Traveling with Southwest Airlines is often a fantastic experience, known for its flexible policies and customer-friendly approach. One of the most common questions travelers have revolves around using travel credits. Whether you've canceled a previous trip or received credits through various promotions, understanding how many you can apply to a new booking can save you time and hassle.
Ready to unlock the full potential of your Southwest travel credits? Let's dive in and demystify the process, step-by-step!
Step 1: Understand the Different Types of Southwest Travel Credits
Before we get into how many you can use, it's crucial to understand the different flavors of travel credits Southwest offers. Each has slightly different rules and characteristics.
Flight Credits (Unused Ticketless Travel Funds): These are the most common type of credit. When you cancel a non-refundable ticket (like a Wanna Get Away fare) at least 10 minutes prior to departure, the value is converted into a flight credit. These credits are tied to the original passenger's name and typically have an expiration date.
Important Note: For flights booked and ticketed on or after May 28, 2025, Basic fare flight credits expire six months from the date the fare was purchased and ticketed. Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select Transferable Flight Credits created from reservations booked and ticketed on or after May 28, 2025, expire twelve months from the date the fare was purchased and ticketed.
Transferable Flight Credits™: This is a newer and more flexible type of credit associated with Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime, and Business Select® fares. If you cancel one of these fares, you receive a Transferable Flight Credit, which can be transferred once to another Rapid Rewards® member. Like regular flight credits, they have an expiration date for those created on or after May 28, 2025.
Southwest LUV Vouchers®: These are promotional vouchers issued by Southwest, often as a goodwill gesture or through specific promotions. They typically have an expiration date and may have other specific terms and conditions.
Southwest® Gift Cards: These are like cash. They can be purchased and used for airfare. They do not expire and are fully transferable.
Southwest Vacations Package Travel Credits: These are specific to Southwest Vacations packages. They can only be used for future Southwest Vacations packages and have their own set of terms and conditions, including expiration dates. They cannot be used for flight-only purchases directly through Southwest Airlines.
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| How Many Travel Credits Can I Use On Southwest Airlines |
Step 2: The Core Rule – Three Forms of Payment Per Passenger
This is the golden rule you need to remember: Southwest allows a maximum of three forms of payment per passenger on each reservation.
What does this mean for your travel credits? Each individual Flight Credit, Transferable Flight Credit, Southwest LUV Voucher, or Southwest Gift Card you use counts as one form of payment.
If your flight purchase exceeds the combined value of your travel credits, you'll need to use a credit card or digital wallet for the remaining balance. This credit card or digital wallet also counts as one form of payment.
Sub-heading: Practical Application of the Three-Payment Rule
Let's illustrate with a few scenarios:
Scenario 1: Using only travel credits. If you have two Flight Credits and a Southwest Gift Card, and their combined value covers the entire cost of your ticket, you can use all three. This is perfectly within the limit.
Scenario 2: Using travel credits and a credit card. You have two Flight Credits, but they don't quite cover the full cost. You can use both Flight Credits and then pay the remaining balance with your credit card. This also totals three forms of payment.
Scenario 3: Exceeding the limit with travel credits. You have four Flight Credits. Even if their combined value covers the flight, you cannot use all four online because of the three-form-of-payment limit. In this case, you would be limited to using two of the flight credits, and then you'd need to use a third form of payment (like a credit card) for the remaining balance, even if you have a third flight credit that could cover it. This is where it gets a little tricky, and we'll discuss workarounds.
Tip: Note one practical point from this post.
Step 3: Navigating the Online Booking Process with Travel Credits
Southwest's website and mobile app are generally user-friendly for applying travel funds.
Start your flight search: Go to Southwest.com or open the Southwest mobile app and search for your desired flight.
Select your flight: Choose your outbound and return flights as usual.
Proceed to payment: On the payment screen, you'll see options to apply various forms of payment.
Apply Travel Funds/Vouchers/Gift Cards:
Look for sections like "Travel Funds," "Southwest LUV Vouchers," or "Gift Cards."
You'll typically enter the confirmation number associated with your Flight Credit or Transferable Flight Credit, or the voucher number for a LUV Voucher, or the gift card number and PIN for a gift card.
Apply them one at a time. The system will deduct the value from your total.
Review and complete: Once you've applied your desired travel credits, the system will show the remaining balance. If there's a balance, you'll be prompted to enter another form of payment, such as a credit card.
Sub-heading: What to Do When You Have More Than Three Credits
This is a common dilemma. Since you can only apply three forms of payment online per passenger per reservation, what if you have four or more flight credits, or a mix of credits that you want to use?
Option A: Consolidate Your Credits (the "Hack"). This is a widely-known unofficial method to combine smaller credits into a larger one.
Find a cheap, flexible flight: Look for a very inexpensive, refundable Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, or Business Select fare (if available) that costs less than the combined value of, say, two of your smaller flight credits, but more than one.
Book the flight: Use two of your flight credits to book this cheap flight. If there's a small remaining balance, pay it with a credit card (you'll get this back).
