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) — are offering a Companion Pass as part of their welcome offer:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus: Earn a Companion Pass (valid through Feb. 28, 2027) plus 20,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier: Earn a Companion Pass (valid through Feb. 28, 2027) plus 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority: Earn a Companion Pass (valid through Feb. 28, 2027) plus 40,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in 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 Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app