Best way to use Southwest points

[Chrisdan]

Hi, I hope it's okay to post this here. My husband accrued about 300,000 points through Southwest. We would like to go to Disney World for a week sometime in the late fall (Maybe Thanksgiving - whole other story). We live in New Orleans so we could make the drive and hopefully use the points on a hotel stay. I have done some rudimentary research into redeeming the points but am as confused as ever. We have the Southwest card and have earned some extra points. Is there a specific place I could learn more about redeeming SW points at Disney World? Forum, or Website or Book? I appreciate the advice. Now, I have to figure out how to stay calm and focused going to Disney during a holiday.

 

[PerfessorZ]

One way to go is to use your points to purchase gift cards like Target GCs. Target GCs can then be used (in store only) to purchase Disney gift cards.

The downside to this is that your best redemption value for the 300k would be $3,000 in gift cards. If you used the points for actual flights on SW, the value would be around $4,500.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Check out flyertalk.com. They are very knowledgeable there.

 

[Chrisdan]

That makes sense. I think my h

Check out flyertalk.com. They are very knowledgeable there.

Thanks!

usband was hoping that we could use points towards the hotel stay. But, honestly, I just want the most bang for the buck. Thanks for the reply!

 

[wendow]

I think you can use your points for a hotel stay but I don't think you can redeem them at any of the Disney resorts. So, if you are ok with offsite, you could probably find some good options. There is a place on the SW site to look a the travel options. Got to the redeem points area and click on 'hotels and resorts'.

@PerfessorZ 's response of redeeming for Target GC's which you could then use in the store to buy Disney GC's is probably your best way to go if you are wanting to stay onsite. A $25 Target GC will cost 3,000 SW miles.

 

[a742246]

From the SW site. You can trade your points for a Best Western gift card, or a ihotel gift card and a Fairmont gift card. Here is the site https://www.1.awardhq.com/24468SWA0SWARR/shop/hotels---resorts/_/N-119582

 

[Chrisdan]

From the SW site. You can trade your points for a Best Western gift card, or a ihotel gift card and a Fairmont gift card. Here is the site https://www.1.awardhq.com/24468SWA0SWARR/shop/hotels---resorts/_/N-119582

Thanks!

 

[hsmamato2]

You can book hotels,depending on availability right thru the SWA site....I've done it before- when I had some points to use we stayed onsite at Universal for free for 3 nights (Hard rock hotel, so around $300 per night in the time we were going) get to know the rapid rewards page..... do some reading.... I think it's under other redemptions or something on the page- I don't know that this is the highest redemption per point, but it worked for us as my goal was to spend less money. We flew for free, stayed for free,can't remember if SWA had ticket options or not for Universal or disney. Also not sure but don't they offer vacation packages on SWA? Do they allow you to pay with points for those? Add that with the idea of target gc-buying dis gc's to use for food etc onsite and you're saving a lot.

 

[hsmamato2]

hmmmmm that was a while ago when I did that.... now I can't fidn the same page where I could use points to book a hotel..... gonna go look!

 

[wendow]

hmmmmm that was a while ago when I did that.... now I can't fidn the same page where I could use points to book a hotel..... gonna go look!

You can still do that. I found the page yesterday. Just couldn't find onsite WDW hotels but plenty of offsite options.

 

[Chrisdan]

I did find the "more rewards" section on the SW website. I am getting a much better idea of how and what to spend the points on. Thanks!