Why I'm still booking Southwest despite striving for American elite status
Even though it's only September, I've already booked my flights home for the holidays.
2020 marked the first year in my 32 years of life that I ever missed Christmas in St. Louis with my parents, which meant I was beyond excited to see them last Thanksgiving after being separated for 12 months.
Being able to travel home more easily and often is a big reason why I moved to Chicago in June. It helps that, unlike most carriers, Southwest Airlines has maintained a consistent presence at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL).
In fact, Southwest has doubled its presence at STL in the past decade, accounting for 55% of the airport's market share.
With 45 nonstop, weekly flights between STL and Chicago's Midway International Airport (MDW), I can always count on being able to find a Southwest flight home.
I also feel confident booking a Southwest fare knowing that I can always cancel or change my flight if needed thanks to the carrier's flexible fares, which allow you to modify your flight for free up to 10 minutes before boarding.
If you use Southwest Rapid Rewards points to book your flight, you'll simply be credited those points back; if you use cash, you'll receive a flight credit for use on a future flight.
Related: How to redeem points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program
Not only do I appreciate this flexibility and volume of daily flights, but I also love that the airline's fare types are often much more affordable than competitors, so I often spend less to fly with Southwest for routes like this one.
However, working at a place like TPG means there are times when I need to fly other carriers. So, even though I've built up a lot of love for Southwest since I first started flying the airline as a young girl, I've found myself flying American Airlines regularly this year.
Despite my preference for Southwest, American is the carrier I've used for every domestic flight I've taken so far in 2022.
The reason for this loyalty change is simple — I was gifted 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage Loyalty Points via a raffle at a TPG function in early 2021. Those Loyalty Points meant automatic AAdvantage Gold status, American's entry-level tier.
While this low-level status may seem insignificant to some, it was a big deal to me, as I'd never held airline status before. So, I shifted my flying strategy to maximize my time spent in the air with American in an effort to reach AAdvantage Platinum — the next elite tier — by March of 2023.
Related: Chasing American Airlines elite status? Here are 14 ways to earn Loyalty Points
When it came time to book flights home for the holidays, I found myself feeling conflicted. Should I fly home with Southwest, as I have done for every holiday season thus far, or should I consider American for the sake of Loyalty Points and status?
In the end, I decided to keep with tradition and book Southwest. Here's why the carrier swayed me to stick with my usual itinerary instead of flying with American.
Price of the flights in cash and points
To determine which airline I should use this holiday season, I turned to both carriers' websites to compare prices for Thanksgiving and Christmas flights. I started with my preferred Thanksgiving travel dates of Nov.18 and 30.
When I looked at American flights, the cheapest nonstop option I found in the main cabin cost $300 round-trip or 13,000 miles plus $11.20 in taxes and fees.
Alternatively, I could pay $240 in cash or 16,274 Rapid Rewards points plus $11.20 in taxes and fees for a nonstop Wanna Get Away fare on Southwest.
For Christmas, flight prices were similar. On my travel dates of Dec. 17 and Jan. 3, flying in American's main cabin would cost me $340 or 15,000 miles plus $11.20 in taxes and fees.
Meanwhile, the cheapest Wanna Get Away fare for a nonstop route would set me back $240 in cash or 16,274 Rapid Rewards points plus $11.20 in taxes and fees.
Since I would save a total of $160 for both trips by opting to fly Southwest, the carrier appeared to be my best option. Still, I wanted to factor in the value of flying American for my status quest, too.
Related: Finally reunited: How 100,000 Southwest points are taking me home for the holidays
Value of flying American for achieving status
Beyond the fare price itself, I calculated the effect of a missed earning opportunity with American.
To earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points, you'll need to fly with American or one of its many partners or use a cobranded credit card.
When on American flights, you’ll always earn the same amount of Loyalty Points as you do redeemable miles, so 1 base mile earned equals 1 Loyalty Point. The distance of a flight flown is only relevant on Oneworld partner flights.
Calculating my earnings for these Thanksgiving and Christmas flights was a cinch. I simply multiplied the fare price of both American itineraries before taxes and fees (which were $251 and $288, respectively) by seven — this accounts for the 40% elite mileage bonus I receive as a Gold member — to get to a final total of 3,773 Loyalty Points.
I did the same for the two round-trip Southwest options, multiplying both itineraries (sans taxes and fees) by six — the earning rate for Wanna Get Away fares — to get a combined total of 2,356 Rapid Rewards points.
Then, I used TPG's current valuations for AAdvantage Loyalty Points (1.77 cents per point) and Rapid Rewards points (1.5 cents per point) to determine the value of all the flights. My Loyalty Points earnings would be worth $66.78, while my Rapid Rewards points would net me $35.34 in value.
Although the Loyalty Points would be of greater value, this extra $31.44 in value wouldn't fully offset the $160 in savings Southwest was offering with its lower fares. Since saving money is my top priority, Southwest ended up being the best way to go.
Bottom line
Ultimately, I could not ignore the low cost of the Southwest flights I found for the holidays. Despite the missed opportunity to earn more Loyalty Points, the value of those potential earnings was not enough to justify paying extra to fly American — if I had decided to use cash.
As luck would have it, I had more than 32,000 Rapid Rewards points in my loyalty account, so I could cover both flights with points. This was an added bonus to my decision to fly Southwest, as I only had a little more than 14,000 American miles, which would've covered the Thanksgiving itinerary but not my Christmas flights.
If my Gold status with American was on the line, I likely would've considered paying more for the American flights.
However, I plan to fly a Oneworld partner to Asia before the qualification period ends, so I'm confident I'll still achieve Platinum status by March. Stay tuned for more about that flight and how it helped me reach my American elite status goals later this fall.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.