SWA Rapid Reward Changes

[kmermaid]

Just got this email:
http://www.southwest.com/newRR/homeFlash.do
Off to see how this will effect me with earning my RR, hope the changes aren't too scary.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Changes are VERY significant. The "points" you earn will be based on the price you paid for the ticket.

Base earnings are 6 points per dollar of fare (not including add-on taxes) for Wanna Get Away fares, 10 points per dollar for Anytime fares, and 12 points per dollar for Business Select fares.

Redemption prices are 60 points per dollar of fare (not including tax) for Wanna Get Away fares, 100 points per dollar for Anytime fares, and 120 points per dollar for Business Select fares. All seats are available for redemption, with no blackout dates. The CapitalOne ads have nothing on this program!


Points no longer expire as long as you have SOME actvity every 24 months.

There is a transistion program.

 

[clanmcculloch]

How will they be converting the existing points that people have already earned?

 

[mdsd8700]

Thanks for the update. I am new to SWA Rapid Rewards and just earned my first free flight several months ago. Since I am new to the program I really don't have previous knowledge. Although I do know that I wasn't overly happy with the system. I didn't try to book my flight on the first day the schedule opened (got very busy, forgot and was a few days late) because it was the summer on a Friday only one segment of my flight was available, which I didn't like. It didn't seem like it was really a good program if I couldn't book what I wanted. However since I don't have any other airlines points I wasn't sure how other systems worked. However I do have other "travel" cards that earn points and the SW card didn't seem to work as nicely as the others. Long story short, these changes seem like improvements to me if there will be more flexibility with how I can reedem and nothing preventing me from booking any flight. However I am sure SW wouldn't make the changes if it wasn't to their advantage , so I guess time will tell.

 

[kmermaid]

Changes are VERY significant. The "points" you earn will be based on the price you paid for the ticket.

Base earnings are 6 points per dollar of fare (not including add-on taxes) for Wanna Get Away fares, 10 points per dollar for Anytime fares, and 12 points per dollar for Business Select fares.

Redemption prices are 60 points per dollar of fare (not including tax) for Wanna Get Away fares, 100 points per dollar for Anytime fares, and 120 points per dollar for Business Select fares. All seats are available for redemption, with no blackout dates. The CapitalOne ads have nothing on this program!


My question is 60/100/120 points x fare chosen stay constant or does that change? I know the fare price will change.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

I'm not happy at all.

I have 14.25 points right now and am flying to Las Vegas Feb. 28-March 4. I'll be flying IN to LAS on the old system but OUT on the new, so I'm so confused.

DH, DD and I are all flying to Orlando for free at the end of this month and DH is flying on a free ticket to Vegas with me, so I guess we should consider ourselves lucky.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Funny this just came up, I had a Rapid Rewards number for years.

When I booked flights, for either me or DH, our Rapid Rewards number would show on the reservations. I did not enter them, they would just come up. So I assumed I was getting credits all along.

Yesterday I needed to change a flight, and I was poking around on the website. I had to set up a password, and did so, then I looked at my account. I thought, how many credits do I have by now? I had never looked before. Well, DUH, it seems you only get credit for flights booked after you log in. I thought I WAS getting credit because the number would show up.

Completely my fault, but I have booked dozens of flights over the last 3-4 years on SW. Oh, well.

 

[Bobo912]

Funny this just came up, I had a Rapid Rewards number for years.

When I booked flights, for either me or DH, our Rapid Rewards number would show on the reservations. I did not enter them, they would just come up. So I assumed I was getting credits all along.

Yesterday I needed to change a flight, and I was poking around on the website. I had to set up a password, and did so, then I looked at my account. I thought, how many credits do I have by now? I had never looked before. Well, DUH, it seems you only get credit for flights booked after you log in. I thought I WAS getting credit because the number would show up.

Completely my fault, but I have booked dozens of flights over the last 3-4 years on SW. Oh, well.

I almost never login when I book a flight and I always get RR credit. You only have to enter your RR number when you book. It doesn't matter whether you are logged into your account.

 

[LisaS]

Completely my fault, but I have booked dozens of flights over the last 3-4 years on SW. Oh, well.

Under the current system your flight credits expire in 2 years so any credits you earned 3-4 years ago wouldn't be usable anyway. For more recent flights you can contact SW customer service and get credits for those flights. Not sure how far back you can go. I believe it's at least 6 months.

 

[DVC-Don]

Like that if there is an open seat, you can book it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Under the current system your flight credits expire in 2 years so any credits you earned 3-4 years ago wouldn't be usable anyway. For more recent flights you can contact SW customer service and get credits for those flights. Not sure how far back you can go. I believe it's at least 6 months.

There's actually a form online to request credits for past flights. Did it myself a couple months ago!



Big huge BLAH on the changes. I don't fly with them enough to get a free flight, but still, blah.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Thanks i will check it out or call them. Big fan of SW either way.

