Key Dates and Timeline of Policy Change Announcements

The timeline is a mess. United slipped in a footnote in March. American did a sort-of-public update in April. Southwest waited until mid-May, and only travel blogs seemed to notice. May 28, 2025, just appeared in FAQs—blink and you missed it.

I started a color-coded Google Sheet to keep track. Not proud, but it’s the only way. Some credits are permanent, others are expiring. Airlines barely notify anyone. No big banners. Just vague emails and “review your balance” nudges.

Booked before the new policy? Old rules stick—unless you rebook or change fares, then the new expiry slaps on. Transparency? Nope. I called customer support and even a senior agent sounded lost about which credits expire when.

Impacts on Current Balance and Unused Credits

If you’ve got leftover credits, check them. My $220 Southwest credit went from “never expires” to “expires December 17, 2025” after I changed a route. No warning. Friends lost hundreds in credits—gone, no appeal, just a “you should’ve read the email” shrug.

Every fare change risks your value. Swap your credit for a new ticket and the original expiry is gone. Switch post-May 28? New countdown, harsher limits. Loyalty program folks sometimes get exceptions, but most of us get nothing but canned apologies.

How do I keep track? Spreadsheet, calendar reminders, texting my travel agent friend (she says screenshot every expiry date). These policy changes mean airlines pocket more expired credits. If you don’t watch your account, your credits can disappear—exactly the way they want it.

Southwest Airlines: Updated Travel Credit Rules

Right when I finally figured out Southwest’s old rules, they went and changed everything again. “No expiry” credits? Not so much. Now, booking with a credit is its own weird labyrinth. Why do credits vanish faster than socks in the laundry?

No Expiry Policy for Southwest Travel Credits

Here’s what I found: Any Southwest flight credit created before May 28, 2025, really doesn’t expire. It just sits in your account, waiting for you to forget about it or for them to quietly tweak the rules again. Southwest’s FAQ says, “flight credits created on or before May 27, 2025 do not expire.” Sounds generous, but check your issue date—after May 27, everything changes. Some new credits expire in six months, others in twelve, depending on the fare. No dramatic announcement, just a stealth update. If you booked a Wanna Get Away fare and cancelled before May 28, the old perks stick—like finding an expired coupon that works if you ask nicely.

Feels like they want to keep us guessing. “Grandfathered” credits follow one set of rules, everything new gets a countdown timer. I don’t know, maybe they’re just testing who’s paying attention.

How to Use Southwest Flight Credits on New Bookings

Okay, so using Southwest flight credits is supposed to be easy—just click “Apply Flight Credit” and move on with life, right? Except, yeah, not so much. Last time I tried, the app decided I owed them extra for a fare difference that wasn’t real. Had to ping Southwest chat (Josie, if you ever see this, you’re a hero), and she basically said, “Yeah, you’ll need to call or use the airport kiosk if the website’s being weird.” Why does the online tool always act like I’m trying to scam them out of $12 when I just want to use my own credit?

Combining credits? Technically allowed, but, ugh, it’s a mess. The newest credit’s expiration date rules the whole thing after May 28, 2025. But if you’ve got one of those magical pre-May 28 credits, those don’t expire—like, ever. I know a corporate travel manager who got $14k in no-expiry credits wiped out because they got mixed with new funds. Three phone calls later, customer service fixed it, but who has that kind of energy? Honestly, just keep every email, screenshot, and maybe a spreadsheet if you’re as paranoid as I am.

And please, don’t trust the app for this stuff. Just call. The phone agents can override things the website won’t, but if you’ve lost your PIN or get tripped up by fare categories (which, who doesn’t?), they’re not exactly in the mood to help. I’ve learned to just keep a notepad of random codes and hope for the best.

American Airlines: Evolving eVoucher and Credit Practices

Trying to figure out American Airlines’ eVouchers and credits is like looking for my favorite pen—sometimes it’s just not there, and nobody can tell me why. The rules keep shifting. Dates, eligibility, which fares work, what even counts as a credit? Customer service reads from a script and then contradicts themselves. Do they even know?

Latest Expiry Dates and Conditions

The expiration rules for these credits? Who knows anymore. Trip Credits, Flight Credits, eVouchers—none of them mean the same thing, apparently. The old “1-year from issue” thing? That’s out the window, except when it isn’t. Since March 2025, some credits get quietly extended, but most still die after 12 months. I saw a screenshot from an AA memo—“Majority of Trip Credits now expire one year from issue; COVID-era eVouchers maybe get more, if you complain enough.” What does “enough” even mean? And merging credits? Forget it. System blocks you if you try to combine different types. And once the expiration is set, calling is usually a waste of time.

Oh, and did you see that USA Today bit about only 40% of flyers using credits before they expire? Not surprised. My friend Lisa flies more than anyone I know—lost two $126 eVouchers because she misread the email. Don’t trust those reminders.

Using eVouchers for Basic Economy Fares and Extras

You’d think using an eVoucher for basic economy would be simple. It’s not. The website sometimes just says “no,” and even AA’s own help pages can’t keep up. The list of exclusions changes weekly. Can you pay for a checked bag with Flight Credit? Maybe. Or maybe not. If you call, they’ll transfer you around until you give up.

In my experience, eVouchers usually work for basic economy, but Flight Credits almost never cover seat assignments or baggage. It’s infuriating. They sent out this promo in March 2025—“Trip Credits now extend to extras, where applicable.” Where is that, exactly? Last month, an agent told me, “Don’t use a credit for basic economy if you want extras—book the seat, then add extras in a second step.” Why is this so complicated?

Here’s what I’ve managed to get to work:

And if you book with a credit and the ticket costs less? The leftover just disappears. I lost $14 once—could’ve bought a sad airport muffin. If you’re only a few bucks short, just pay cash, unless you like being annoyed at yourself when you check your balance later.