4 ms·

I have a Southwest flight on Friday I am now very nervous about. For the first time ever I bought a fully refundable flight as a backup option through American

I have a Southwest flight on Friday I am now very nervous about. For the first time ever I bought a fully refundable flight as a backup option through American Airlines. Looks like Southwest might allow free cancellations too so I might ditch that flight entirely to avoid undue travel headaches. Either way, I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this.

TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
> I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this Even during COVID?
- TylerE 4y ago
  Probably not, as passenger volumes were a fraction of normal.
  - bombcar 4y ago
    Yeah if you could find a flight you’d probably be damn near the only person on it.
- silisili 4y ago
  Pre COVID and especially during COVID wasn't bad, as long as you didn't mind wearing a mask. Post COVID you have everyone and their mom trying to make up for 2 years of missed vacations and being stuck at home. And they're angry as hell - the post COVID population seems wreckless and short fused, for reasons I don't exactly know.
miguelazo 4y ago
Southwest has always allowed free cancellations, up to 10 minutes before boarding— that was one of its main selling points. You (normally) get the money as flight credit, however.
- thrtythreeforty 4y ago
  An expiring flight credit, which is perhaps less desirable than the cash you paid. A few months ago, they monkeyed with our departure time, and we correctly concluded that it would end up missing the connecting flight. The booking agent couldn't give us anything but time-bomb vouchers, but I got cash by emailing customer support. I used the federal wording for "elected not to travel" and "substantially different itinerary," which may have helped me not have any issues.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - missingcolours 4y ago
    Not anymore! https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/07/28/southwest-airlines-eliminates-credit-expirations/10168268002/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/07/2...
    - miguelazo 4y ago
      Yup! Noticed that. Although I wish they had spent more time and resources on improving the staff scheduling system rather than adding a new fare class ("Wanna get away plus") and trying to milk the boarding system for extra cash.
harrisonjackson 4y ago
The right credit card, if you have one or can get one, usually includes "insurance" for travel delays, lost luggage, cancellations etc. I always forget about the benefits other than "points" but there are some great ones. Recently, I was glad I used the right card to book an airbnb which we had to cancel day of check-in. Full refund on a non-refundable airbnb.
- alexeichemenda 4y ago
  What CC is that?
  - m-ee 4y ago
    Chase sapphire cards and anything competing with that. FWIW getting reimbursed through my capital one ventureX card took over six months and was a major pain. Claims were handled by eclaimsline which capital one told me was part of Visa not themselves, it’s the only time I’ve used it so I don’t know if that’s common for other cards like Chase. Maybe they handle it it house and do a better job.

TedDoesntTalk 4y ago

> I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this Even during COVID?

TylerE 4y ago
Probably not, as passenger volumes were a fraction of normal.
- bombcar 4y ago
  Yeah if you could find a flight you’d probably be damn near the only person on it.
silisili 4y ago
Pre COVID and especially during COVID wasn't bad, as long as you didn't mind wearing a mask. Post COVID you have everyone and their mom trying to make up for 2 years of missed vacations and being stuck at home. And they're angry as hell - the post COVID population seems wreckless and short fused, for reasons I don't exactly know.

miguelazo 4y ago

Southwest has always allowed free cancellations, up to 10 minutes before boarding— that was one of its main selling points. You (normally) get the money as flight credit, however.

thrtythreeforty 4y ago
An expiring flight credit, which is perhaps less desirable than the cash you paid. A few months ago, they monkeyed with our departure time, and we correctly concluded that it would end up missing the connecting flight. The booking agent couldn't give us anything but time-bomb vouchers, but I got cash by emailing customer support. I used the federal wording for "elected not to travel" and "substantially different itinerary," which may have helped me not have any issues.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- missingcolours 4y ago
  Not anymore! https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/07/28/southwest-airlines-eliminates-credit-expirations/10168268002/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/07/2...
  - miguelazo 4y ago
    Yup! Noticed that. Although I wish they had spent more time and resources on improving the staff scheduling system rather than adding a new fare class ("Wanna get away plus") and trying to milk the boarding system for extra cash.

harrisonjackson 4y ago

The right credit card, if you have one or can get one, usually includes "insurance" for travel delays, lost luggage, cancellations etc. I always forget about the benefits other than "points" but there are some great ones. Recently, I was glad I used the right card to book an airbnb which we had to cancel day of check-in. Full refund on a non-refundable airbnb.

alexeichemenda 4y ago
What CC is that?
- m-ee 4y ago
  Chase sapphire cards and anything competing with that. FWIW getting reimbursed through my capital one ventureX card took over six months and was a major pain. Claims were handled by eclaimsline which capital one told me was part of Visa not themselves, it’s the only time I’ve used it so I don’t know if that’s common for other cards like Chase. Maybe they handle it it house and do a better job.