Lain
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2014
- Messages
- 9,372
If I were in your shoes I would jump at the chance for a SW CP. I LOOOOVVEEE SW SMF to SNA for my DLR trips. They also fly into LGB which can be helpful when the SNA fares are high. The great thing about booking with SW points is that they are automatically redeposited into your account if you need to cancel a trip (up to 10 min before boarding!) or re-book at a lower fare. If you have to cancel a cash fare you will not get a refund, instead you will get a credit that needs to be used within a year and only for the person who the original fare was booked for.
Alas, I am lol/24 so not eligible for any new Chase cards for awhile, but I have read a lot about the CP. You can use points to book the fare, the companion needs to travel with the primary passenger, and you can change your companion up to 3 times per year. Maybe you could convince your wife to fly Hawaiian out to Hawaii but SW back to the mainland?
Speaking of Hawaii, thank you for posting all the info about your Christmas trip. I've looked into some pricing and it's just so ridiculously expensive during the holidays that I'm not sure we can make it happen. We could possibly swing it for just our small family of 3 but we wanted the extended fam to join us. We'll see. We have a year to get all the points in place and see where that gets us. You asked about staying in Waikiki...we did a split stay in early November, 3 nights in at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and then moved to Aulani for 3 nights. We LOVED Waikiki! We were upgraded to the Diamond Head suite at the Outrigger and it was pure bliss to wake up to the ocean right below us and Diamond Head in the distance. There are other great options right there on the beach...Sheraton Waikiki, Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider, which are all SPG/Marriott properties so totally doable on points. We are dying to go back!
Thanks for the encouragement and advice on the SW CP!
Yes, Hawaii is very expensive during the holidays, but that’s what the schedule allows and Christmas is pretty big with my wife’s family so we do it. I love love love SPG’s Waikiki properties! I’m glad you were able to enjoy an awesome view on your trip there. My wife and I stayed in one of the Moana Surfrider's ocean front tower suites pre-DD and woke up to the sound of waves washing over Waikiki Beach with uninterrupted views of Diamond Head. I should really add an encore of that stay to my churning bucket list.