Cancel the flight: Once booked, cancel the flight. The entire value of that reservation, including the combined credits you used, will be issued as a new, single flight credit or transferable flight credit (depending on the fare type you chose). This new credit will have an expiration date tied to the earliest expiration date of the original funds used.
Repeat: You can repeat this process to further consolidate your credits until you have fewer than three.
Caveat: While this method works, be mindful of expiration dates. When you combine credits, the new credit inherits the earliest expiration date of the funds used. So, if one of your credits expires in a month and another in a year, the new combined credit will expire in a month.
Option B: Call Southwest Customer Service. The most straightforward (though sometimes time-consuming) way to handle more than three forms of payment is to call Southwest Customer Service. Their agents often have the ability to manually apply more credits than the online system allows, or they can assist in combining them on their end.
Option C: Book Multiple One-Way Flights. If your trip is a round-trip, consider booking it as two separate one-way flights. This effectively gives you six "slots" for payment (three for the outbound, three for the return), potentially allowing you to use more individual credits.
Step 4: Understanding Expiration Dates and Names
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Expiration Dates: Travel funds (Flight Credits and LUV Vouchers) do expire. It's crucial to be aware of their expiration dates. Once a credit expires, it loses all value.
As of May 28, 2025, Basic fare flight credits expire six months from the date the fare was purchased and ticketed.
Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select Transferable Flight Credits created from reservations booked on or after May 28, 2025, expire twelve months from the date the fare was purchased and ticketed.
Always check the specific terms of your credit.
Passenger Name Matching: Generally, Flight Credits are non-transferable and must be used by the original passenger to whom the credit was issued. The name on the credit must match the name of the passenger on the new booking.
Exception: Transferable Flight Credits, as mentioned, can be transferred once to another Rapid Rewards member. This is a significant advantage for flexibility. Southwest Gift Cards are also fully transferable.
Step 5: Where to Check Your Travel Fund Balance and Expiration
Keeping track of your credits is key.
Southwest.com: Log into your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com. Under "My Account," navigate to "My Travel Funds" or "Payment." You should see a list of your available Flight Credits and Transferable Flight Credits along with their expiration dates.
"Check Travel Funds" Tool: Southwest also has a "Check Travel Funds" tool on their website where you can enter a confirmation number or voucher number to look up its value and expiration date, even if it's not linked to your Rapid Rewards account.
Mobile App: The Southwest mobile app also allows you to view your travel funds under your account settings.
By following these steps and understanding the nuances of Southwest's travel credit policies, you can effectively maximize the value of your unused funds and enjoy seamless future travel!
QuickTip: Reread tricky spots right away.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check the expiration date of my Southwest travel credit?
You can check the expiration date by logging into your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com, going to "My Account" and then "My Travel Funds," or by using the "Check Travel Funds" tool on their website with your confirmation or voucher number.
How to use a Southwest LUV Voucher for a flight?
During the payment step of your flight booking on Southwest.com or the mobile app, select the "Southwest LUV Voucher" option and enter the voucher number and security code.
How to combine multiple Southwest Flight Credits into one?
While Southwest doesn't have an official "combine" feature online, you can often consolidate credits by booking a cheap flight using two smaller credits, then canceling that flight. The entire value will then be issued as a single, new flight credit (be mindful of the earliest expiration date). Alternatively, you can call Southwest Customer Service for assistance.
Tip: Break down complex paragraphs step by step.
How to use a Southwest Gift Card?
On the payment screen during booking, select the "Southwest Gift Card" option and enter the gift card number and PIN. You can use up to three gift cards per passenger per reservation.
How to transfer a Southwest travel credit to another person?
Most Flight Credits are non-transferable and must be used by the original passenger. However, Transferable Flight Credits™ (from Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, or Business Select fares) can be transferred once to another Rapid Rewards member. Southwest Gift Cards are also fully transferable.
How to apply more than three travel credits to a single booking?
You cannot apply more than three forms of payment online per passenger. For more than three, you can try consolidating your credits using the "book and cancel" method, or by calling Southwest Customer Service for assistance.
How to use travel funds for taxes and fees on a Rapid Rewards points booking?
Tip: Every word counts — don’t skip too much.
Yes, you can use Southwest Flight Credits, LUV Vouchers, or Gift Cards to cover the taxes and fees associated with a Rapid Rewards points booking. These will count towards your three forms of payment.
How to find my Southwest flight credit confirmation number?
If the flight credit originated from a canceled reservation, the confirmation number of that original reservation is usually the key. You can find this in your Rapid Rewards account under "My Travel Funds" or by looking up past trips.
How to convert Southwest travel funds into Rapid Rewards points?
Southwest may offer the option to convert certain travel funds into Rapid Rewards points, depending on the fare type and when the original ticket was canceled. You would typically see this option in your "My Travel Funds" section or by contacting customer service.
How to get a refund for a Southwest travel credit?
Generally, Southwest travel credits (Flight Credits, LUV Vouchers) are non-refundable and have no cash value, except where required by law. If you canceled a refundable fare (Anytime or Business Select), you would have received a refund to your original form of payment, not a travel credit.
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