With a little bit of planning, you can easily maximize the points you earn and use them to book free flights or hotel stays. Indicates external site which may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. OK92033) Property & Casualty Licenses, NerdWallet | 55 Hawthorne St. - 11th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105. This limits how you can earn and use reward points. white-space: normal; There are a number of different travel rewards programs available, so you should be able to find one that offers points that can be redeemed for flights on Southwest. Southwest points' value varies from 1.3 cents to 1.5 cents. Approved reimbursement payments will be sent either by check or Hyperwallet, a PayPal service contracted by Southwest to make the distribution of approved Customer payments easy, efficient, and convenient. The offer applies to Customers whose flights were scheduled between December 24, 2022, and January 2, 2023, but were cancelled or significantly delayed greater than three hours for each paid and ticketed Customer on the reservation. Its possible to transfer points from some popular hotel loyalty programs to Southwests rewards program. If you have any Amex airline incidental credits left, you may be able to effectively turn those credits into Southwest points. The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards program gives passengers the means to capitalize on spending. They are automatically added to your account when you attach your. If you're wondering how to use Rapid Rewards points, know that you may redeem them for flight tickets rather easily. Shes a certified public accountant with degrees from the London School of Economics and Fordham University. 6,000 points can be earned on the card account anniversary. Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. The fourth way to convert your travel funds into points Southwest is to use a travel hacking program. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards program: the complete guide. Since you typically pay 2.75 cents to 3 cents per point when buying Rapid Rewards points, purchasing them may not be in your best interest. In other words, you can generate points when you: With this method, youre essentially buying Southwest points for 1.28 cents each. A-List and A-List Preferred members receive bonus points on qualifying flights, among other benefits. Earn 1X points per dollar at participating Marathon gas stations by enrolling in the MakeItCount Rewards program. Again, you may use your travel funds for cash fares or to pay the taxes and fees on award tickets. The fee for this is $100, which will be deducted from the funds balance. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. )"; There is a limit of 3 payment methods so if the entire trip is not covered by 3 travel funds you will only be able to use 2 and then a credit card. in the event your flight was canceled or significantly delayed from December 24, 2022 through January 2, 2023, you may request a refund of your unused ticket to the original form of payment. Additionally, dont use your miles for low-value redemptions like magazine subscriptions or merchandise. Yes, you can use your travel funds to purchase points on Southwest. Here is where you'll enter your travel funds' confirmation number and your first and last name before clicking "Apply funds." Not anymore! When redeemed for flights, the value of Southwest points typically varies from 1.3 cents to 1.5 cents. When you purchase aSouthwest flight, you can cancel it for free and refund yourself in the form of travel funds. These can be used towards futureSouthwest flights. Requesting a refund in the event your flight was canceled or significantly delayed from December 24, 2022 through January 2, 2023, you may request a refund of your unused ticket to the original form of payment. Can I convert my Southwest Rapid Rewards points to dollars? You can only use these funds to pay for future flights, NOT for Early Bird. Last week, Southwest announced that travelers can now convert some travel funds to Rapid Rewards points. Simply check your email inbox (or spam folder) to see if you've received an email from Southwest Airlines saying "A-List status is all yours.". However, this is as good as it gets if you purchase points without promotional offers. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you. MoneyGeek experts have accounted for how the worth of Southwest Rapid Rewards points changes depending on different redemption methods to arrive at their average value. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. Joining the Southwest rewards program is relatively simple its free and available online. Yesterday, Southwest announced that, as part of the pandemic customer service accommodation, you'll be able to convert some travel funds to points, at the same rate as when redeeming them. View travel funds Help Center Do flight credits expire? Joseph Hostetler is a full-time writer for Million Mile Secrets, covering miles and points tips and tricks, as well as helpful travel-related news and deals. You would need to purchase at least 2,000 points and may purchase no more than 60,000 points daily. NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. If youre a frequent traveler, you may be wondering if its worth converting your travel funds into Rapid Rewards points. Southwest Rapid Rewards program: the complete guide. } Southwest travel funds expire within two years butSouthwest points do not expire. For example, if you remain an active NRG Home customer for two months, you get to earn an enrollment bonus of 10,000 points. You may use your Rapid Rewards points to book flights for others. These havent been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. The LUV voucher will be good for another six months from the date of your call. You can then use these points to redeem for free flights on Southwest. Southwest Airlines is a popular domestic carrier that offers a unique points-based reward system. They would be worth $1,200 if you get a value of 1.5 cents per point. Once you have an account, you can log in and access the 'My Account' page. Thank you 0 Loves Reply Back to Board Previous Post This is a question that many travelers ask. 5. Southwest travel funds are typically created when you cancel or change a Wanna Get Away reservation. Navigate the calendar using PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN to change the month, you can also hold CONTROL and press the ARROW KEYS to change the day. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card offers additional member benefits. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. If youve got $200 in travel funds, you can convert them to 15,625 points, which are worth ~$234.38 inSouthwest flights. I always am and want to share my secrets for how . That means either buying some expensive flights and then canceling them for travel funds, or just buying the points directly from the sale. text-decoration:underline; Sign up and well send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money. There are a number of different travel hacking programs available, so you should be able to find one that offers points that can be redeemed for flights on Southwest. