UPDATE - Southwest ?

[adventure_woman]

Err!! I need 56 more points and I can book all our airline tickets right now for free!! I know I can buy 2000 points for $50 (but I ONLY NEED 56!! )

Can you transfer points for free? I was thinking of calling my girlfriends to see if they have a few points w/ SW!



Okay - I found it and no - you can't transfer points.

Update: 8/3
I checked this AM and I had extra points on my account - I think from the e-mail subscription! So, I was able to get the 4th one way ticket I needed. WhooHoo!! All 4 RT flights for FREE!!

 

[jennyf2]

Did you sign up to get their emails? I was short a few & thats what I did - if I remember right you can get up to 250....

Good Luck--hopefully it will work

From the site:
Join Rapid Rewards® Today
Sign up today and get up to 750 bonus points. Enrolling is free.

 

[SandrA9810]

Isn't there a $25 option for buying points? Still it's a small price to pay to have every one fly for free.

I signed up with their e-rewards invite, and I'm at nearly a $100 to purchase 2,000 points.

Or you could hold off and see if the price comes down any. I've had flights drop in price just a week away from schedule. Although I booked three flights yesterday with this sale going on. 5,100 points each way from Sacramento and Dallas.

 

[hsmamato2]

or you could spned the $50 to get your tickets for really really cheap..... IDK what the fuss over 50.00 is on your trip?

 

[SandrA9810]

or you could spned the $50 to get your tickets for really really cheap..... IDK what the fuss over 50.00 is on your trip?

Probably the fact that she's this||close to having a completely free flights for her trip. It's a lot of points to book several round trip flights, so have that many points is probably quite the accomplishment.

 

[adventure_woman]

The smallest increment of points is 2000 points = $50 (then you can do it by $25 increments).

I am still debating on whether to spend the $50 on the points, or just put gas on the Visa and wait until the end of August when the next statement closes (this is not the primary card we use for purchases). I was just hoping to figure out a way to get the tickets now.

 

[elfbo]

rapidrewardsshopping.southwest.com

Go there, log in, find something you actually want to buy and get points for buying it. Of course, the points may take awhile to get to your account.

 

[quentina]

rapidrewardsshopping.southwest.com

Go there, log in, find something you actually want to buy and get points for buying it. Of course, the points may take awhile to get to your account.

Thanks so much for this link!! I can't believe all the stores that are there!

 

[elfbo]

Yah, that has almost every place i shop at, except amazon. Lol. We have made over 500 extra points this week on items we were going to buy anyway.

 

[jgates]

If you plan to continue flying with them in the future, I would just buy the points. Or defiitely do the e-mail sign up if you haven't.

In the time it takes for you to get credited for the shopping points (can take up to 45 days), you might end up with higher priced flights.

 

[lynn_s]

If it were me, I'd get all the tickets needed except for one one-way, so you lock in today's price (you can rebook and get the point difference back if the price drops).

Then when you have the extra 50 points get the last one. On SW its better to book all as 2 one-ways instead of 1 RT since the price may drop on one half, but go up on the other, and with a round trip you have to rebook the whole thing, but if you have 2 one ways you can just rebook the one that dropped.

ETA, do you or any friends have Chase UR points? those can be transferred to SW (and you can transfer to anyone you want to). Though if I recall minimum is 1000 pts...

 

[DisneyWitch]

Another thing you can do is enroll in their rapid rewards dining program. Here's the link:

http://www.rapidrewardsdining.com/howitworks.htm

First you have to sign up your regular credit / debit card with them (doesn't have to be a SW card), and it automatically accrues points in your account. It will show in your rapid rewards home page. You get 3 points for every dollar you spend, so one $20 meal at a restaurant in your area would get you the points you need. I've been doing this - and found some neat restaurants that I'd never have tried otherwise. You also get points for writing reviews and stuff.

Free points for stuff you already do is a pretty good deal. Good luck!

 

[adventure_woman]

If it were me, I'd get all the tickets needed except for one one-way, so you lock in today's price (you can rebook and get the point difference back if the price drops).

Then when you have the extra 50 points get the last one. On SW its better to book all as 2 one-ways instead of 1 RT since the price may drop on one half, but go up on the other, and with a round trip you have to rebook the whole thing, but if you have 2 one ways you can just rebook the one that dropped.

THANK YOU! Why didn't I think of that?!?! I just booked all but the one one-way. Hopefully the gas I just put on the card will hit next month and I can get the last flight!!

 

[hsmamato2]

I understand the free stuff mentality (my last few trips I've flown free) but if it was a diff. of 50. and peace of mind + a few more to use in the future,I'd spend the $50.....

 

[elfbo]

If it were me, I'd get all the tickets needed except for one one-way, so you lock in today's price (you can rebook and get the point difference back if the price drops).

Then when you have the extra 50 points get the last one. On SW its better to book all as 2 one-ways instead of 1 RT since the price may drop on one half, but go up on the other, and with a round trip you have to rebook the whole thing, but if you have 2 one ways you can just rebook the one that dropped.

This is an excellent idea. We will probably do it this way for our trip. It seems like it would give you greater flexibility.

 

[swilshire]

On SW its better to book all as 2 one-ways instead of 1 RT since the price may drop on one half, but go up on the other, and with a round trip you have to rebook the whole thing, but if you have 2 one ways you can just rebook the one that dropped.

That wasn't my experience when our flights went down for October. When you go to change the ticket, it asks you which flight you want to change. I only changed the one that went down and left the other one alone.

Sheila

 

[Suz D]

That wasn't my experience when our flights went down for October. When you go to change the ticket, it asks you which flight you want to change. I only changed the one that went down and left the other one alone.

Sheila

This has been my experience as well. Might it be different if you're using points? I've only changed non-points flights.

 

[disneysmyhappyplace]

This has been my experience as well. Might it be different if you're using points? I've only changed non-points flights.

This is exactly our experience as well. We always book with points and the same options are available. In fact, I just changed all my round trip flights as the points to book went down significantly. We saved over 300 points on each ticket! So you don't have to book separate one way flights to change

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[lynn_s]

So you don't have to book separate one way flights to change

So you have re-booked a RT when one leg went down, and the other up, and got the full amoint back the one leg went down? not the difference between?

Fore example, if
Initial purchase - outbound 100, inbound 100; total price $200
Price changes to outbound 90, inbound 105; total price $195

you were able to re-book and get the cash/points back for $10? not $5?

 

[SandrA9810]

When you rebook it, you only change the segment that has changed. In their system. it's seen as one way flights. Although on your account, you can make it a round trip. It doesn't affect any coupons or offers either. Say you book $100 out and $100 in, and use a $20 coupon for a roundtrip flight. You pay $180. If your outgoing flight drops $20, you get a $20 credit to your account. If you book one leg at a time, during the process you can connect it to an existing flight.

Southwest is very flexible. Even a lifesaver. I had issues the first time booking a flight using points. Well it's my bf's card, which has to be booked through his RR account, but I have to input all my information including my own RR account number. It was a hassle and in the end, it didn't actually go through. The day before my flight, I go to check in and my flight isn't anywhere to be found. I called the 800 number and they guy says he'll "escalate my problem" but it could take up to 72hrs to hear back. I called back again and got a really really nice guy, he checked the flight prices for the day I thought I booked it. Current price was like 40,000 points... he booked it at the 8,000 points that were the rates the day I thought I booked it.