Reward extension possible?
Jul 1, 2008, 6:59 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MHT/BOS
Programs: UAPlat, WN A-List, HiltonGold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 32
Reward extension possible?
I have an freedom award that expires on December 8, 2008. Is it possible to extend the expiration? Would be open to paying a fee? Any thoughts?
Jul 6, 2008, 6:58 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Upstate NY
Programs: IHG Plat, HH Gold, EZ Pass Plat, Starbucks Gold, Whatever flight is cheapest
Posts: 7,035
Yes, per the FAQ/Wiki -"How can I recover an expired award" at the top of the forum.
Jul 6, 2008, 7:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: STL
Programs: MR Plat Premier, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Southwest CP
Posts: 623
Hmmm...reading through the wiki, it appears is if you can actually extend an expired Rapid Rewards voucher? So long as it has not expired longer than 24 months?
Did I read this correctly, and if so, has anyone tried this? I actually have 10 of these right now and was just planning on paying the $50 fee to extend them one by one as I got to the day before the expiration date.
If this is true, I should theoretically be able to just wait a year (or two years!) and just pay the $50 then and have the tickets extended another 12-months?
I think I might be confused
Did I read this correctly, and if so, has anyone tried this? I actually have 10 of these right now and was just planning on paying the $50 fee to extend them one by one as I got to the day before the expiration date.
If this is true, I should theoretically be able to just wait a year (or two years!) and just pay the $50 then and have the tickets extended another 12-months?
I think I might be confused
Jul 6, 2008, 8:25 pm
#7
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,038
Wow, you have ten unused awards nearing expiration?
It is absolutely the case that it makes no sense to pay to extend expiring awards before you have plans to use them, unless you are trying to beat the effective date of an announced increase in the extension fee (there is no such announcement yet).
Somewhere down the road it might make sense to extend expired awards to avoid having them converted to RR 2.0 points, but we have little insight into that issue at this time.
It is absolutely the case that it makes no sense to pay to extend expiring awards before you have plans to use them, unless you are trying to beat the effective date of an announced increase in the extension fee (there is no such announcement yet).
Somewhere down the road it might make sense to extend expired awards to avoid having them converted to RR 2.0 points, but we have little insight into that issue at this time.
Jul 6, 2008, 9:15 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: STL
Programs: MR Plat Premier, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Southwest CP
Posts: 623
Thanks for the reply! Yes, I do have 10 RR awards but only 4 of them are due to expire in 2008 (the first one at the end of October). I've done a lot of flying on SWA over the past 18 months but this year my trips have mainly been to locations that SWA does not service conveniently.
So, just to recap...for my case it would be best to just let them expire one by one, and then when I want to use them just "reactivate" them for a $50 fee? Or, would it simply be better to just use one of the 2009 expiration dates if I wanted to travel in say, December, and then save the 2008 expired ones until the end of 2009 and reactivate them then?
Just trying to get the best bang for my buck!
So glad I read through the wiki and found out that if the RR awards expire they are not completely worthless, nor would I have to arbitrarily extend them for a $50 fee one day before they were due to expire.
So, just to recap...for my case it would be best to just let them expire one by one, and then when I want to use them just "reactivate" them for a $50 fee? Or, would it simply be better to just use one of the 2009 expiration dates if I wanted to travel in say, December, and then save the 2008 expired ones until the end of 2009 and reactivate them then?
Just trying to get the best bang for my buck!
So glad I read through the wiki and found out that if the RR awards expire they are not completely worthless, nor would I have to arbitrarily extend them for a $50 fee one day before they were due to expire.
Jul 6, 2008, 9:52 pm
#9
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,038
In most cases it would make the most sense to first use the "most ripe" non-expired award that is valid for your itinerary. When that is no longer possible, then start paying the $50 fee to reactivate. Be sure to keep an ear to the ground for changes in fees or the RR program that would impact the current best advice.
Will anyone travel with you when you do use an award? Be sure to note that if your outbound and return flights straddle an expiration date, you can use the two halves of the earlier-expiring award (the "A" and "B" coupons) for two passengers to make the outbound trip, and the two halves of a second award for those passengers to fly the second trip (usually the return).
If you earned ten awards that also implies you probably earned a companion pass. Have you read the CP FAQ as well?
Will anyone travel with you when you do use an award? Be sure to note that if your outbound and return flights straddle an expiration date, you can use the two halves of the earlier-expiring award (the "A" and "B" coupons) for two passengers to make the outbound trip, and the two halves of a second award for those passengers to fly the second trip (usually the return).
If you earned ten awards that also implies you probably earned a companion pass. Have you read the CP FAQ as well?
Jul 6, 2008, 10:19 pm
#10
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Yes. And be sure to reactivate as late as possible but before RR 2.0 if that happens.
Jul 7, 2008, 4:48 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: STL
Programs: MR Plat Premier, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Southwest CP
Posts: 623
Thanks again to both of you for helping me out. I guess it is just one of those mental hurdles I will have to get over that my RR awards truly only expire 24 months after their expiration date, so long as I am willing to pay the $50 fee.
Also great advice to be ready to make changes to all RR awards before the cutover to any new 2.0 program effective date.
...and finally, yes, I believe I am OK with the CP FAQ's. Thanks!
Also great advice to be ready to make changes to all RR awards before the cutover to any new 2.0 program effective date.
...and finally, yes, I believe I am OK with the CP FAQ's. Thanks!
Jul 7, 2008, 8:23 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2003
Location: VA
Programs: Marriott: LTP
Posts: 387
Apparently, you can only convert two non-expired RR awards to a freedom award. You can extend the length of the freedom award by one year at the time you make the conversion by paying $50.00. I was thinking about converting a couple of award tickets that are due to expire soon to a freedom award and then wait until I actually need to book the ticket to extend the expiration date by 1 year.
Then I read this from the wiki:
All reissued awards have capacity controls, the same as any other newly minted award.
So, I was wondering if you extend a freedom award after it has expired, does it turn back into a regular standard award?
Jul 7, 2008, 8:29 pm
#13
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Oops. You caught an error in the FAQ. I'll fix it soon if someone doesn't get to it first.