Quick Points: Earn up to 25 points per dollar spent on Southwest Hotels stays
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available.
Many airlines offer hotel booking platforms where you can earn extra miles on hotel stays, but the earning rates (typically fewer than 10 miles per dollar) aren't very appealing. On Southwest Hotels, you can book "Points Plus" properties that earn anywhere from 5 to 25 Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar. That's a lot of points toward your next free flight.
Related: How to redeem your points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program
How to book on Southwest Hotels
When you search on Southwest Hotels, Points Plus properties will automatically pop up at the top of your search results. These hotels offer a flat number of points for your entire stay.
For example, you could earn 5,000 Rapid Rewards points for a two-night stay at Gateway Inn & Cabins near Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state; the points earned on the $428 stay would be worth $67.50 based on TPG's March 2025 valuation of Southwest points. Or, you could earn 4,000 points on a $486 stay at Mountain Meadows Inn and Chalet; those points would be worth $54 based on TPG's valuation.
It's not clear how high these rates go, and they vary depending on your dates and length of stay. The highest I've seen is nearly 25 points per dollar for a weeklong stay in Miami Beach, Florida.
Of course, if you book a property that's part of a chain (like the Wyndham example above), you most likely won't earn hotel points or get to use any elite perks you have. You'll have to decide which type of reward is more valuable to you.
If you don't see anything you like on the Points Plus list, I'd recommend moving on to another platform, since all other properties on Southwest Hotels earn a measly 1 point per dollar. You'd be better off booking through a credit card travel portal such as American Express Travel, Capital One Travel or Chase Travel℠ to earn 5 or more points or miles per dollar.
Related: How to earn Southwest points with the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal
Best credit cards for Southwest Hotels bookings
Right now, all three Southwest personal cards — the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees), the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees) — have generous welcome offers:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority: Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
The information for the Southwest Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
You could also book your Southwest Hotels stay with a travel credit card that earns bonus points on travel purchases.
Bottom line
While I wouldn't recommend booking properties that earn only 1 point per dollar through Southwest Hotels, if you like a property on the Points Plus list, this could be the most lucrative way to book it.
But, as with any booking platform, be sure to shop around. If you find a significantly lower price on another online travel agency or the hotel's website, that will offset the extra rewards you'd earn through Southwest Hotels.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.