Swa Travel Funds: Buying Multiple Tickets Separately

Southwest Airlines allows its customers to use their travel funds to book flights. However, there are some restrictions on how these travel funds can be used. For instance, travel funds are non-transferable and can only be used by the person whose name was on the original ticket. Additionally, Southwest Airlines only allows the use of up to two travel funds per booking, with a maximum of three forms of payment in total. This has caused some frustration among customers, who have suggested that the airline should enhance the ability to assign and combine travel funds.

Using multiple travel funds for one ticket

Southwest Airlines allows up to three forms of payment for any ticket. This means that if you have multiple travel funds, you can use up to two of them to book a new flight, as long as the combined amount covers the full cost of the new flight.

If you have more than two travel funds that you want to use for a single ticket, there is a workaround. First, you can use two travel funds to book a flight, and then immediately cancel it. This will create a new travel fund that combines the value of the first two. Then, you can use this new fund, along with your third travel fund, to book the flight you actually want.

This method can also be used if you have more than three travel funds. Simply continue to book and cancel flights, each time creating a new travel fund that combines the value of the previous two or three funds, until you are left with one or two travel funds that cover the cost of your desired flight.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using this method:

• It only works if all the travel funds have similar expiration dates, as the new fund will take on the earliest expiration date.
• The travel funds must all be for the same person.
• When booking, choose flights that are close in price to the total of the travel funds you are using, and when you cancel, be sure to choose to have the taxes and fees refunded to your credit card rather than combined with the new travel fund.
• If you are booking a round trip, you can also use two travel funds for one leg of the trip, and the rest for the other leg.

Using travel funds for multiple passengers

When booking a reservation with multiple travellers, a travel fund for a single passenger can be used. However, the passenger to whom the travel fund belongs must be included in the reservation for the travel fund to be applied. Any excess value on the travel fund will remain and will not be applied to other passengers. The remaining balance for other passengers will need to be paid with another form of payment.

Travel funds can be used to book any available cash flight or to pay for the taxes and fees on award flights. They are treated like cash and can be used to pay for some or all of the amount owed. If you don't use all of the travel funds for the reservation, any remaining balance remains for future use.

You can use up to three forms of payment when booking a flight. If you have more than three travel funds, you can use two of them to book a flight, then cancel it. This will create a new fund that combines the first two. You can then use this fund and your third travel fund to book the flight you need.

Alternatively, if you have a round-trip flight, you can use two travel funds for one leg of the journey and the rest for the other leg.

Travel fund limitations

Non-transferable tickets

Southwest Airlines does not allow for the transfer of tickets to another person. This means that if you have to cancel your flight, you will receive a refund or travel funds, but you cannot use these funds to purchase a ticket for someone else. The travel funds are exclusively for the use of the person whose name was on the original ticket.

Combining multiple travel funds

Southwest Airlines' system only allows for the use of two travel funds at a time. This can be a problem if you have multiple travel funds that you want to use for a single booking. However, there is a workaround: you can use two travel funds to book a flight and then cancel it. This will create a new travel fund that combines the value of the first two. You can then use this new fund, along with your third travel fund, to book the desired flight.

Limited number of payment methods

Southwest Airlines limits the number of payment methods to three. This means that if you are trying to book a flight that costs more than your travel funds, you can only use two travel funds and one other payment method. If you have more than three sources of funds, you will need to either use some of them for a different booking or combine them into a single travel fund using the method described above.

Separate bookings for multiple passengers

If you are booking a flight for multiple passengers and want to use travel funds for one of them, you will need to make separate bookings. The travel funds can only be applied to the passenger to whom they belong, so each passenger must be booked separately, with their respective payment methods.

Expiration of travel funds

Travel funds used to have an expiration date, after which they could no longer be used. While unexpired funds and newly created funds no longer have an expiration date as of July 28, 2022, there is a way to extend the validity of funds that expired just before this policy change. By calling customer service within six months of the expiration and paying a $100 fee, you can get your travel funds reinstated as a LUV voucher, which will be valid for another six months.

These limitations imposed by Southwest Airlines can be challenging to navigate, especially when trying to book flights for multiple passengers or when dealing with multiple travel funds. It is important to carefully plan your bookings and understand the restrictions to make the most of your travel funds.

Combining travel funds

• Understand the Payment Rules: Southwest Airlines allows a maximum of three payment methods per purchase, and each travel fund voucher is counted as a separate payment method. This restriction can make it challenging to use multiple travel funds in a single transaction.
• Book and Cancel Flights: One effective workaround is to book additional flights using the travel funds you want to combine and then immediately cancel those flights. By doing this, you can consolidate the travel funds under a single, new confirmation number. Repeat this process as many times as needed until all your desired travel funds are combined.
• Choose the Right Flights: When booking the additional flights, look for trips that match the total value of the travel funds you want to combine. You can use the low fare calendar to find suitable flights, even if they depart from a different airport or location. Remember, the new travel fund will adopt the earliest expiration date among the combined funds, so try to use travel funds with similar expiration dates.
• Separate Round Trips: If you are booking a round trip, consider booking the outbound and return legs separately. This allows you to use different travel funds for each segment, potentially simplifying the process.
• Refund Taxes and Fees: When cancelling the additional flights, be sure to request a refund of any taxes and fees to your credit card. This ensures that only the travel fund portion is consolidated, keeping the process tidy.
• Convert Non-Transferable Funds: If you have non-transferable "Wanna Get Away" funds, you can convert them into transferable funds by booking a "Wanna Get Away Plus" (WGA+) fare. After booking, cancel the flight, and the resulting travel fund will be transferable to another person.
• Transferring Funds: To transfer funds to another person, log in to your Southwest account and locate the travel funds section. There should be an option to transfer the funds by entering the recipient's name, email, and Rapid Rewards number.

Remember, this process may take some time and effort, and it is essential to follow the steps carefully. While this method takes advantage of a loophole in the system, it is a helpful way to consolidate your travel funds and make them more manageable for future bookings.

Transferring travel funds

To transfer travel funds, you can use the Southwest website, mobile app, phone service, or visit a Southwest ticket counter. You will need the original ticket confirmation number, and you can select the flights you wish to take as normal. When you reach the "Passenger & Payment Info" page, you can apply your travel funds by entering the confirmation number and your first and last name. You can use travel funds for cash fares or to pay the taxes and fees on award tickets.

It is also possible to transfer travel funds to someone else in certain cases. This is available for customers who purchased their flights using the "Wanna Get Away Plus" fare, as well as the "Anytime" or "Business Select" fares. Both the sender and receiver of the travel funds must be Rapid Rewards Members. To access these funds, log in to your account and select "My Account" from the menu options at the top of the page for desktop, or scroll down to "My Travel Funds" at the bottom of the page for mobile and the Southwest app.

If you have multiple travel funds that you wish to combine, one workaround is to use two funds to book a flight and then cancel it. This will create a new fund that combines the first two. Then, you can use this new fund and your third fund to book the desired flight. This only works if all the travel funds have similar expiration dates and are for the same person.

Southwest Airlines has a generous cancellation and flight change policy, which allows for full refunds or the issuance of travel funds to your account if you cancel at least 10 minutes before departure.

Frequently asked questions