What’s the Difference Between Southwest Flight Credit and LUV Vouchers?
Southwest flight credit (officially known as Travel Funds) and LUV Vouchers are the two types of compensation issued by Southwest Airlines. While they can both be used to purchase tickets, there are some key differences between the two.
Follow our guide to turn your LUV Vouchers into flight credits that never expire.
Table: Southwest flight credit vs. LUV Voucher
| Southwest Flight Credit | Southwest LUV Voucher | |
| Condition issued | Flight Cancellation | Goodwill Gesture |
| Expiration | Never | One Year |
| Transferability | Sometimes | Yes |
| Covers taxes and fees | Yes | No |
| Maximum number used | 3 | 2 |
Condition issued
Flight Credit
Southwest issues Southwest flight credit when you cancel a flight that is not eligible for a refund (Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares).
LUV Voucher
Southwest issues LUV Vouchers as a goodwill gesture. For example, if your flight is delayed or you are otherwise inconvenienced. Read our step by step guide on how to turn your delayed Southwest flight into a LUV Voucher.
Expiration
Flight Credit
Southwest flight credit never expires.
LUV Voucher
Southwest LUV Vouchers expire one year from the date of issue. Note that the flight must be completed by the expiration date.
Transferability
Flight Credit
Southwest flight credit from flights that were booked Wanna Get Away are non-transferable and can only be used by the person they are issued to.
Southwest flight credit from flights that were booked Wanna Get Away Plus are transferable and can be used to book flights for anyone.
If you want to turn a non-transferable flight credit into a transferable flight credit follow these steps:
- Find a Wanna Getaway Plus fare close to the amount of your flight credit.
- Book the ticket and pay for it with your flight credit.
- Cancel the ticket. Any additional amount can be refunded to your credit card if you do this within 24 hours.
- You now will see an option to transfer the flight credit to another person.
Note: According to Southwest’s terms: “Once the flight credit is transferred, it cannot be reversed, and only one transfer is allowed.”
LUV Voucher
LUV Vouchers can be used to book flights for anyone.
Taxes and Fees
Flight Credit
Southwest flight credit can be used to cover taxes and fees.
LUV Voucher
LUV Vouchers cannot be used to cover taxes and fees. Check out our Guide to LUV Vouchers to learn how to turn your LUV Vouchers into transferable flight credit that never expires and can be used to pay for taxes and fees.
Maximum Number Used
Flight Credit
If you have enough flight credits to cover the booking, you will be able to use three Southwest flight credits per passenger for a booking.
LUV Voucher
Southwest allows three forms of payment per passenger for each booking. Since LUV Vouchers cannot be used for taxes and fees, you will only be able to apply two LUV Vouchers per passenger per booking. Your third form of payment will be a flight credit or credit card to pay any remaining balance and the taxes and fees.
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I’m reading conflicting statements concerning Southwest flight credits vs vouchers. In one place it says vouchers expire in one year and in another place it says that vouchers do not have an expiration date. What is true. Thanks
A lot of people use the terms “voucher” and “flight credit” interchangeably. As of last summer, flight credits do not expire. Flight credits differ from LUV vouchers, which do expire. The expiration date for LUV vouchers will be on the voucher you received.
So, I’m really confused because I have both delayed flights & a cancellation…. I received a LUV voucher instead of a Flight credit! I had like four delays & then a cancellation. Had to wait in line, travel in the early evening as opposed to my early morning flight, then fly a different direction, then to a state close to mine, not in my state. Which was my original end of trip. I had to be picked up from the airport a state away from mine. Not sure why I was given a LUV voucher instead of a Flight credit…..😳🧐
Sounds like a really tough travel day. Yes, this is correct. LUV Vouchers are what Southwest gives to say “sorry we messed up.” But you can turn them into a Flight credit with these steps: https://katiestraveltricks.com/southwest-luv-vouchers/
If I buy Wanna Get Away Plus fares for my family members with credits and then have them transferred into my account once they are transferrable, can I use the credits when I buy tickets for my family members or just for myself? What is the strategy you use with your family members?
You can only transfer those fares one time (is my understanding). So if you transfer to yourself, you need to buy tickets for yourself with them.
So do you just keep a spreadsheet of all the flight credits and associated confirmation numbers for all of your family members? I’ve got a family of 5 with 2 companion passes so I’m concerned about how complicated this could get. I just got ~$500’s back for tickets that I replaced with my companion passes, so I think I should transfer those rather than chipping away at that balance with $5 taxes/fees. Really with all these points from earning companion passes, it might be hard to spend those funds for any of us. This is a good problem to have. Thank you so much for your expertise and sharing your wisdom – esp your 3 card, 2 pass strategy. It is brilliant!
Yes if those flight credits are for people that are now companions, I’d either (1) save them if you will use them for international taxes — like round trip to Mexico is $100ish or (2) book a wanna getaway plus fare and then transfer the credits to yourself or whoever holds the companion pass.