Quick Points: Earn up to 25 points per dollar spent on Southwest Hotels stays
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
Any Southwest Airlines credit card will give you bonus points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, including Southwest Hotels (bonus points earnings will end on Dec. 31, 2025). 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 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 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 Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Unlimited up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Housing payments may include transaction fees, depending on the payment method
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 3 months + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.