Southwest Airlines 2 free flights credit card offer-What's the catch?

[mom23kids]

So you can cancel the card after you make a purchase and annual fee, but still keep the flights?? We aren't flying till November. Also when will the Nov flight come out?

 

[tripplanner2]

So I applied with the offer of 1 free flight, the gift cards based on money spent on card, and no annual fee. Was not approved right away, told will get something in the mail in 15 days. Wonder why not instant approval. Hope the offer is still valid. I called and spoke with a rep and went through the offer. He knew all the details but after reading everything here thought it was safer to go through the link. Now that everyone is getting instant approvals I am getting nervous that I won't be able to get the 2 free tickets either. Our credit is really good so I am not nervous about that, just nervous that there may be a problem with the offer.

 

[WdwforLife]

Okay. Here is a screenshot from my newly approved Southwest card account on Chase.com. Now, someone who's redeemed the two free roundtrips, please walk me through step by step on exactly how to redeem them after I have made my initial purchase and paid the $59 annual fee. Like for instance, do you automatically get enough extra rewards points posted to your account where you can book two flights? Do you receive a voucher? Basically talk to me like I'm five

 

[mapmakerj]

Now I am really confused. We applied and were approved last week and got an email saying our cards were on the way. We were excited to get the free 2 flights as my DH has a business trip this summer and the tickets would help me and DS be able to join him. Now I am confused about what will happen with the new RR starting on 3/1. There is a thread on the Budget Board and there is alot of confusion about whether or not we will actually get the free flights with the new program. With the old program you got credits, the new one points. If your CC statement posts after 3/1, it is assumed you will get points, not credits. If they are points, how will they determine how many to give you to get a free flight? After 3/1 the number of points you need will be based on the price of the flight. So you could be limited to where you can use the free tickets if the flights where you want to go cost more than the number of points they decide to give you. I did email SW but have not heard anything back yet.

 

[DizDragonfly]

Ok, I'm not 100% sure of this, but this is what I've deducted by reading the info at Southwest.com and posts on this forum and others.

If you get your credits before 3/1, you'll get one or two free flights, depending on the offer you chose.

If you get your points on 3/1 or after, you'll get 19,200 or 38,400 (depending on the offer you chose). That's 1200 points to equal one credit (at 16 or 32 credits).

If the points aren't enough for you to get your free flight (my flight will be 20,160 pts/ticket), you can do a ONE TIME conversion back to credits.

If you book with credits, your ticket will be subject to the old rules (and have blackout dates and limitations on the number of seats that can be booked per flight).

If you book with points, you can book any open seat on any flight.

To find out how many points your flights will "cost" go to http://www.southwest.com/newRR/homeFlash.do and use the "point simulator" on the red bar on the right in the flash video thing.

Clear as mud, right?

 

[DMRick]

Now you need to use the card. Sometime in May, you will get enough reward points for two trips. You will also get an email telling you they are there, but I'm always in my SW rewards area, so I usually see them before the email hits my mailbox. Onc eyou have them, and they don't say pending, they are yours. You can either keep the card or cancel. They do say to you, when you call to cancel (guilt trip), did you just get the card for the free trip?And I s ay yes, and now I'd like to cancel it.

Once you have it, go into your rewards, and look at the left, where it says awards, and click on it. A screen will come up with yoru awards, and above it it will say:
Looking to use an Award? Use Southwest Seat Finder to see dates with availability.
Or simply Book your Ticketless Award online at southwest.com.

It's anyone's guess (because those who have asked were told they didn't know) if you will get award certificates or points. In the past, they gave us points, and they automatically went to awards. I thought you had to already have some points to be able to switch them over..but only time will tell, it's so much more confusing now. I did notice they no longer say 2 free round trip tickets anywhere we fly. Now it says:

2 FREE FLIGHTS
Get 2 Roundtrip FREE FLIGHTS after your 1st purchase.
Don't miss out on this limited-time opportunity!1

DOUBLE Reward Dollars!
Earn 2 Reward Dollars per $1 spent on Southwest flights, Rapid Rewards
Hotel and Rental Car Partner purchases, and more.2
• Southwest Airlines inflight purchases
• Southwest Vacations package purchases
• southwestgiftcard® purchases

Plus earn 1 Reward Dollar per $1 spent on purchases
everywhere else. All with a low $59 annual fee.†


Coming March 1st!
THE ALL–NEW RAPID REWARDS FROM
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
As a Cardmember, you'll enjoy more ways to redeem and instead of earning "Reward Dollars," you will now earn "points." See details below (which I posted just below).

1 2 Free Roundtrip Flights

You will qualify and receive your 2 Roundtrip Free Flight Awards after your first purchase/first use of the card. First purchase/first use includes purchases, balance transfers, or any checks that are used to access your account, and excludes cash advances. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for your 2 Roundtrip Free Flight Awards to post to your Rapid Rewards account. This one-time bonus offer is valid only for first-time Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards personal Cardmembers. Previous and existing Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards personal Cardmembers are not eligible for this bonus offer.

Okay. Here is a screenshot from my newly approved Southwest card account on Chase.com. Now, someone who's redeemed the two free roundtrips, please walk me through step by step on exactly how to redeem them after I have made my initial purchase and paid the $59 annual fee. Like for instance, do you automatically get enough extra rewards points posted to your account where you can book two flights? Do you receive a voucher? Basically talk to me like I'm five

http://img687.imageshack.us/i/picture7ko.png/

 

[tripplanner2]

I am so confused and the tutorial on their website is not helping. So if I have 16 credits that is now the same as 19,200 points but how do we figure out how many we need for a roundtrip flight? It is going by the actual cost of the flight so if my flight is $160 per person, round trip, what is my actual point usage??? I do not see where they are telling us how many points per dollar spent.

