Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards program is a popular choice among travelers due to its flexibility, ease of use, and numerous redemption options. As a Rapid Rewards member, you can earn points through various means, such as booking flights, using Southwest credit cards, and engaging with partner offers. These points can then be redeemed for a wide range of rewards, including flights, hotels, car rentals, gift cards, merchandise, and unique experiences.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Rapid Rewards program is the simplicity of redeeming points for flights. As the program has no blackout dates or seat restrictions, you can use your points to book any available seat on any Southwest flight.
What Are Southwest Rapid Rewards Points Worth?
Redeeming Southwest Rapid Rewards points for flights is a straightforward process, thanks to the program’s unique approach to point valuation. Unlike many other airlines, Southwest ties the number of points required for a flight directly to the cost of the ticket.
This means that the price of a flight in points fluctuates based on factors such as route popularity, time of year, and fare class. While this dynamic pricing model may require more points for high-demand flights, it also presents opportunities to snag great deals during off-peak times.
I reviewed the cash and points prices of over 50 flights and came up with a points valuation for Southwest Rapid Rewards points of 1.37 cents per point.
To help you figure out how this valuation translates to your Southwest points balance, I created this points value calculator to see how many dollars of free Southwest flights you can get out of your points.
How to Redeem Points for Southwest Flights
Redeeming points for Southwest flights is really easy. Just check the points box on flight search on Southwest’s home page.
You are then given flight search results. Remember the cheaper the flight, the less points are required.
You can generally get the best flight deals booking Southwest flights far in advance. Flights within two weeks of departure are typically quite expensive.
In this flight search, the $103 cash ticket only costs 6,863 points, whereas the flight that cost almost twice as much $197 costs about twice as many points (14,196 points).
You can also save points if the price of your flight drops. All you have to do is rebook your flight and Southwest will refund the points to your account.
No Fees to Change or Cancel a Flight
Southwest Airlines’ flexible change and cancellation policies are a major draw for travelers, making Rapid Rewards points even more valuable. If your travel plans change, you can easily modify your Southwest flight without incurring any fees. When you change your flight, you’ll only be responsible for paying the difference in points or cash between your original and new flights. This policy applies to all fare types, giving you the freedom to adjust your itinerary as needed.
Another great feature of the Rapid Rewards program is the ability to rebook your flight if the price drops after you’ve made your reservation. If you notice that the cost of your award flight has decreased, simply cancel your original booking and rebook at the lower rate. Your points will be refunded to your account, and for Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, you’ll receive a travel credit for the difference in price.
In the event that you need to cancel your flight entirely, Southwest’s policies remain customer-friendly. You can cancel your flight without penalty, and your points will be returned to your Rapid Rewards account. This policy extends to all fare types, including the lowest-priced Wanna Get Away fares. Additionally, you have the option to request a refund of the taxes paid on your award booking to the original credit card used for the reservation.
It’s crucial to note that while Southwest’s cancellation policy is lenient, you must cancel your flight at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. If you fail to cancel and do not show up for your flight, you will forfeit your points and any taxes paid. As long as you remember to cancel within the specified timeframe, you can enjoy the benefits of Southwest’s flexible change and cancellation policies.
Get the Companion Pass for Double the Value
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in the world of travel rewards, and it can significantly enhance the value of your Rapid Rewards points. My wife and I have enjoyed the Companion Pass for the last four years and I estimate it saves us about $3,000 to $5,000 each year in travel.
This benefit allows you to designate a companion who can fly with you for free on any Southwest flight, as long as there is an available seat. Your companion will only be responsible for paying the taxes and fees associated with their ticket, which typically amount to just a few dollars.
The Companion Pass applies whether you book your flight using points or cash, effectively doubling the value of your Rapid Rewards points when traveling with your companion.
To qualify for the Companion Pass, you must either earn 135,000 qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights with Southwest within a calendar year. Once you’ve met either of these requirements, you’ll enjoy Companion Pass status for the remainder of the current year and the entire following year. For example, if you earn the pass in March 2024, it will be valid until December 31, 2025.
There are several ways to earn qualifying points for the Companion Pass. These include booking paid flights with Southwest, making purchases with a Southwest co-branded credit card, shopping through the Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, and taking advantage of Southwest’s partner offers. It’s important to note that while you can earn Rapid Rewards points by transferring points from Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, these transferred points do not count toward earning the Companion Pass.
The easiest way to get the Companion Pass is to earn points from credit card welcome bonuses, which counts towards the points required for the Companion Pass. Typically, people reach the requirement by applying for both a personal and business card. You are eligible for bonuses on both every 24 months as long as you are not currently a cardholder.
Here are the current welcome offers on the Southwest credit cards:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: bonus_miles_full.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn Companion Pass® plus 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: bonus_miles_full.
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: bonus_miles_full.
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: bonus_miles_full.
Other Options for Redeeming Southwest Points
If you don’t want to use Southwest points for flights, you have other options via Southwest’s More Rewards portal, but you will get a much lower value for your points.
Travel Portal: Southwest partners with a travel portal allowing you to use your points for other travel. You can book international flights on other airlines on routes not served by Southwest for 0.98 cents for Southwest cardholders and 0.79 cents for non-cardholders. Other options include hotels (0.6 to 0.7 cents per point) and rental cars (0.5 to 0.6 cents per point).
Gift Cards: You can redeem points for gift cards at about 40 major retailers (Disney, Panera, Cracker Barrel, TJX, Target, etc.) at a typical rate of 7,500 points for a $50 gift card (0.67 cents per point) for Southwest cardholders and 9,400 points for a $50 gift card (0.53 cents per point) for non-cardholders.
Merchandise: Another option is to redeem points for merchandise such as laptops, headphones, video games, cell phones, and more. However, the value isn’t great. An Amazon Echo Dot with a MSRP of $49.99 costs 10,699 points (0.47 cents per point) for Southwest cardholders or 12,482 points (0.40 cents per point) for non-cardholders.
Events: Southwest offers special events for Southwest credit cardholders. Some are actually a pretty good deal such as tickets to private concerts for 5,000 points per person.
Donations: The last way to redeem your Southwest points is to donate them to a charity. You cannot pick the specific charity, but you can choose from five focus areas: Disaster and crisis response, education, human trafficking awareness, life-changing transportation, and mental heath and well-being.
When do Southwest Rapid Rewards Points Expire?
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points never expire if your account is open and in good standing.
Can I Transfer Points to Southwest?
Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be easily transferred to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account instantly at a 1:1 ratio, providing a convenient way to boost your Rapid Rewards balance.
However, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you may find it more advantageous to book your Southwest flights through the Chase travel portal. This is because the Sapphire Reserve offers a redemption rate of 1.5 cents per point when booking travel through Chase Travel. Additionally, you’ll still earn Rapid Rewards points on your flight, making it a win-win situation.
Another option for transferring points to Southwest is through the Marriott Bonvoy program. Marriott Bonvoy points can be converted to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 3:1 ratio, meaning that 30,000 Marriott points will yield 10,000 Rapid Rewards points.
As an added bonus, for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 Rapid Rewards points. This means that transferring 60,000 Marriott points will result in a total of 25,000 Southwest points.
The Verdict
The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is an ideal choice for travelers who value flexibility and convenience when booking domestic flights. With a vast network spanning the United States and nearby international destinations, Southwest offers ample opportunities to redeem your points for free travel.
One of the standout features of the program is its customer-friendly policies, which include fee-free changes and cancellations, allowing you to modify your plans without incurring additional costs.
