Southwest email 40% off buying points

[disfanforlife]

I received an email this morning saying that it is 40% off to buy or gift points. I have never bought points before only earned them with my SW credit card. Is this a good deal to get extra points?

 

[Disneychix]

Usually it's not a good idea unless you are a few points shy and ready to buy your airfare. It's more of a good deal if someone is buying them for you as a gift. But I've always done the math and it's never worked out that just buying points to buy a flight is cheaper.

 

[IamJBo]

I would only ever recommend this if you're trying to cross a threshold for redeeming the pts like the PP said about needing just a few more for redeeming a flight.

I saw that 2000 pts + 800bonus pts = 55$..
Whereas it costs 3000pts to redeem a 25$ gift card..

 

[threeboysmom]

Yeah, even with the 40% "sale", it's still not a good deal for me.

I need 7000 more points in order to purchase my airfare to FL for December.

To buy 5000 points plus the 2000 bonus = $137.50

or I can just buy the flight with cash for $128.00.

 

[disfanforlife]

Thanks! I don't need them for a flight now, just wondered since SW is still fairly new to me if it was a good deal to buy some and save for future flights. I will just continue using my visa to earn points. Working well so far.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Yeah, even with the 40% "sale", it's still not a good deal for me.

I need 7000 more points in order to purchase my airfare to FL for December.

To buy 5000 points plus the 2000 bonus = $137.50

or I can just buy the flight with cash for $128.00.

Also your cash-purchased flight will earn points, just for flying. When you book with points you don't earn. Of course it's great to get the points incidentally, such as with a credit card, for costs you would normally have anyway then it really is a free flight.

We have transferred points between our RR accounts when they're having a sale. Dh was around 1000 pts shy of a free one way seat and ds17 had enough to spare. It wasn't a lot of $ to transfer, maybe $15.

The kicker was when the flight dropped in price after we booked. The extra points were then returned back to dh's account so in the end we didn't really need to steal pts from ds but who knew at the time the price would drop. Hindsight is 20/20. Lately prices seem to only go up and up.

 

[disfanforlife]

Also your cash-purchased flight will earn points, just for flying. When you book with points you don't earn. Of course it's great to get the points incidentally, such as with a credit card, for costs you would normally have anyway then it really is a free flight.

We have transferred points between our RR accounts when they're having a sale. Dh was around 1000 pts shy of a free one way seat and ds17 had enough to spare. It wasn't a lot of $ to transfer, maybe $15.

The kicker was when the flight dropped in price after we booked. The extra points were then returned back to dh's account so in the end we didn't really need to steal pts from ds but who knew at the time the price would drop. Hindsight is 20/20. Lately prices seem to only go up and up.

We just started flying SW in November. We flew again in March and the prices were similar. The trip I booked for this coming December was much less and I was expecting it be more. I guess I got lucky for this one.

 

[disneemama]

My husband signed up for the SW 50000 pts cc deal. I'm booking 3 rountrip tics for myself and my daughters for November trip. Can I use his points if he is not going with us? I used the SW deal 2 yrs ago so don't have enough points and would like to use his. Does anyone know if this is possible?

 

[jimandami]

My husband signed up for the SW 50000 pts cc deal. I'm booking 3 rountrip tics for myself and my daughters for November trip. Can I use his points if he is not going with us? I used the SW deal 2 yrs ago so don't have enough points and would like to use his. Does anyone know if this is possible?

If you are logged in under his account, you should be able to book 3 tickets for whoever you like, he does not have to travel.

 

[disneemama]

@jimanddami Awesome Thank you so much.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We just started flying SW in November. We flew again in March and the prices were similar. The trip I booked for this coming December was much less and I was expecting it be more. I guess I got lucky for this one.

It varies a lot with season and demand but SWA allows you to rebook and keep the credit if your price should drop after you book. We used to always be able to keep watching and get a credit for future use. Lately it seems prices are lowest when they are first released and rarely do we see price drops anymore.
That's what I meant when I said prices only go up.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just FYI, what points are REALLY good for is buying tickets for other people, especially those who are not the sort to make firm plans, or for instance, if your child wants to bring a friend on a trip. In such cases it can be worthwhile to buy the points even if buying the ticket with cash is a little bit cheaper.

The reason for this is that a flight purchased with cash will bank the cost if you cancel, but the money can only be used toward a new ticket for the *same passenger*. However, if you buy the ticket on points, a cancellation will send the points back into your own account to be used for any passenger.

So, your DD wants to bring her friend Ashley, and you agree, but 3 weeks before the trip, Ashley blows her report card in a big way and her parents decide that her punishment is not going. If you bought her ticket with points, you get those points back with no penalty, but if you bought them with cash, then you are SOL unless Ashley's parents pay for the flight.

 

[ceecee]

I am flying to San Diego using my points, will I still earn points for this flight??

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Just FYI, what points are REALLY good for is buying tickets for other people, especially those who are not the sort to make firm plans, or for instance, if your child wants to bring a friend on a trip. In such cases it can be worthwhile to buy the points even if buying the ticket with cash is a little bit cheaper.

The reason for this is that a flight purchased with cash will bank the cost if you cancel, but the money can only be used toward a new ticket for the *same passenger*. However, if you buy the ticket on points, a cancellation will send the points back into your own account to be used for any passenger.

So, your DD wants to bring her friend Ashley, and you agree, but 3 weeks before the trip, Ashley blows her report card in a big way and her parents decide that her punishment is not going. If you bought her ticket with points, you get those points back with no penalty, but if you bought them with cash, then you are SOL unless Ashley's parents pay for the flight.

Excellent point.
For our summer trip out west next month we had enough points for 6 out of 8 seats total needed (4 ppl, each way) so I only had to buy 2 return seats. In trying to decide who should fly free and who should earn points, I recalled ds17 saying if he were able to get a summer job he might not want to come on our trip.
He is still job searching but hasn't gotten an offer yet. I did book him with points just in case he's able to find something last minute. I can't imagine they wouldn't accommodate him for a family trip if he told them up front our vacation week but you never know these days.

I am flying to San Diego using my points, will I still earn points for this flight??

Sorry, no. Free flights don't earn points.

 

[melissalee]

Yeah doesn't save me any money. Would be 500 for a flight that would cost me 400.

 

[disfanforlife]

It varies a lot with season and demand but SWA allows you to rebook and keep the credit if your price should drop after you book. We used to always be able to keep watching and get a credit for future use. Lately it seems prices are lowest when they are first released and rarely do we see price drops anymore.
That's what I meant when I said prices only go up.

Thanks, yes, you are right. I booked the first day the flights were releases. I have seen our arrival day go up and down to original price, but departure day has gone up and stayed up. Probably since it is closer to Christmas.
I was pretty excited to get the price I did. $114/each way. $228/person. Paid with card for 3 of us and points for the other 2.