SWA Point Increase

[Shelly F - Ohio]

For those of you who did not get SWA tickets before todays price per point increase, SWA is having a 30% off sale on the purchase of points. The sale end 4-9-14

 

[Marionnette]

Buying points is only a good idea if you need just a few (a couple thousand) and you need them immediately. Otherwise, there are plenty of ways to earn RR for free and you don't have to fly in order to do it.

For instance, a looked up the cost for a flight I have scheduled in the fall. The dollar amount that SWA wants for the flight has not gone up. It's still $129. That now translates to 7,683 RR points (it was 6,586 yesterday). If I had to buy the bulk of those points, it would cost me $144.38 for 7,500 pts. at 30%-off. Not such a great deal when you look at it that way.

But let's say that I have 5,800 RR pts. and only need to buy 2,000 RR points (the minimum purchase). That purchase would cost me $38.50. Certainly worth the "investment" if I was concerned that the cost of that ticket was going to go up very soon and I wanted to jump on the fare today.

So, like with all deals that sound good on the surface, make sure that you weigh all of the determining factors and choose the best option for your own situation.

 

[Javin917]

Can you recommend some ways to earn RR points? We have 3 of us flying down round trip in September and are short 2 flights out of the 6 we need and now are even more in the hole (already booked the other 4 knowing this was coming). We have the credit card and I'm signed up for e-rewards and e-miles but not having much luck with either. There are no restaurants nearby that participate in the dining program. We could just pay for those flights if it comes down to it but am hoping we have enough time to scrape up the points. Thanks!

 

[Marionnette]

Can you recommend some ways to earn RR points? We have 3 of us flying down round trip in September and are short 2 flights out of the 6 we need and now are even more in the hole (already booked the other 4 knowing this was coming). We have the credit card and I'm signed up for e-rewards and e-miles but not having much luck with either. There are no restaurants nearby that participate in the dining program. We could just pay for those flights if it comes down to it but am hoping we have enough time to scrape up the points. Thanks!

That's going to be rough to come up with enough points for 2 flights in just a couple of months. You're talking about pulling in what? 15K in points?

If you haven't tried these yet, give them a go:

• Sign up for the Rapid Report newsletter. It's worth 500 points.
• If you do your own taxes and file electronically, there's a 1K bonus for using TurboTax right now.
• Make sure that you are using your RR card for any travel bonus points at their partner hotels, rental cars and ground transportation. We don't stay in chain hotels too often, but we have a stay booked for our son's graduation next month and the hotel we will be staying at is a RR partner.
• Use the RR shopping portal when you shop online.
• Order flowers through their 1-800-flowers link when you need to send a bouquet.
• Change your electric provider if your state allows energy choice.
• Get another SWA Visa for your spouse. Or if you recently got your own SWA Visa, apply for the business version so that you can get a companion pass.

Oh, and one more thing:
If you happen to have points in any program that partners with SWA (a Chase Sapphire Card? Diner's Club? Choice Privileges Hotel frequent guest?), then consider transferring points from one of those accounts into your RR account to make up the difference.

 

[MAJPLO]

That's going to be rough to come up with enough points for 2 flights in just a couple of months. You're talking about pulling in what? 15K in points?

If you haven't tried these yet, give them a go:

[*]Sign up for the Rapid Report newsletter. It's worth 500 points.
[*]If you do your own taxes and file electronically, there's a 1K bonus for using TurboTax right now.
[*]Make sure that you are using your RR card for any travel bonus points at their partner hotels, rental cars and ground transportation. We don't stay in chain hotels too often, but we have a stay booked for our son's graduation next month and the hotel we will be staying at is a RR partner.
[*]Use the RR shopping portal when you shop online.
[*]Order flowers through their 1-800-flowers link when you need to send a bouquet.
[*]Change your electric provider if your state allows energy choice.
[*]Get another SWA Visa for your spouse. Or if you recently got your own SWA Visa, apply for the business version so that you can get a companion pass.

Oh, and one more thing:
If you happen to have points in any program that partners with SWA (a Chase Sapphire Card? Diner's Club? Choice Privileges Hotel frequent guest?), then consider transferring points from one of those accounts into your RR account to make up the difference.

Can you only get a companion pass using the business card?

Thanks for all the tips and reminders!

 

[Marionnette]

Can you only get a companion pass using the business card?

Thanks for all the tips and reminders!

