At Southwest Airlines, flight credits no longer expire: Travel Weekly

All new bookings and previously existing credits will no longer have flight-credit expirations.

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said the new policy gives customers "definitive simplicity and ease in travel." Similar to other Southwest policies such as free checked bags, no change fees and no expiration of loyalty points, the new policy gives customers "definitive simplicity and ease in travel."

Southwest is more differentiated than large competitors. Southwest joined American, Delta, United, Alaska and JetBlue in dropping change fees, which caused the carrier to lose some of its differentiating factor.

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Southwest customers will see an expired date on their flight credits in the future. The carrier plans to complete a technology update later this year that will allow it to eliminate the expiration date for flight credits.

Southwest says the move is part of a renewed effort to improve its customers' experience.

The carrier plans to retrofit aircraft with in-seat power as well as offer larger overhead bins and live TV on new aircraft, among other things.