Using Southwest Rapid Rewards to Save Huge on Flights
There are certain airline frequent flyer programs that are the "golden children" of many miles and points fanatics because of their award charts, redemption sweet spots, routing rules, destinations, partners, etc. Then there are the others that aren't often thought of in the same light, and aren't usually given the same amount of attention on the blogs, forums, etc. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards is one of the programs that sometimes gets a little neglected in the airline mileage discussion even though they are actually a pretty popular program for actual travelers.
Of course if your travel goals are primarily comprised of international lie-flat first class flights, then Southwest is not the primary program for you, but even then they are not to be ignored completely. While their award prices are tied to the selling price of the ticket, this can still result in a better value than many other "traditional" programs.
Save Big on Award Flights via Southwest Rapid Rewards
I'll give you a real life example of how much better of a return Southwest can get you for your points than a traditional program via an example spring trip from Houston to Cancun. While those are the destinations in this example, the same principles will hold true from many different cities. Remember Southwest flies internationally to Montego Bay, Aruba, Punta Cana, Nassau, Puerto Vallarta, and more.
American Airlines and United both charge 35,000 miles round trip for a saver award from the mainland US to Mexico (though American is dropping that to 30,000 when the new award chart kicks in). That isn't necessarily a bad price since selling prices can be high at times on that route, but if Southwest operates in your area you can potentially do much better.
Depending on your travel dates, you can fly round trip from Houston Hobby to Cancun for as few as 9,660 Southwest Rapid Rewards points + taxes. That isn't 9,660 points each way - that is a round trip price!
Compare that to the 35,000 miles via several of the other traditional programs and the savings is pretty staggering. Multiply that out by a family and you can almost get four people to Cancun and back via that Rapid Rewards price than you could get one person at 35,000 miles via other programs.
Fixed Value Programs Can Offer Good Value
Of course your travel dates may cost more than that lowest point price, but the idea remains the same. Fixed value programs don't always mean that awards cost more than via other programs - in fact, they very well may cost less on many travel dates. In some cases it costs much, much less. Not only that, but your return per point can actually be quite good. In this case, you are getting about 1.8 cents in value for your Rapid Reward points vs. paying cash for the Southwest flights. If you aren't loaded with Southwest points remember you can also transfer them in 1:1 from Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Double Your Value via Southwest Companion Pass
If you have a Southwest Companion Pass where you can bring someone with you on Southwest flights by just paying the taxes/fees for the second ticket, then you are coming out even more ahead! In fact, now is a great time to go for the Companion Pass utilizing the 50,000 point sign-up bonuses from the Southwest credit cards (including the business version) since the pass is good the year you earn it and all of the following year.
Getting one person to Cancun and back for 9,660 points + taxes is amazing. Getting two people round trip tickets for that price is pretty much insane. Lesson being, don't forget to check Southwest Rapid Rewards when comparing points prices for your vacations!
Has your family had some serious point wins using fixed value programs like Southwest? Can you tell I am seriously dreaming of us some fun in the sun?
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| 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.
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- 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.
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