2 free roundtrip tickets

[leahjade]

if you get the Southwest credit card. Has anyone done this? Is it good roundtrip anywhere? Are there any stipulations?

 

[peachydreamyxx]

Im wondering this myself. I applied, but I see that their are two levels 'classic' and 'signature'. If you get approved, but only as a classic card holder do you still recieve the two free flights? Or is it if you are approved as a signature member only you recieve the flights?

 

[leahjade]

I read the small print and see there is a $59 annual fee but it would still be worth it to get $700 worth of airline tickets!

 

[disneyleslie]

I just did this deal and I got the free ticket plus the $500 in gift cards. I found it on slickdeals.net...here is the link - I don't get anything from it, but i can tell you it works cuz I have the gift cards and got the free flight.

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2097870.


by using theSouthwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase
Apply now.
Click on the underlined benefit to learn more.
SPECIAL OFFER! Get up to $500 in southwestgiftcards®!1 PLUS, up to 26 Rapid Rewards Credits - enough for a FREE Flight!
2
• Earn up to $500 in southwestgiftcards in the first three months just by using your card!1
o You’ll receive a $100 southwestgiftcard once you have made $1,000 in purchases
o You’ll receive an additional $150 southwestgiftcard once you reach a total of $2,500 in purchases
o Then receive a $250 southwestgiftcard once you’ve made a total of $5,000 in purchases!
• That's up to $500 in southwestgiftcards just for using your card on everyday purchases!1
• Receive 16 Rapid Rewards credits after first use of your card2
• Earn up to 8 more credits with balance transfers made within the first 90 days2
• Automatically receive 2 Rapid Rewards credits every year after your Cardmember Anniversary3
• With only 16 credits, vacation to any of 64 destinations Southwest serves, including Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando, and San Francisco
Plus these ongoing benefits
• Double Reward Dollars add up quickly when you use your card:3
• Southwest Airlines flight, inflight, southwestgiftcard, and Southwest Vacations package purchases3
• Rapid Rewards Preferred Hotel and Rental Car Partner Purchases3
• Plus, you'll receive 1 Reward Dollar for every $1 spent on all other purchases3
• Exclusive Special Offers available only to Cardmembers
• Get security and extra protection4
Enjoy valuable Visa Signature® benefits
5
• Plus, we'll waive the annual fee for the first year – that's a value of $59.5,8
.

 

[leahjade]

Can you use the free flight and gift cards all at once for a family? Are there blackout days or small print involved?

 

[cepmom]

we got this offer a couple of months ago and have received enough credits for 2 free flights. Our offer also included no annual fee as well; this offer was well worth opening a new card!!

We already had a SW cc which we received one free flight but we pay the annual fee on. I am going to cancel that one before the next annual fee is due and we'll just use the new one instead

currently there are blackout dates involved with the award travel, but begininning in March, the program is changing and there will be no more blackout dates and the credits never expire so that's good. I do think there are some other changes going to happen with how many "credits" each flight will cost though, although I'm not completely clear on that change.

On the old plan, 16 credits got you a round trip flight anywhere SW flies, subject to blackout dates,and subject to award seats being available on any particular flight.

With the new plan, I believe the credits will be calculated differently, no longer based on "take one flight, get one credit"; it will now be earn points based on how much your flight fare was.

To book free flights, the amount of points needed is based on the price of the fare so that means some flights may "cost" more points than others, but no blackout dates, every seat is available to book using points and points never expire.

Regardless, this cc offer is pretty good and you will get enough credits to book 2 free flights so it may be worth it just for those 2 free flights alone.

I'm not sure I'm going to love the new program; the old program was so simple, and this seems to be more complicated but we'll see. We've had such good experiences with Southwest and the rapid reward program, I'm not going to give up them yet!