You need to accrue 110,000 RR points in a single calendar year to do it. The RR points can be from any combination of sources (flights, partner programs, RR Dining, etc.). Getting yourself the business version of the CC will add another 25K RR points right now, but Chase often ups the ante to 50K. Just keep your eyes open.

 

[Javin917]

That's going to be rough to come up with enough points for 2 flights in just a couple of months. You're talking about pulling in what? 15K in points? If you haven't tried these yet, give them a go: [*]Sign up for the Rapid Report newsletter. It's worth 500 points. [*]If you do your own taxes and file electronically, there's a 1K bonus for using TurboTax right now. [*]Make sure that you are using your RR card for any travel bonus points at their partner hotels, rental cars and ground transportation. We don't stay in chain hotels too often, but we have a stay booked for our son's graduation next month and the hotel we will be staying at is a RR partner. [*]Use the RR shopping portal when you shop online. [*]Order flowers through their 1-800-flowers link when you need to send a bouquet. [*]Change your electric provider if your state allows energy choice. [*]Get another SWA Visa for your spouse. Or if you recently got your own SWA Visa, apply for the business version so that you can get a companion pass. Oh, and one more thing: If you happen to have points in any program that partners with SWA (a Chase Sapphire Card? Diner's Club? Choice Privileges Hotel frequent guest?), then consider transferring points from one of those accounts into your RR account to make up the difference.

Thank you so much for the tips! I know we aren't signed up for the newsletter so that's an easy one! We were only about 20 points short of one flight before the points changed. I'm kicking myself because I thought I had until tomorrow for some reason and realized now that I should've just bought points yesterday for the difference on that one! I'm also hoping the price comes down a bit on the flight...right now it's the highest we've ever paid. So overall need to come up with about 8000 points (or just bite the bullet and pay cash!).

 

[NokOnHarts]

For those of you who did not get SWA tickets before todays price per point increase, SWA is having a 30% off sale on the purchase of points. The sale end 4-9-14

I'm not seeing them on sale, they are still showing $55 for 2,000 points for me. Is there a code or link to activate the 30% off?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Oh it must be only available for SWA CC holders who go the email last week because mine shows the points being $38.50 for 2k points.

For the PP who wanted to know how to earn points.
I make all my online purchases thru RR shopping site. I earn extra points by purchasing thru the site. Then I used my SWA CC to get another 1. I made a few big purchases earlier this year and they gave me a bonus of 1000 points.

Oh there is also the dinning out rewards program. www.rapidrewardsdining.com


I order flowers from 1-800 flowers on SWA and earn a minimum of 1000 points.


I do surveys on e-rewards and when my rewards balance is $25 I trade the money in for 500 SWA points. Sometime I only have to do 3-4 surveys to get to $25.

 

[NokOnHarts]

Oh it must be only available for SWA CC holders who go the email last week because mine shows the points being $38.50 for 2k points.


I make all my online purchases thru RR shopping site. I earn extra points by purchasing thru the site. Then I used my SWA CC to get another 1. I made a few big purchases earlier this year and they gave me a bonus of 1000 points.

I am a CC holder and got the 1000 points also. But it's not discounting the points for me.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Check your junk mail folder and see if you got an email last week. The title says about increasing your points by saving 30% off.

 

[taaren]

Thank you so much for the tips! I know we aren't signed up for the newsletter so that's an easy one! We were only about 20 points short of one flight before the points changed. I'm kicking myself because I thought I had until tomorrow for some reason and realized now that I should've just bought points yesterday for the difference on that one! I'm also hoping the price comes down a bit on the flight...right now it's the highest we've ever paid. So overall need to come up with about 8000 points (or just bite the bullet and pay cash!).

I did the same thing. For some reason I thought I had until today to buy DS's ticket to see his grandparents for the summer ... sigh. We might be paying cash instead of using the points now for that flight, save the points for another time when I can watch sales more closely.

I wish we bought more of the types of things that Rapid Reward Shopping bonuses get you points on.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Found another way to save on purchasing points. Use your red card at Target to buy a SWA gift card and get 5% off.

 

[Javin917]

Oh it must be only available for SWA CC holders who go the email last week because mine shows the points being $38.50 for 2k points.

For the PP who wanted to know how to earn points.
I make all my online purchases thru RR shopping site. I earn extra points by purchasing thru the site. Then I used my SWA CC to get another 1. I made a few big purchases earlier this year and they gave me a bonus of 1000 points.

