Need budgeting help to maximize savings on SW flight

[StephMK]

Ok, here are our options. Could someone who enjoys the puzzle of maximizing savings help me figure out the best way to do this?

We need to buy 4 RT tickets for a September wedding. Flights run about $450 each right now and don't expect them to go down much and that's a standard price across other airlines. I have checked nearby airports and savings is not worth the extra travel time.

Here are the options I already have available but happy to look into anything new as well -
SW airline card offer w/50,000 point bonus -have not applied but could if worthwhile
Target red card 5%
Kroger fuel points on gift cards
Amex card
ebates

How would you buy the tickets to get the best deal? Are there deals I should look for? Would the points help us? I appreciate any budgeting help on this!!!

 

[ICF]

your biggest "bang" in terms of savings is going to be the 50K Southwest CC. It's likely going to get at least 2 of you there and back for free (other than the annual fee you paid) -- so $900 saved.

You can apply for either the $69 or $99 card -- or even both, as you can earn the 50K pts on both cards. You and your husband can also apply separately for either / or and get 100K pts that way.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

I will second the sw card route. One of the best parts about booking southwest with points is if the cost goes down in price you can rebook and the points go right back into your account. They do give you a refund if you pay by credit card ( in the form of a voucher) but those funds have to be spent within 1 year.

 

[iivye]

Keep in mind that with the Southwest card you don't get the bonus until you hit the minimum spend. You probably want to do it quickly before ticket prices go up too much.

If you use gift cards, you can only use a max of 4 at once so you may have to buy the tickets separately and have different confirmation numbers.

 

[StephMK]

Thanks!! Ok, it sounds like the SW card is the plan. I'll apply within the next week and then it shouldn't take long to rack up the points needed. The flights don't seem to sell out often and prices have stayed pretty steady for a long time for my flight in a few weeks. Thankfully it's not a popular route and days of the week have some flexibility. I have some points in my RR account already so it does look like so far I'll have enough if/when the 50k bonus points happen for 2 tickets. So excited, that is a huge savings and well needed for other wedding expenses!

We will probably also book a rental through SW and will need some hotel room this summer and for the wedding. Excited to have those points as well. I have an email offer for the $69 card. Is there a difference between that one and the $99 card?

Thanks for the quick and helpful info!

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

What is nice about SW too is that you can book 4-one way tickets and use points and then book the other 4-one way tickets and pay cash. SW does not care if the trip is round trip or not.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We got the SWA CC ($99 annual fee). Honestly it's really good for points..SWA in general is pretty good for points. You can earn it on rental cars (usually 600 pts or so unless a special is running), you can get points for certain dining purchases and more.

We just book our WDW flight and it was $371.90 RT or 23,006 pts (we used pts) for one person (we used companion pass for the other ticket).

 

[marthachick]

You don't have to book round trip. IF you book RT for 2 or even one way for all 4 and still have enough points left over to book one way for one more passenger, you can do that. Hope this make sense. I know the ad says 2 round trips for 50,000 points, but, depending on where you're going, you may squeeze another 'one way' out of points.

 

[Albort]

if you have a good amount of bills to pay, apply for both cards. make minimums. then spend another 10k, you can get Companion Pass + 110k points. Then you will only need to pay for 3 people.

 

[HeatherC]

The Southwest card is the way we fly everyone too. Also wanted to mention to you also..That when you price flights, price each way separately. We have found a lot of times it may be cheaper to book two one way flights on different airlines. For example, Southwest there and JetBlue back. Doing this has saved us a lot of money in several occasions.

 

[hsmamato2]

if you have a good amount of bills to pay, apply for both cards. make minimums. then spend another 10k, you can get Companion Pass + 110k points. Then you will only need to pay for 3 people.

well,yes, but Op would then be paying nothing extra,since you can book the flights for 3 with the points earned,and the 4th flies free with the cp. and technically it's spend another 6k b/c you will get 52,000 points after hitting the spend per card.

 

[marthachick]

But both cards must be in the same name to do CP. Can't combine points for this.

 

[msmama]

You could also buy SW gift cards to maximize fuel points or with your Target card, BUT SW has (or used to) a limit on the number of forms of payment (I think it's 4) so beware of that. And they one form of payment as one giftcard (so points and cash would be 2 forms of payment).

Just FYI, I've never done this, savings doesn't seem worth it to me, but I've seen it mentioned as an option.