Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Chip_Dale]

The next batch of dates should be released on Thursday. What time do they usually get released? 12am 6am 8am or other?

 

[aokeefe]

The next batch of dates should be released on Thursday. What time do they usually get released? 12am 6am 8am or other?

I think someone here has the history of what time the last few releases occurred. But I'm usually ready and waiting around 7 am- seen them released as early as 7:15 and as late as 10:30ish Eastern Time

 

[scrappinginontario]

The next batch of dates should be released on Thursday. What time do they usually get released? 12am 6am 8am or other?

@SouthFayetteFan does an amazing job of tracking stats!! (Thanks SFF!!) Answer in post below.

Here's your friendly reminder that Southwest Airlines next schedule release is expected to occur THURSDAY, March 12th!. For those planning to snag flights, set those calendar reminders so you don't forget!

I'm sharing this again now because it previously was listed as February 13th (one week from today) but was pushed back a month. Stay posted as this date is subject to change!

• Currently SW is offering flights through 8/10/20 and this next release will take their schedule out to 10/31/20. I'll try to post additional reminders as the date draws nearer.

For those that care about "release timing" it's been all over the board recently (all times Eastern):

• The release on 12/11/19 went live at 9:10am.
• The release on 10/30/19 went live at 7:15am.
• The release on 9/26/19 went live at 7:30am.
• The release on 8/15/19 went live at 10:41am.
• The release on 5/30/19 went live at 9:20am.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

@SouthFayetteFan does an amazing job of tracking stats!! (Thanks SFF!!) Answer in post below.

Thanks! Only change to this is they cut one day from the release. It goes through 10/30/20 now.

 

[Rachel GB]

So now we have lots of travel funds ($119 each!) from the price drops . That’s never happened to me before, so I mistakenly assumed we would be able to use those funds for booking by a year from original purchase. But it looks as though the new travel dates (not booking date) must be by a year from original purchase- is that correct?
I have read about paying a fee for a LUV voucher, but I don’t know that it would be worth it.
If I have this right, we probably won’t use the travel funds , as we usually only fly to go to Disney once a year.
TIA!

 

[scrappinginontario]

So now we have lots of travel funds ($119 each!) from the price drops . That’s never happened to me before, so I mistakenly assumed we would be able to use those funds for booking by a year from original purchase. But it looks as though the new travel dates (not booking date) must be by a year from original purchase- is that correct?
I have read about paying a fee for a LUV voucher, but I don’t know that it would be worth it.


If I have this right, we probably won’t use the travel funds , as we usually only fly to go to Disney once a year.
TIA!

Funds must be used for travel that is complete 1 year before purchase date so if you travel the same time annually you will not be able to use these funds.

e.g. My flights go on sale this Thurs, Mar 12, 2020 for our Sep 2020 trip. If the price drops and I take advantage of those drops, I must use the funds towards a trip that is completed my Mar 11, 2021, not Sep 2021. It really does narrow the window to use the funds for sure.

Question for others, if I were to book 2 separate reservations for a trip, using the example above, could I use the travel funds for the one-wat, outbound reservation Mar 11, 2021 or earlier or, would I have had to completed my entire trip and returned by Mar 11 even if I book 2 one-way reservations?

 

[poohj80]

Question for others, if I were to book 2 separate reservations for a trip, using the example above, could I use the travel funds for the one-wat, outbound reservation Mar 11, 2021 or earlier or, would I have had to completed my entire trip and returned by Mar 11 even if I book 2 one-way reservations?

Good question! You can use them on the one-way outbound if it is before the expiration date.

 

[disneyjr77]

I have class thursday morning and will more than likely be signing people in between 7-8. Will it matter that much if they release at 7 and I can't get in until 8? Does the day of the week make a difference? We're flying on Sundays

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have class thursday morning and will more than likely be signing people in between 7-8. Will it matter that much if they release at 7 and I can't get in until 8? Does the day of the week make a difference? We're flying on Sundays

It will depend on how many people are looking to book the same flight you are. As the plane fills up the price will increase. So, it will depend on how many people book between the time it releases and when you can get to a computer and book. There is no guarantee that the flights will be available at 7am. @SouthFayetteFan's chart above tracks what time the flights have become available for the past few releases.

 

[SaintsManiac]

So now we have lots of travel funds ($119 each!) from the price drops . That’s never happened to me before, so I mistakenly assumed we would be able to use those funds for booking by a year from original purchase. But it looks as though the new travel dates (not booking date) must be by a year from original purchase- is that correct?
I have read about paying a fee for a LUV voucher, but I don’t know that it would be worth it.
If I have this right, we probably won’t use the travel funds , as we usually only fly to go to Disney once a year.
TIA!

FYI I had 4 sets of travel funds from rebooking flights 4x for our November trip. I was only allowed to use 2 per person and the website automatically took the lowest ones. I had to call and have the highest 2 sets applied.

 

[poohj80]

It will depend on how many people are looking to book the same flight you are. As the plane fills up the price will increase. So, it will depend on how many people book between the time it releases and when you can get to a computer and book. There is no guarantee that the flights will be available at 7am. @SouthFayetteFan's chart above tracks what time the flights have become available for the past few releases.

On which post/page is the chart posted? Thanks!

 

[poohj80]

Southwest just posted the following:

We are aware Customers are unable to cancel their reservation. Our Teams are working to resolve the situation quickly, and we thank you for your patience.