Wait!!! I just went back and see that it says 6 points per dollar spent on a Wanna Get Away fare. So if my flight would cost $160 it would cost 960 points? But I have 19,200 points from the conversion so I will really get 2 tickets out of this and have points left over??? Does that make any sense?

 

[mapmakerj]

I am so confused and the tutorial on their website is not helping. So if I have 16 credits that is now the same as 19,200 points but how do we figure out how many we need for a roundtrip flight? It is going by the actual cost of the flight so if my flight is $160 per person, round trip, what is my actual point usage??? I do not see where they are telling us how many points per dollar spent.

Wait!!! I just went back and see that it says 6 points per dollar spent on a Wanna Get Away fare. So if my flight would cost $160 it would cost 960 points? But I have 19,200 points from the conversion so I will really get 2 tickets out of this and have points left over??? Does that make any sense?

I read it was 60 pts per dollar not 6.

 

[DMRick]

The 6 points per dollar is what you earn when you buy a flight with cash..points you can use on future flights when you get enough points. As I understand it, to buy a flight with points, the cheapest (want to get away fairs) are 60 points per dollar. So, if your flight is usually $160, it's 'cost' is 9600 points.

http://www.southwest.com/newRR/redeemPoints.do

I am so confused and the tutorial on their website is not helping. So if I have 16 credits that is now the same as 19,200 points but how do we figure out how many we need for a roundtrip flight? It is going by the actual cost of the flight so if my flight is $160 per person, round trip, what is my actual point usage??? I do not see where they are telling us how many points per dollar spent.

Wait!!! I just went back and see that it says 6 points per dollar spent on a Wanna Get Away fare. So if my flight would cost $160 it would cost 960 points? But I have 19,200 points from the conversion so I will really get 2 tickets out of this and have points left over??? Does that make any sense?

 

[Microcell]

Oh my.. Hoping I can take my DD with me on the same trip, I can do that right? Also hoping I will have enough points to go to Orlando.. it is one of the cheaper fares from KC.. this is not as easy sounding as I would like!

 

[tripplanner2]

Okay...got it. So 60 points to buy and 6 points when earning. So with my 16 credits that may be enough for 2 flights. I am not gonna count any chickens though yet. With my luck they won't convert my credits to points. I don't care. Free flight and the gift cards are good.

 

[zurgswife]

Just applied well see what we get. I'll cancel the card if I don't get my free flights.

 

[DizDragonfly]

With my luck they won't convert my credits to points.

If I understand correctly, they WILL convert everyone's credits to points on 3/1. Now, if this doesn't work out in your favor, you can convert them back to credits ONE time only.

 

[DMRick]

I don't think that is incorrect. I believe from March first on, you will get points intstead of credits. I have credits towards my next flight. I will get points from now on, and they will let me do a one time conversion, according their charts, once I get enough points to add to my credits to make a free flight, so I don't lose my credits. This is what they say:

"Don’t worry—your existing credits are safe and secure. You’ll simply convert enough points earned in the new program into credits from the old program (1,200 points = 1 credit) to reach 16 credits (enough for a Standard Award)."

http://www.southwest.com/newRR/creditsTransition.do

If I understand correctly, they WILL convert everyone's credits to points on 3/1. Now, if this doesn't work out in your favor, you can convert them back to credits ONE time only.

 

[DMRick]

I don't think you will get two round trips from where you live to Orlando for 16 credits....if they are credits, that's one round trip. If you get points instead from the credit card, you would have to catch one of those great deals like we use to get (remember the $39 fares?? If we got those again, points would be much better!).

Okay...got it. So 60 points to buy and 6 points when earning. So with my 16 credits that may be enough for 2 flights. I am not gonna count any chickens though yet. With my luck they won't convert my credits to points. I don't care. Free flight and the gift cards are good.

 

[DizDragonfly]

"Don’t worry—your existing credits are safe and secure. You’ll simply convert enough points earned in the new program into credits from the old program (1,200 points = 1 credit) to reach 16 credits (enough for a Standard Award)."

http://www.southwest.com/newRR/creditsTransition.do

Ahhh, yup, that's what it says alright. I was obviously mixing things up. Of course, it's not like they are making it easy for us all, right?

 

[tripplanner2]

I don't think you will get two round trips from where you live to Orlando for 16 credits....if they are credits, that's one round trip. If you get points instead from the credit card, you would have to catch one of those great deals like we use to get (remember the $39 fares?? If we got those again, points would be much better!).

I sure do remember those fares. When $49 seemed expensive! I am hoping for $79 flights. They just ran $74 each way. I can live with that. We travel on Tuesday because of the cost difference. Hoping for a decent price and then use points. Time will tell I guess, but I am still liking the gift cards with the sign up I used.

 

[DMRick]

I wish they would let us switch them to points..then all the seats would be available that were empty.

Ahhh, yup, that's what it says alright. I was obviously mixing things up. Of course, it's not like they are making it easy for us all, right?

 

[mcd2745]

Both DW and I applied separately over the weekend and were approved. So I hope the cards get here soon so we can use them and then hopefully, this all works out and we can get the flights for our late Aug trip. The skeptic in me thinks something will not work out, though.

 

[tripplanner2]

The waiting is making me crazy. I applied for 16 credits and the gift cards tiered to what you spend. No annual fee. I have a feeling they are deciding if they want to still use this promo. Why the holdup when everyone is getting instant approvals? I really just want the card already so I can accrue the points and have them in my hands so I can buy tickets!