Southwest Airways is understood for its beneficiant insurance policies on ticket adjustments and cancellations, complimentary checked luggage and distinctive boarding course of. Nonetheless, Southwest Fast Rewards is yet one more attractive characteristic for frequent vacationers.
One notable benefit is this system’s lack of blackout dates for award redemptions. Furthermore, it provides an unimaginable Companion Go profit, permitting you to carry a companion on paid and award flights for simply the price of taxes and charges.
If you’re new to Southwest or wish to be taught extra about utilizing factors on Southwest, this information will take you thru what you should learn about redeeming your Fast Rewards factors. Thankfully, it’s comparatively easy, however there are a couple of peculiarities you need to be conscious of.
You too can redeem your Southwest factors for reward playing cards, merchandise, resorts, experiences and Fast Rewards Occasions, however Southwest flights virtually all the time present the most effective return in your hard-earned factors.
Redeem factors on Southwest flights
Redeeming Southwest Fast Rewards factors on Southwest flights is easy. This system pegs the variety of factors required to the price of paid airfares. The extra a paid seat prices, the extra factors you could redeem. Southwest guarantees no blackout dates on any redemptions, so you should use your Fast Rewards factors to e-book any Southwest Airways ticket on the market. If the flight has one open seat, it’s best to be capable of e-book it with factors (however be ready to pay up).
The reserving course of is easy. Hearth up southwest.com and enter your flight search parameters. You should definitely examine the “Factors” button on the prime proper to see the outcomes for award flights.
The outcomes web page will then show all the obtainable flights utilizing factors. Choose the one you need, log in to your account (if you have not already) and observe the on-screen steps to finish your award.
You too can reserve Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Enterprise Choose fares utilizing Fast Rewards factors, however your redemption worth tends to be decrease for restricted advantages. Enterprise Choose fares, for instance, embrace precedence boarding and safety, a free premium drink on flights over 176 miles and extra versatile same-day adjustments. In consequence, we advocate sticking to redeeming for Wanna Get Away fares every time attainable.
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You too can redeem your Chase Final Rewards factors for Southwest flights on the Chase portal.
Free award ticket adjustments and cancellations
One other factor that makes Fast Rewards factors so common is Southwest’s versatile change and cancellation insurance policies.
You’ll be able to change your Southwest flights free of charge and are solely liable for paying the distinction between your unique and new flights. If the price of an award flight you’ve got booked goes down, you possibly can rebook your journey on the decrease fee, and you may obtain a refund (within the type of journey credit score for Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares).
In case your plans change and you can not make a flight, you possibly can cancel your flight free of charge. Your factors will probably be refunded to your account with out penalty (even on Wanna Get Away fares). You’ll be able to even go for the taxes paid to return to the bank card you used to e-book the reservation.
There’s one factor to recollect: You’ll be able to’t no-show for the flight and get your factors again. You could cancel not less than 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure, which continues to be fairly lenient.
Associated: The way to re-price a Southwest flight when the fare decreases
The Companion Go doubles the worth of your Southwest factors
One of many methods to maximise the worth of your Fast Rewards factors is by incomes the Southwest Companion Go. With this perk, you possibly can select a companion to fly with you on all of your Southwest flights whereas your cross is legitimate. Your companion will solely must pay the taxes and charges for his or her ticket, no matter whether or not you used money or factors on your ticket. So long as the flight has obtainable seats, you should use your cross. This primarily doubles the worth of your Fast Rewards flights when touring together with your designated companion.
To earn the Companion Go, you could earn both 135,000 qualifying factors or full 100 qualifying flights on Southwest inside a calendar yr. As soon as achieved, you’ll have the Companion Go for the rest of the present yr and your complete following yr.
Qualifying factors for the Companion Go could be earned by flying paid Southwest flights, spending on a Southwest bank card, buying by means of the Southwest buying portal and using Southwest’s partnerships. Nonetheless, factors transfers from Chase Final Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy don’t rely towards the Companion Go.
You’ll be able to earn 75,000 bonus factors with any of the Chase Southwest private playing cards and 80,000 bonus factors with the Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card.
Here is a take a look at a few of the present Southwest card provides:
- Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Credit score Card: 75,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Provide ends Dec. 11.
- Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Credit score Card: 75,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Provide ends Dec. 11.
- Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Credit score Card: 75,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Provide ends Dec. 11.
- Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card: 60,000 factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card: 80,000 factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
With these beneficiant welcome provides, incomes the Companion Go turns into comparatively simple. By assembly the minimal spending requirement on the Efficiency Enterprise Card, you possibly can earn not less than 85,000 factors, leaving you with solely 50,000 factors to earn the cross. You’ll be able to obtain this by spending extra in your new card, flying with Southwest, incomes factors by means of companions or combining these strategies.
Associated: 15 classes from 15 years of getting the Southwest Companion Go
Southwest Fast Rewards FAQ
Have questions on Southwest Fast Rewards? Let’s handle them.
How do I be a part of Southwest Fast Rewards?
You’ll be able to be a part of the Southwest Fast Rewards program free of charge on Southwest’s web site. Have a look at the highest of the web page and click on the “Create account” hyperlink.
Now, fill out the requested data and click on the yellow “Create account” button on the backside of the display. Your account will probably be created instantly, and you may earn and redeem Fast Rewards factors.
When do Southwest Fast Rewards factors expire?
Southwest Fast Rewards factors do not expire as long as your account is open.
Can I switch factors to Southwest?
You’ll be able to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Fast Rewards at a 1:1 switch ratio. Which means 10,000 Chase factors are equal to 10,000 Southwest Fast Rewards factors. These transfers usually course of immediately.
For instance, you might wish to e-book Southwest flights by means of Chase when you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You’ll be able to redeem Final Rewards factors from this card at 1.5 cents per level by means of the Chase journey portal and nonetheless earn Fast Rewards factors in your flight. And now, Southwest flights seem straight on the Chase journey portal.
Additional, you possibly can switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to Southwest Fast Rewards at a 3:1 switch ratio. 5 thousand bonus Fast Rewards are awarded for each 60,000 Marriott factors transferred, so 60,000 Marriott factors are price 25,000 Southwest factors.
Associated: What it is actually like flying Southwest Airways all the best way to Hawaii
Backside line
Southwest Fast Rewards factors are a superb selection if you’re a traveler searching for flexibility in reserving flights inside a large home community. With the additional benefit of fee-free adjustments and cancellations, together with the inclusion of two free checked luggage for each passenger, Southwest is a most popular possibility for a lot of vacationers. Furthermore, the Companion Go means that you can double the worth of your factors when touring with a buddy or member of the family.