 

[a1tinkfans]

sw is a great airline IMHO.
have gotten the card for each of us, got free flights, no blackouts for us or any difficulties. I did however pay 59 yearly for each card. I have never heard of sw offering a no fee for free flights though. Perhaps that was a 1st year promo? We got no bonus gift cards, and based on what I read above that would be spending over 3500 in a month on your charge to get it. My thoughts are: if one is using this "deal" for budget minded reasons, I would not think that charging up a storm would be good fiscally. If however, you usually charge that much and it "works" for you, I guess its a good deal. I never pay a cent in interest on any card. This is the only card I would ever even pay for since the free flights work for us.
we also get 2 credits (which will convert to those points) each New year. We have gotten several free flights and only choose to fly sw!
Good Luck op!

 

[cepmom]

sw is a great airline IMHO.
have gotten the card for each of us, got free flights, no blackouts for us or any difficulties. I did however pay 59 yearly for each card. I have never heard of sw offering a no fee for free flights though. Perhaps that was a 1st year promo? We got no bonus gift cards, and based on what I read above that would be spending over 3500 in a month on your charge to get it. My thoughts are: if one is using this "deal" for budget minded reasons, I would not think that charging up a storm would be good fiscally. If however, you usually charge that much and it "works" for you, I guess its a good deal. I never pay a cent in interest on any card. This is the only card I would ever even pay for since the free flights work for us.
we also get 2 credits (which will convert to those points) each New year. We have gotten several free flights and only choose to fly sw!
Good Luck op!

with our first SW card, we got one free flight when we opened a new account, had to pay the $59 annual fee (but that's ok with me because I felt it was worth it)

for the past several months we have been getting offers in the mail from SW to open a new account and get 2 free flights, no annual fee. I wasn't to keen on opening any new cc's, but this offer was too good to pass up.

You never know how or why the marketing dept targets different consumers...I mean we already had the card, but if they want to offer us another card with 2 free flights, no annual fee, I'll take it!

 

[leahjade]

Wondering if you can use the 2 free flights for same trip? Or is it 1 free flight at a time?

 

[brymolmom]

Wondering if you can use the 2 free flights for same trip? Or is it 1 free flight at a time?

I'm no expert but I went out to the offer on the web page and attempted to read thru all the fine print. It APPEARS that you can transfer your 'points' to another person which sounded, to me, like you can buy another person's ticket with your free points.

I don't know for sure yet but that's what I'm hoping. I want to buy one for me and one for one of my kids for our trip in August.

 

[Leshaface]

This sounds like a good deal...

but i've never flown with SW...do you guys like the airline?? What about baggage fees? Do you get to choose your seats when you book your flight?

Would love your opinions!

 

[brymolmom]

This sounds like a good deal...

but i've never flown with SW...do you guys like the airline?? What about baggage fees? Do you get to choose your seats when you book your flight?

Would love your opinions!

I have flown them and like them. The biggest 'beef' some people have is that there is no option to choose seats, ever. Based on your boarding pass number you enter first come, first served and take any available seats.

You can pay an additional fee to get an earlier boarding pass number, per ticket.

You can board after all the preboards, A boarding pass numbers but before B boarding pass numbers, if you have a child aged 4 or under traveling with you.

We've never had a problem. We check in right around 24 hours and have always been able to at least get 2 and 2 together.

If it is 100% necessary for your party to sit together - pay for the Early Boarding.

At least one checked bag is free...not sure about a 2nd.

 

[hoffmann2828]

Okay, I'm intrigued! Here are a few questions:

1. When we sign up, if we get the 16 free credits, but then it changes to the new program, shouldn't we get 1,200 points x 16 credits? So, a total of 18,200 points? Because it looks like it is 60 points per dollar for a "wanna get away" fare - so say it is $79 each way, wouldn't that be 9,600 (approx!) points? Meaning you would get closer to 2 free tickets? Plus the GC's (not that I think I'd earn more than the $150 one! I think it would be hard for me to reach more than $2500 in a 3 month period - unless DH lets me buy more DVC points).

2. Can those be used for anyone?

3. Is there anything I'm missing that doesn't make this a great deal?

TIA!!
Jenny

 

[hoffmann2828]

At least one checked bag is free...not sure about a 2nd.

Last time I flew (in Sept) it was 2 free bags!!!! Woohoo!

