Originally Posted by
Travelergcp
I appreciate the OP's post, but in this case hoarding Southwest points isn't a good application of his strategy, since RR points are the same as cash fares, and are worth less on full fare and biz select tickets.
My point there is that I only earn Southwest points at 600 points (or mulitples thereof) in partner applications, where they are earned at far more than the cash-equilvalent rate (compared to anything else I could earn in those partner transactions): 2600 (one promo) or 1800 (another promo) RR points for a one-night $50 (
LNFed) Fairfield Inn stay, or the RR points I earned last month for buying Marriott gift cards through a Southwest promo.(And, to clarify, these were nights I needed hotel stays anyway. There was no mattress running involved.)
I might agree if the Southwest points were earned in a "linear" way or if I had a way to get $10 cashback instead of every 600 RR points I earn in such bonuses. But I don't, do I? (If I do, please tell me how!)
So I only earn Southwest points where they can be earned at way better than the $10 per 600 RR points value they have. Then it's not so bad to redeem them at that value.
(And I only redeem for Wanna Get Away fares, which, amazingly, were avialable just hours before the flight in the case!)
Btw, they're
not exactly like cash fares. As has been pointed out in the Southwest forum, certain taxes that would be assesed on cash fares are not assessed on RR point redemptions.