No offense intended, but if SW Airlines had my $500 and then sent me a Use It or Lose It notice, I sure would have worked something out asap. But that’s just me.

I'm surprised that a business many tout as being customer-friendly would do that. But, they can't keep holding on to passenger account credits forever, they need to move on. Perhaps the notice you got to do something was its way of advising you that.

As a parenthetical note - I've never liked Southwest and for as long as I can remember I've avoided taking SW flights. Except in instances when the schedule alternatives are significantly less attractive. Price is not a factor, I gladly pay more for a different airline.

I hope you can get a credit reinstated in your account.

I have two credits that must be used, one from United and the other Air Canada. Unfortunately Im not going to be able to use them, so i guess the airline keeps my money. Imalso lost money on a cancelled trip with Rocky Mountaineer. Actually i may have a credit if I ever get to go on that trip. Not fair, is it.

https://www.thebalance.com/what-to-do-if-your-pandemic-airline-vouchers-are-expiring-5118084

DH & I recently had an arduous roundtrip from Boston to Savannah on JetBlue for a 2 week vacation - extreme delays both ways on non-stop flights because of equipment malfunctions. We both now have $200 "We're so sorry" vouchers to use within the next year. They will go unused, because JetBlue doesn't fly anywhere we typically go. I have also forfeited money I've banked with cancelled travel on Southwest because of Covid (the only airline that flies from here to Columbus, Ohio where my mother lives). And so it goes...

Things are opening up. The world is moving on with or without us. We choose whether to participate or not. When a business is open and providing a service then it is not their job to adjust their business practice to suit an individual's emotional comfort level.

My neighbor had a family trip planned, but events (including illness, and then the pandemic) kept arising that prevented them from being able to travel. Eventually they got a similar 'use it or lose it' notice, and did not want to simply lose the credits for all their flights. So they asked how they could circumvent that loss. An agent told them to merely book more flights to anywhere, even if they still couldn't travel. She said they could then just cancel those flights a little while later, and the clock would be reset, so to speak, for them having a new time in which to use a travel credit. I can't remember what airline they had booked. I wonder if this agent was risking her job by telling them to do this, or if it's a common practice.

Yes, Amicus, I hadn't thought of that at the time. I knew we wouldn't use it in the time period allotted (Omicron,) and other airlines were continuing to offer credited flights.

I have spent the countless hours over the last 10 months working to get a reimbursement from SWA for about $2800 in tickets for a group of college students whose trip to conference was cancelled when the world stopped spinning.

It has been a long hard "battle" as I called 2x's a week, repeating the story over and over, and getting transferred to untold departments.

At 1st they gave vouchers, which did no good as those students had graduated and the vouchers in their names were worthless. Then they said they'd refund. Therein is where the difficulty began. Getting SW to actually CUT A CHECK was the war.

FINALLY just last week, the refund came through. (Just in time for the next group to actually get to attend!!)

My suggestion is -- do not give up. Keep calling. Be polite and empathic towards the person on the phone. I can't tell you how many times I would say, "I know this has been a trying time for you all" or "I can imagine the amount of work you all have had to deal with during this pandemic."

If you get a "no" for an answer. Call the next day.

Make notes & write down the names of who you talked to, and if necessary, refer back to that person.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

We have a $500 Delta airlines ticket we bought for DS for a spring break Breckenridge ski trip in March 2020. It expires some time in 2023 last time I Iooked. We have a job coming up in Steamboat, so will be using that ticket for Colorado soon.

Just made reservations this week for SWA to Newport Beach in July.

Amicus,Imagine having to get a refund by purchasing tickets that you will not be using. This then takes away seats from those who really want them.

Very strange way of doing business.

Pudge, getting a refund is like having a fun time job.

Pudge, thank you for writing! I think I'll call again, even though they will tell me "outta my hands," again. It's the principal of the thing, in my case.

Ollies, my dd and ds-i-l also had a Delta credit (for tickets to Japan, so lots more,) creating credit that they have been able to use, even recently. I can't tell you how my opinion of SWA has changed.

One has a much stronger hand if one begins negotiating/(trying to negotiate) prior to the expiry of the holdout agency's deadline.

Pudge offers some excellent guidelines, it seems to me.

ole joyful

You are correct, OJ!

This is so timely!!

we had American 'flight dollars' from the trip we cancelled in the fall b/c of Covid. We are traveling next month and i tried to use them but did not realize they expire the 28th of this month. I called American, got sort of a run-around. (long story). spoke to a rep yesterday and she waived the expiration date-applied the credit and we are tickled pink.

we do have their CC which we now have many miles since we have not flown since 2020. i am not sure if that made a difference.

FYI: i have called them for other issues and they really are helpful.

agree - call prior to the expiration and ask for a waiver. i would have if i had known they expired. American flight dollars are good for one year from date of booking - not flying.