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card charges a $199 annual fee. 2023 Southwest Airlines Co. All Rights Reserved. At 1.5 cents per point, their worth would increase to $150. )"; If you're a frequent traveler, you may be wondering how to use your Southwest travel funds to points. In this case, you get a value of around 1.39 cents per point. Buy from Southwest's shopping, dining, and travel partners to earn even more points. background-color: #3b5998 !important; Assistant Assigning Editor | Travel rewards, Credit cards. We have partnerships with advertisers such as American Express, Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. Can you transfer travel funds to LUV Voucher? Learn more: Your guide to booking award flights on Southwest. Some points can only be used for merchandise or other non-travel related items. width: 273px; Select the travel fund that you would like to convert into Southwest Points and click on the "Convert to Points" button. New cardholders also earn bonus points by meeting a spend-based requirement. A Business Select fare on the same flight would need 19,641 points plus $5.60, the cash price of which is $278. Rewards. Go to the More Rewards portal and select Gift Cards on the top menu bar. Earn up to 10,000 points per night on hotel stays. You may buy Southwest Airlines points by logging into your Rapid Rewards account. Can I use my Rapid Rewards points for someone else? Also, I'm currently at 84,000 RR points, with the bonus 15000 points SW is giving us, could I buy another 16,000 and then qualify for the companion pass? Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. You can use these gift cards to bookSouthwest flights, cancel the flight and receive a refund in the form of travel vouchers and convert those vouchers into points. Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. Here's what you need to know about the process. If you have more than five codes, simply repeat the process. You can purchaseSouthwest flights and refund them in the form of travel funds by September 7, 2020, for your funds to qualify for conversion. This can be done on a case by case basis and Southwest charges $100 for the service, so it is up to you if you think it is worth it based on your travel fund value. If you use them to book flight tickets, their value also depends on the route you wish to fly and the fare type. The email from Southwest will also include your Customer ID, which you will need to access your payment. Once you move up the membership ladder, you earn bonus points. That means either buying some expensive flights and then canceling them for travel funds, or just buying the points directly from the sale. /* Fare chart comparison flyby */ For this illustration, we'll focus on booking a reservation online. Even if you dont have elite status with Southwest, you will board before the rest of the passengers and improve your boarding position. I think of it as a way to infuse some cash into SWA to help them weather the storm by prebuying future travel. First, log into your Southwest account online and navigate to the "Travel Funds" page. The number of points you earn depends on the actual cost of a ticket and not the distance your flight covers. Southwest never extends the expiration date of travel funds. left: 467px !important; Lee has held the Southwest Companion Pass since 2007 and enjoys being spoiled thanks to his Kimpton Inner Circle status. display: block; As long as the conversion covers the difference in taxes and youre comfortable forgoing earning points and status qualification, then Id consider converting funds to points, especially if you want to use vouchers for other passengers. Make sure you read the terms and conditions of the program you are interested in before you make a purchase. These points can then be redeemed for free flights, hotel stays, or other rewards. Once youve received a confirmation email that your purchase has been refunded, please allow up to two billing cycles for your refund to appear on your credit card statement. Otherwise, they can earn 1X point per $2 spent. color: #636363; Southwest flights under $100 have been known to trigger the Amex airline credit (although this is an unofficial method and may not always work). Can I use Southwest travel fund for someone else? This is because once you receive a companion pass, you may get another person to travel with you for free (not including fees and taxes) when you redeem your points for a flight ticket. Travel funds belong to the Passenger named on the ticket, regardless of who paid for it. Then, look for flights based on your travel dates and fares. Please note: you will only need to fill out the form once for all travelers on your reservation. Travel funds (refunds from canceled reservations) can only be used to purchase a ticket and cannot be used to purchase EarlyBird Check-In or upgraded boarding positions that are available to purchase at the gate. However, remember that Southwest is a budget carrier and isnt part of any alliance. If you are looking to convert your travel funds into points, it is important to do your research and find a program that offers the best value. Can I convert Southwest travel funds to points 2021? .air-check-in-edit-contact-information-banner--link { Point earning excluded on travel booked with points. If you do need to top up your Rapid Rewards account, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio. Once you have your account set up, you can log in and navigate to the My Account tab. (opens popup). } You'll see the link at the top of your Southwest account after signing-in. Here are our picks for the. Yes, you may use your Rapid Rewards points to book $29, $49, $69 and other low-fare flights with Southwest Airlines. Then, continue the booking process as normal and pay any remaining balance owed with your preferred form of payment, such as the, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card, Southwest travel funds are typically created when you cancel or change a Wanna Get Away reservation. Yesterday, Southwest announced that, as part of the pandemic customer service accommodation, youll be able to convert some travel funds to points, at the same rate as when redeeming them. It's possible to transfer points from various rewards programs to the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. Always Be Planning for the Next Big Sale. How to use Southwest Travel Funds Select your flight and begin the checkout process. } You can also use travel funds to purchase a ticket from a third-party ticket seller, such as StubHub. 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