calling Southwest Experts

[sainter]

Southwest is relatively new to our airport and we have never flown this airline. I have read many a glowing report though and am eager to try it out!
Is it true that if you buy a ticket and the fare goes down, you can get a credit for future use? And how do you go about doing this?
I read on the website that if you have to cancel a flight you are able to get a credit for 100% of the ticket for future use even if your ticket is not refundable. Anyone with experience with either of these scenarios?
Thanks!

[Sylvia]

I can answer your question regarding fares. A couple of years ago, the fare for my booked flight to Orlando went down by $40. So, I called Southwest and asked whether I could take advantage of the reduced fare. The person I spoke with said I could, but to be sure there were still seats on the particular flight I had booked, she asked me to go online and rebook. I was able to do that, so she cancelled my original reservation, and gave me a credit for the difference. I used the credit toward my fare for my next flight.

[Ed]

Yep to all of the above. :thumbsup:

We have had a couple of occasions where we've had to cancel a flight, and we got full credit which we could use within a one year period. But there's more - -

If you can't use it within that one year time frame, you can extend it for another year by paying a $50 fee;

If you can't use it personally, you can give or sell the credit to someone else.

See why SW is # 1 in my book ? :number1:

[princessjojo]

Southwest has just recently opened their fares for our travel time, and when my family can decide how early we actually want to leave, we'll be booking our departure tickets.

I book our outbound tickets as soon as possible for whatever the rate is. Then I hope and pray for a cheaper rate to become available. That's when I immediately cancel and rebook for the cheaper rate and use the credit I've just obtained to book our return tickets. Sure, I have to hope there are seats open for our return tickets but, fingers crossed, it's never been a problem in the past. The last time I did this, we were able to, after all cancelling and rebooking was completed, get our fares from RDU to MCO for $69 each way.

And there's still no baggage fee which still saves our family about $200 each way figured on $25/bag x 2 bags x 4 people!!

Love Southwest!!

[PopPhan]

If you can't use it personally, you can give or sell the credit to someone else.

That is only good until January 28, 2011. After that date, ONLY the person named on the original ticket can use the credits.

[Ed]

That is only good until January 28, 2011. After that date, ONLY the person named on the original ticket can use the credits.

I stand corrected; I missed that.

[sainter]

Thanks so much to all of you for the great info!!

[Tick-Tock]

We have had a couple of occasions where we've had to cancel a flight, and we got full credit which we could use within a one year period.

Just to clarify, the credit is good for one year from the date you originally bought the ticket, not from the date you were going to fly.

And in my experience, if you use the credit to buy another ticket, the credit from that ticket will date back to the date of the original ticket purchase as well.

[Gator]

With everything I've been able to do with SW on this upcoming trip (switch dates for free, get a credit when the prices dropped, no baggage fees), I wonder why I haven't used them in the past.

[AZ Disney]

SWA is the best airline and has the best pilots, but I'm a bit biased:cool:

[TexansInNY]

You can also pay 10 bucks a ticket to get auto checked prior to the "normal" time others check in - helps you get a better pick.
:thumbsup:

[Fangorn]

That's when I immediately cancel and rebook for the cheaper rate and use the credit I've just obtained to book our return tickets.

You don't have to do this any longer - haven't had to for a couple of years at least. From the website, you can call up your reservation and "make changes" to it. When you make changes, you'll see all the current fares for all flights. You can select the identical flights. Continue on with the process and you'll get the new price. The system will tell you if there is an additional payment needed or if you get a credit. If there's no fare decrease, you can cancel at this point. If there's a credit to be had, continue on and the credit will be issued.

Very easy, very quick, very painless.

One of the great things about Southwest is the ease of making changes to reservations when plans change or emergencies occur. I don't ever feel trapped by my airline.

Steve

[sainter]

You don't have to do this any longer - haven't had to for a couple of years at least. From the website, you can call up your reservation and "make changes" to it. When you make changes, you'll see all the current fares for all flights. You can select the identical flights. Continue on with the process and you'll get the new price. The system will tell you if there is an additional payment needed or if you get a credit. If there's no fare decrease, you can cancel at this point. If there's a credit to be had, continue on and the credit will be issued.

Very easy, very quick, very painless.

One of the great things about Southwest is the ease of making changes to reservations when plans change or emergencies occur. I don't ever feel trapped by my airline.

Steve

This is totally cool!! :thumbsup:

[2Epcot]

Everyone has answered, and or corrected everything I was going to say. I've been flying Southwest as my primary airline for more than 15 years and I love it.

Since there are no assigned seating on SWA you need to check-in online to get an early boarding pass. Since the introduction of business travelers and the ability to pay more for an "A" boarding card there are less "free" seats in the A group, but I always make sure to check-in right at the 24 hour mark, and am always able to board the plane with the first group.

[clausjo]

This is the first time I've ever had to fly to Disney, so I'm new at this. I just purchased our tickets to MCO at a lower rate and have a credit of $60. Do I need to use that credit within a year? Also, if I'm able to get the tickets coming back to Denver from MCO and I rebook those tickets as well, can I combine credits to purchase tickets at a later date? Meaning, say I have a $20 credit for one way and a $30 credit for the other way, can I use the total of $50 credit towards buying a new ticket (for the same person)?

[PopPhan]

This is the first time I've ever had to fly to Disney, so I'm new at this. I just purchased our tickets to MCO at a lower rate and have a credit of $60. Do I need to use that credit within a year? Also, if I'm able to get the tickets coming back to Denver from MCO and I rebook those tickets as well, can I combine credits to purchase tickets at a later date? Meaning, say I have a $20 credit for one way and a $30 credit for the other way, can I use the total of $50 credit towards buying a new ticket (for the same person)?

That is correct, with one qualifier....The new ticket must be USED within one year of the original flight BOOKING date, NOT flight date. All credits will be under the name of the person the flight(s) were booked for and when you go to use the credits, it will show the individual flights you have credit from and allow you to use those under your name.

[TexansInNY]

Side note - paid for early bird check in and just printed boarding passes for 9:25 flight tomorrow AM - so a few hours in from the 24 hour mark - with Early Bird check-in we got boarding passes A16-19.