Those of you who understand Southwest's policies better than me

I understand if I book a flight and end up not going on that flight that I can cancel and get credit toward future flights. It looks to me like that credit goes in the name of the person the ticket was purchased for. For example, I booked flights for my wife and I and then changed them because the price went down and I got $70 credit and she got $70 credit.

Is there a way to get that credit all in my name (since I'm the one who paid for the tickets)?

It's not a problem when it's my wife and I, but I'm thinking of adding my two kids and my son's girlfriend to the August trip. There is still significant risk that we won't make that trip if the virus still has things shut down that we like to do. My concern is I'll end up with credit in my son's girlfriend's name which will likely go unused and just be wasted.

Can I get that credit in my name somehow if we don't go?

As always, thank you for any help you can be.

 

No the credit stays in the name of the traveler and can not be changed. It should be good for 1 year from original date of travel.

 

No.

The good news is that WN (southwest) has this great cancel and change policy. The not so good news is that is in the name of the passenger. No way around that.

With that said, there are times (Covid cancels) when you can cancel and get your money back these days, but they may have disappeared as schedules are building back up.

Some other good news is that in most cases you now have until Sept of 2021 to use that money vs the normal one year.

I would strongly consider getting a WN credit card and get some miles. If you book the girlfriend using the miles, and then cancel, the miles go back into the account they came from (yours).

 

Thank you both for the quick replies.

RE: WN card, I have a Capital One card that gives me a decent rate of earning miles so I use it already and would be using mile/reward points I have built up on that card to pay for these tickets. I guess I don't like that I can buy someone a ticket and if it doesn't get used it ends up as credit that won't get used (likely). I feel like I should get that credit as the one footing the bill.

 

I had the problem with a ticket that I bought for my (then) minor son. I was kind of upset as well, but considering all of the benefits of SWA that I regularly take advantage of, I just ate it and moved on.

 

I booked flights for my wife and son with my SW miles, we ended up cancelling I got all the miles back in my account.

Not sureh it works when paying with a card. I do know regardless of who pays, the person taking the flight is the one allowed to claim the miles.

 

Points go back to the account they came from, travel credit is tied to the individual on the ticket. I think that's the case with some other airlines as well.

 

As to having Capital One card. Yea, good card. But if you get the SWA card and get the 50,000 point bonus just for signing up, then grab those miles. After that, keep using your Capital One if that is better. How long would it take to get 50,000 miles with normal spend? (not sure what the current offer is, it varies between 40-60k)

As to who they refund the ticket value to... pretty much all airlines do that. The ticket BELONGS to the ticketed passenger. They do not care who paid for it. It is now the property of the ticketed passenger.

 

Still much better than other airlines.
Things won't be anywhere near normal by August. Depends what you like to do.

 

One exception- I had the Caesars travel agency book my “free” ticket to Vegas, using the most of my $1200 seven stars credit. I of course then immediately bought a cheaper ticket and canceled the nearly $1200 southwest ticket for future credit.

Low and behold about a month later, the credit was gone - clawed back by the travel agency. Apparently they can do this, and using the record locator take back any unused funds on southwest. Of course, southwest shrugged and the travel agency said nothing we can do, we’re not going to give you the travel credit back.

Lesson learned. Rebook another ticket and cancel that one (changes the record locator) and now it’s yours.

 

Tough lesson but I no longer use Ceasars Passport Travel to book my Seven Stars or Diamond Elite flights. I just buy my own, then seek free play by way of reimbursement. My primary purpose in avoiding Ceasars Passport Travel wasn't to get the most Southwest ticket credits, but because booking was so darn slow flight costs altered before the flight was confirmed.

 

If this is for travel before Sep 7th you will soon be able to convert the travel funds into Rapid Reward points, which can then be used to buy a ticket for anyone in any name. Speculation is that the points will go to the ticketed person's frequent flyer account, so this solution may be less than ideal if the passenger has a low point balance and the replacement flights are a different price.

 

Interesting, sounds like they are still building the functionality to do that conversation.
At least points could be used to buy tickets for others even if put under each passengers account.
https://www.southwest.com/Coronavirus/?clk=QMWEBALL

 

I need a further point of clarification, if I cancel the trip and get the flight credit I understand I have 365 days to use the credit from the day I book or the date of the actual flight?

Also, whatever date I hvae to use the flight credit by does that mean I have to BOOK the next flight by then or actually TAKE a flight by then?

For example let's say I have credits that expire May 1st 2021, do I have to fly by then or just book a flight by then even of that flight in in August 2021?

Thanks again

 

I’m 99% sure you must fly by the expiration date, not just book by. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

 

You are correct, all travel must be completed by the expiration date.

 

and if you mix some OLDER funds with newer funds on another booking, then cancel, they all take the date of the oldest funds.

BUT - at least for right now, all funds have been changed to Sep 2021.

 

Thought it was September 2022? Mine that were due to expire this month now have a 9/7/2022 expiration.

 

Just had to cancel a October flight with funds that were due to expire in November. I called SWA customer service this morning for clarification of the recent changes and after the CSR put me on hold for a few minutes while he checked with the "help desk" he came back on the line and told me the new expiration date is September 2022.

 

Yes, it is 2022. It is hard for me to type/think that far away. And extension to Sept 2021 would be more than generous. But, I will take it.

However, in recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:

• Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1, 2020 and September 7, 2020, will now expire September 7, 2022.
• Any travel funds created because you cancel a flight between March 1 – September 7, 2020, will expire September 7, 2022.

It can take up to five business days for the new expiration date to appear in your account. It will also take our Technology Team a few days to make these changes.