. Supply and demand can make a big difference.
Is this via CET/Harrahs?
#13
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 15
It still isn't the full $650 but ABQ-PVD January 19-22 comes in at $556 for WGA fares.
Edit to add:
Also just found ABQ-IAD Jan 19-21 is $655. I don't know if you can go over on the voucher and just pay the rest out of pocket.
Try looking at the Washington DC area airports around Jan 20 (for the inauguration) There are big spikes from a few cities.
Edit to add:
Also just found ABQ-IAD Jan 19-21 is $655. I don't know if you can go over on the voucher and just pay the rest out of pocket.
Try looking at the Washington DC area airports around Jan 20 (for the inauguration) There are big spikes from a few cities.
Last edited by Chris75; Dec 22, 2020 at 10:51 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: PDX, OGG or between the two
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 2,864
Don't a lot of other airlines do this now? I know Alaska doesn't charge change fees anymore and they give you a year to use funds from canceled bookings. Also, you'll have much better luck maxing out a credit with an airline that has things like first-class. Trying to spend $600 on Southwest is like trying to spend $100 at The Dollar Store