 

[Leshaface]

I have flown them and like them. The biggest 'beef' some people have is that there is no option to choose seats, ever. Based on your boarding pass number you enter first come, first served and take any available seats.

You can pay an additional fee to get an earlier boarding pass number, per ticket.

You can board after all the preboards, A boarding pass numbers but before B boarding pass numbers, if you have a child aged 4 or under traveling with you.

We've never had a problem. We check in right around 24 hours and have always been able to at least get 2 and 2 together.

If it is 100% necessary for your party to sit together - pay for the Early Boarding.

At least one checked bag is free...not sure about a 2nd.

This would be fine with us! So i'm assuming as soon as people get through security, they line up right at the gate even though the flight may not be for another hour and a half or so?

And anything free is always GREAT in my book!!

Last time I flew (in Sept) it was 2 free bags!!!! Woohoo!

Wow! 2 bags would be even better!!!!

 

[cepmom]

Wondering if you can use the 2 free flights for same trip? Or is it 1 free flight at a time?

yes you can use 2 of the free flights in one trip; the credits are transferrable to anybody. DH travels a lot for work and he earns quite a few free flights with SW. We have used 7 free flights so far since August and have 5 more booked for May!! this program really is great.

This would be fine with us! So i'm assuming as soon as people get through security, they line up right at the gate even though the flight may not be for another hour and a half or so?

And anything free is always GREAT in my book!!



Wow! 2 bags would be even better!!!!

yes, 2 free checked bags per person!! nobody does that anymore!

Also, with check in and choosing seats - when you check in online 24 hours before your flight, you will get a boarding assignment. It will be A, B or C, then a number (A42, B12 etc). Boarding goes in alpha/numerical order. First pre-boards (for handicapped or unaccompanied minors) then A1-A60, then families with children under 5, then B, then C group.

So when you check in if you get A42 you will ust go in order. I always try to check in right at the 24 hour mark to better my chances of getting a good boarding #, but even when I've had B numbers, we've never had problems getting 5 seats together.

there is no need to line up at the gate; the SW employess will announce when to line up and he/she will say all "A" bp holders now line up and there are marked areas for you to stand in order. It sounds confusing but really it's pretty easy once you see the set up.

As someone already mentioned, you can pay $10 each way for Early Bird check in and SW will check you in a the 36 hour mark so you will be assured a decent boarding#

 

[Leshaface]

yes you can use 2 of the free flights in one trip; the credits are transferrable to anybody. DH travels a lot for work and he earns quite a few free flights with SW. We have used 7 free flights so far since August and have 5 more booked for May!! this program really is great.




yes, 2 free checked bags per person!! nobody does that anymore!

Also, with check in and choosing seats - when you check in online 24 hours before your flight, you will get a boarding assignment. It will be A, B or C, then a number (A42, B12 etc). Boarding goes in alpha/numerical order. First pre-boards (for handicapped or unaccompanied minors) then A1-A60, then families with children under 5, then B, then C group.

So when you check in if you get A42 you will ust go in order. I always try to check in right at the 24 hour mark to better my chances of getting a good boarding #, but even when I've had B numbers, we've never had problems getting 5 seats together.

there is no need to line up at the gate; the SW employess will announce when to line up and he/she will say all "A" bp holders now line up and there are marked areas for you to stand in order. It sounds confusing but really it's pretty easy once you see the set up.

As someone already mentioned, you can pay $10 each way for Early Bird check in and SW will check you in a the 36 hour mark so you will be assured a decent boarding#

Wow! Great information!!

Thanks a lot! I'll definitely be looking into Southwest flights for our next vacation!!

 

[leahjade]

Do you think it would be better to wait till after March for their new rewards program or would these transfer? It's all so confusing!!

 

[cepmom]

Do you think it would be better to wait till after March for their new rewards program or would these transfer? It's all so confusing!!

any credits earned before the transition will also transfer...you will not lose anything in the transition to the new rapid rewards program. Go for it! It's a great deal!

 

[rnorwo1]

Does anyone know how many credits or points you need to redeem a flight (approximate, I know with the new program it will vary by flight.) I see that it takes $1200 to get one point, so if it requires a ton of points, we may never get any!