Oh there is also the dinning out rewards program. www.rapidrewardsdining.com


I order flowers from 1-800 flowers on SWA and earn a minimum of 1000 points.


I do surveys on e-rewards and when my rewards balance is $25 I trade the money in for 500 SWA points. Sometime I only have to do 3-4 surveys to get to $25.

Thanks for these tips too! Any hints on how to make e-rewards more "profitable"? I've done about 25 surveys and the most I've gotten is around $5 once. The rest I end up getting the partial $.25 credit. And now I've stopped getting them altogether...I'm stuck at a balance of $19.95. I'm having the same problem with e-miles...nothing new in awhile.

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks for these tips too! Any hints on how to make e-rewards more "profitable"? I've done about 25 surveys and the most I've gotten is around $5 once. The rest I end up getting the partial $.25 credit. And now I've stopped getting them altogether...I'm stuck at a balance of $19.95. I'm having the same problem with e-miles...nothing new in awhile.

Make sure that your profile has been updated with all current information. Consider adding the "advanced cookies" option if you don't find it to be too intrusive. I won't put in on my computer, but some people have no problems with it.

Get the e-rewards app if you have a smartphone. Follow them on Twitter. Participate in their mobile polls and surveys.

I get a lot of surveys because we own a business. Even if you have a small-time operation, it's worth it to list yourself as a business owner. Just don't be surprised if your business demographics don't fit their target group. We are a small business with only a few employees. However, we have a separate office and all of the expenses that go along with that. Sometimes, they're looking for businesses with 250+ employees and multiple locations. That's just not what we are.

 

[MAJPLO]

That's going to be rough to come up with enough points for 2 flights in just a couple of months. You're talking about pulling in what? 15K in points?

If you haven't tried these yet, give them a go:

[*]Sign up for the Rapid Report newsletter. It's worth 500 points.
[*]If you do your own taxes and file electronically, there's a 1K bonus for using TurboTax right now.
[*]Make sure that you are using your RR card for any travel bonus points at their partner hotels, rental cars and ground transportation. We don't stay in chain hotels too often, but we have a stay booked for our son's graduation next month and the hotel we will be staying at is a RR partner.
[*]Use the RR shopping portal when you shop online.
[*]Order flowers through their 1-800-flowers link when you need to send a bouquet.
[*]Change your electric provider if your state allows energy choice.
[*]Get another SWA Visa for your spouse. Or if you recently got your own SWA Visa, apply for the business version so that you can get a companion pass.

Oh, and one more thing:
If you happen to have points in any program that partners with SWA (a Chase Sapphire Card? Diner's Club? Choice Privileges Hotel frequent guest?), then consider transferring points from one of those accounts into your RR account to make up the difference.

Somehow I can't figure out how to sign up for the newsletter. I may already be signed up for it, but of anyone can point me toward the right screen or section of the website I would appreciate it.
ETA: is it the Click N Save? I see that but it doest mention anything about extra points. :

Great call on checking spam! I didn't have anything from southwest in there but definitely from emiles and a few other places I want to keep an eye on.

 

[Marionnette]

Somehow I can't figure out how to sign up for the newsletter. I may already be signed up for it, but of anyone can point me toward the right screen or section of the website I would appreciate it.
ETA: is it the Click N Save? I see that but it doest mention anything about extra points. :

Great call on checking spam! I didn't have anything from southwest in there but definitely from emiles and a few other places I want to keep an eye on.

Log into your account on the SWA website. Hover over the RR tab at the top right of the page and choose "Program Details" from the drop down. Scroll down the page. On the bottom right is a clickable link to subscribe and earn "up to 500 points". You will get 250 points for sign up for the Rapid Report Newsletter and another 250 for signing up to receive the RR Email Updates Newsletter.

Click N Save is a different newsletter entirely.

 

[MAJPLO]

Log into your account on the SWA website. Hover over the RR tab at the top right of the page and choose "Program Details" from the drop down. Scroll down the page. On the bottom right is a clickable link to subscribe and earn "up to 500 points". You will get 250 points for sign up for the Rapid Report Newsletter and another 250 for signing up to receive the RR Email Updates Newsletter.

Click N Save is a different newsletter entirely.

Thanks! You really are an expert! Hope I did it correctly.