 

[NotUrsula]

It hurts leisure travelers who are most budget-conscious. It used to not matter what the flight cost, so you could easily put yourself over the top with a mileage run on a $49 flight. You could use really cheap flights to build up enough credits to splurge on a high-priced flight. (You know, eight hops the length of Chicago to Dayton bought you a freebie for LGA to LAX.) That won't work nearly as well anymore.

 

[jodifla]

Hmmm. The changes look like a PITA.

 

[meuseman]

It hurts leisure travelers who are most budget-conscious. It used to not matter what the flight cost, so you could easily put yourself over the top with a mileage run on a $49 flight. You could use really cheap flights to build up enough credits to splurge on a high-priced flight. (You know, eight hops the length of Chicago to Dayton bought you a freebie for LGA to LAX.) That won't work nearly as well anymore.

I disagree, probably because most of my credits for the old program come from using the credit card.

I never have enough credits to cover my whole family's flights so, using the old program, I remained budget conscious, even when using an award. with the new program, I can use my budget-mindedness to maximize my use of points, especially, since almost all of my flights are booked around price anyway.

I would submit that if your main use of the old program was numerous short hops to subsidize a long-haul expensive run, the new program is a loser for you.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

It hurts leisure travelers who are most budget-conscious. It used to not matter what the flight cost, so you could easily put yourself over the top with a mileage run on a $49 flight. You could use really cheap flights to build up enough credits to splurge on a high-priced flight. (You know, eight hops the length of Chicago to Dayton bought you a freebie for LGA to LAX.) That won't work nearly as well anymore.

This is what we have done. A free flight to FL is nice but not the most efficient use of a RR when flying from Philly. So between the cc, flights & rental car credits, we get free flights but try to use them on a more expensive flight that we probably wouldn't otherwise pay oop for.
Once when dh and both kids earned a RR at same time, we went to Sedona/Grand Canyon and only had to buy 1 seat for me. Now that was a great deal.

I like that the points don't expire but will have to get used to the new system and see how it goes, give it a chance and if I'm not thrilled, I won't renew my SW cc.

 

[MELSMICE]

Not sure if I understand this correctly.......

Depending on the class of fare you book, you get a different # of "points" to go towards a RR ticket?

How many points are now needed for a RR credit & then ticket?

I get most of my RR credits through my SW Visa. In fact, on a different topic, I just charged & paid for over $20,000 worth of merchandise. Payment was made & credited about 3 weeks ago. I still have not received notification that I received a RR ticket notification.

Each year at this time I charge & pay off a similar amount & I thought the RR credit came through sooner than this. How long does it normally take to receive the credit once the payment has been credited & your account?

 

[meuseman]

Not sure if I understand this correctly.......

Depending on the class of fare you book, you get a different # of "points" to go towards a RR ticket?

How many points are now needed for a RR credit & then ticket?

I get most of my RR credits through my SW Visa. In fact, on a different topic, I just charged & paid for over $20,000 worth of merchandise. Payment was made & credited about 3 weeks ago. I still have not received notification that I received a RR ticket notification.

Each year at this time I charge & pay off a similar amount & I thought the RR credit came through sooner than this. How long does it normally take to receive the credit once the payment has been credited & your account?

You don't get credits anymore. And you don't get awards anymore.

You get points - and you get them any different number of ways. 1 point for every dollar of CC spending. 6 points for every dollar of a "Wanna Get Away" fare you purchase, etc.

Redeeming your points works like this - If you are purchasing a "Wanna Get Away" Fare, you need to use 60 points for every dollar the fare costs.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Not sure if I understand this correctly.......

Depending on the class of fare you book, you get a different # of "points" to go towards a RR ticket?

How many points are now needed for a RR credit & then ticket?

I get most of my RR credits through my SW Visa. In fact, on a different topic, I just charged & paid for over $20,000 worth of merchandise. Payment was made & credited about 3 weeks ago. I still have not received notification that I received a RR ticket notification.
Each year at this time I charge & pay off a similar amount & I thought the RR credit came through sooner than this. How long does it normally take to receive the credit once the payment has been credited & your account?

Stop checking the SWA website and log in to Chase which is the bank that issues the SWA credit card. Once you access your cc account, click on See Reward Details/history or just check your closing date for your next statement. Just b/c payments are received on your cc acct, doesn't mean they immediately issue the credits to SWA. Once your monthly billing cycle ends, a statement is created and proper # of credits is transferred to SWA. That's when they'll issue your reward. If you want to know how many credits you'll get, just look at the total # of reward $ earned and divide by 1200.


My billing cycle ends the 28th of each month. I don't know if they're all the same date.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Ohh, I don't like this new RR program whatsoever. It's a program downgrade for most Southwest fliers and users of the Chase Southwest credit card.

I can understand why they are making the changes; points earned are based on the fare paid and free tickets are based on what the ticket would cost if you paid for it. Not a good system at all for most consumers since other airline programs earn you points based on how far you're traveling, not what the ticket cost. This only benefits last minute travelers paying the highest fares.

My SWA credit card will not be renewed. I'll continue to fly Southwest when practical for their other benefits but certainly no longer because of Rapid Rewards. How sad.

BobK/Orlando