Finally, flight credits don’t expire. Congratulations Southwest Airlines, passengers thank you.
As of yesterday Southwest Airlines flight credits do not expire. This is a first-of-its-kind policy. Finally, the largest domestic airline has recognized that flight credits belong to passengers and not the airline. This is a change that Travelers United has worked for during the pandemic years. Travelers United has argued that the flight credits are passengers’ property, especially those collected during the pandemic. No passenger voluntarily gave up their flights. They did it out of fear of the pandemic.
Plus, during the pandemic, the President of the United States urged passengers to forego vacation travel (especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas travel seasons). The President was joined by a chorus of newspaper editorials, the head of the CDC, Dr. Fauci, and others in medical leadership positions. The change that Southwest Airlines has made is stronger than what was called for by Travelers United. The advocacy group asked that all flight credits issued during the pandemic period be awarded without any expiration dates. Southwest Airlines eliminated expiration dates for all flight credits effective yesterday.
One airline has decided that the flight credits belong to passengers. Now we need all airlines to adopt a uniform flight credit system.
Every month during this year and throughout the pandemic Travelers United met with DOT and has written articles explaining the need for common standards with fight credits. No airlines have the same standards. So, when a passenger gets a flight credit it will differ in some way from another airline.
In January of this year, we urged airlines to establish common standards.
Common system to handle airline flight credits.
Travelers United, in the meantime, has asked that the airline credit systems be standardized across airlines. We have also pushed for the elimination of any credit expirations. This is the people’s money, not the airlines’. There should be no expiration of airline credit. Our work with airlines and with DOT may result in no expirations and freedom of credit exchange.
In February we asked Secretary Buttigieg to make passenger flights credits common. Then in March we again pushed for harmonizing the flight credit rules. In April and May, Travelers United appeared on TV and radio on shows to push the idea that pandemic passengers should be treated uniformly. All this has been to no avail until yesterday’s notification from Southwest Airlines.
Now, at least on the largest domestic carrier, passengers own their flight credits. This additional flexibility applies to all currently valid, existing flight credits, with no action required by customers with flight credit in the bank that expires from yesterday onward and will apply to any new flight credit issued.
Beginning, July 28, 2022, Southwest customers will begin seeing a placeholder expiration date of December 31, 2040, on valid flight credits ahead of additional work later this year that will update technology systems to remove expiration dates on all flight credits.
From the Southwest press release announcing the new, no expiration date for airline flight credits comes this information:
FLIGHT CREDIT TERMS
Flight credits for non-refundable fares will be issued as long as the reservation is canceled more than 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. Flight credits unexpired on, or created on or after July 28, 2022, do not expire and will show an expiration date (12/31/2040) until systems are updated. A flight credit with an expiration date on or before July 27, 2022, has expired following its existing expiration date.
FLEXIBILITY TERMS
At Southwest Airlines®, there are no change fees (fare difference may apply), no cancellation fees (failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited travel funds), and Bags fly free® (two free checked bags, weight and size limits apply).
Transferable Flight Credit
For Customers purchasing Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, or Business Select fares, Customers are allowed to transfer their flight credit to someone else. Both must be Rapid Rewards Members and only one transfer is permitted. The expiration date is up to 12 months from the date the ticket was booked. For bookings made through a Southwest™ Business channel, there is a limitation to transfer only between employees within the organization.
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Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