 

[Iowamomof4]

I really wish SW would institute a change to their current travel funds policy so that you have a year from when your original flight was to take place, or a year from the date you cancel, or really ANYTHING other than a year from when you originally booked. Some of our funds would be backdated to last June or July if we cancel at this point for our April 25- May 2 trip and I just don't see this virus issue being worked out by then. I know they already have a very flexible policy and I appreciate that, but these are extraordinary circumstances and many other airlines are going to end up with BETTER policies due to the coronavirus than what SW currently has.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I really wish SW would institute a change to their current travel funds policy so that you have a year from when your original flight was to take place, or a year from the date you cancel, or really ANYTHING other than a year from when you originally booked. Some of our funds would be backdated to last June or July if we cancel at this point for our April 25- May 2 trip and I just don't see this virus issue being worked out by then. I know they already have a very flexible policy and I appreciate that, but these are extraordinary circumstances and many other airlines are going to end up with BETTER policies due to the coronavirus than what SW currently has.

I know it sucks but at the same time there's got to be a limit somewhere unless travel funds switch over to what the new policy is for points where they don't expire.

If you did a year from when your flight is and you booked at release day you'll get something like 18-20months or so to use a credit (that's using 6-8 months out of a flight for when it was released). But someone then someone like my husband who frequently books business travel 2-3 weeks before his flight would only have 1 year and 2 to 3 weeks.

No matter what you're always going to have some people have much less time to use their credits than someone else and some who has less time could be just as likely as the person who has more time to fly within that time frame.

As for coronavirus I'm not so sure on that one as it's related to a virus not related to wanting to take advantage of a reduction in airfare pricing. But I'm def. interested in the ramifications of all of this on the airlines..I just hope they all come out mostly if not fully unscathed in the end.

 

[scrappinginontario]

On which post/page is the chart posted? Thanks!

See post 6083 above on this page.

I really wish SW would institute a change to their current travel funds policy so that you have a year from when your original flight was to take place, or a year from the date you cancel, or really ANYTHING other than a year from when you originally booked. Some of our funds would be backdated to last June or July if we cancel at this point for our April 25- May 2 trip and I just don't see this virus issue being worked out by then. I know they already have a very flexible policy and I appreciate that, but these are extraordinary circumstances and many other airlines are going to end up with BETTER policies due to the coronavirus than what SW currently has.

This question has me wondering something. Did you use funds from a previous discount to put towards your upcoming April 25 - May 2nd trip? If so, my understanding is that the entire price of your April 25 - May 2 trip now adopts the date of your first purchase (which sounds like it was June or July 2019?)

The entire booking adopts the date of the travel credit funds, not just the portion of $$ used from the travel credit. At least that is my understanding.

 

[Iowamomof4]

See post 6083 above on this page.
This question has me wondering something. Did you use funds from a previous discount to put towards your upcoming April 25 - May 2nd trip? If so, my understanding is that the entire price of your April 25 - May 2 trip now adopts the date of your first purchase (which sounds like it was June or July 2019?)

The entire booking adopts the date of the travel credit funds, not just the portion of $$ used from the travel credit. At least that is my understanding.

Right. I booked one-way tickets and only had travel funds for dh and myself, so I used those funds on our individual tickets (purchased separately). So it should just be those two tickets that would have an issue.

EDIT: Well dang. I was wrong about how I applied the travel funds. I actually used most of them for DH and myself as part of the 4 tickets I purchased on one reservation for our return flight home. So, basically we're up a crick now. Oh well, if we can't go in April we probably just can't go because our AP's expire on May 12 anyway. Man, this royally stinks.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Right. I booked one-way tickets and only had travel funds for dh and myself, so I used those funds on our individual tickets (purchased separately). So it should just be those two tickets that would have an issue.

Ah, that make sense! Thanks!


I think with all the uncertainties with COVID-19 right now, I would be weighing the advantage of using travel funds very carefully right now. Our trip is still 6+ months out and flights will be available Thursday and even if I had travel funds, I don't think I'd be using them unless it was a substantial part of our flight cost. With so many unknowns right now, I don't know if our Sep trip will be affected or not? I don't want to risk adding an earlier 'booking date' to our tickets in case we need to delay our Sep trip.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Ah, that make sense! Thanks!


I think with all the uncertainties with COVID-19 right now, I would be weighing the advantage of using travel funds very carefully right now. Our trip is still 6+ months out and flights will be available Thursday and even if I had travel funds, I don't think I'd be using them unless it was a substantial part of our flight cost. With so many unknowns right now, I don't know if our Sep trip will be affected or not? I don't want to risk adding an earlier 'booking date' to our tickets in case we need to delay our Sep trip.

See my update. I guess we're just as messed up as can be right now.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Right. I booked one-way tickets and only had travel funds for dh and myself, so I used those funds on our individual tickets (purchased separately). So it should just be those two tickets that would have an issue.

EDIT: Well dang. I was wrong about how I applied the travel funds. I actually used most of them for DH and myself as part of the 4 tickets I purchased on one reservation for our return flight home. So, basically we're up a crick now. Oh well, if we can't go in April we probably just can't go because our AP's expire on May 12 anyway. Man, this royally stinks.

It really is a challenge and I can easily see how this would happen. When flights drop, cancelling them is the last thing on our minds! Grabbing the very best price is top at that time so grouping them all together makes sense at the time.

Hopefully it all works out for your April trip.

 

[irt9206]

My billing cycle ends on the 11th. Points should be available on the 12th, the same day of the next release. Does anyone know what time points would post to my RR account? Hopefully before 6am just in case. Thanks.