A+ Rewards to Terminate November 1
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
A+ Rewards to Terminate November 1
I just got this email:
We are nearing the final stages of integration, including the complete transition of all A+ Rewards accounts to Rapid Rewards. This process will begin on November 2, 2014. Rest assured your A+ Rewards Credits are safe and we are committed to making this a smooth transition. Here are a few key dates to know for this transition:
The last day to earn A+ Rewards Flight Credits will be November 1, 2014.
The last day to redeem A+ Rewards Credits will be November 1, 2014.
Existing A+ Rewards Chase Cardmembers will begin earning Rapid Rewards Points in late October. More details about receipt of a replacement for your A+ Rewards Credit Card with a new Southwest Airlines branded credit card will be forthcoming from Chase prior to the end of October.
The last day to earn credits with Hertz, e-Miles, and e-Rewards will be September 30, 2014.
Your A+ Rewards account will be closed on November 2, 2014. We will convert your active A+ Rewards Credits to Rapid Rewards Points at a ratio of one A+ Rewards Credit = 1,200 Rapid Rewards Points. We plan to complete this process as quickly as possible.
Please note that your credits will not automatically convert to Rapid Rewards Points prior to November 2, 2014. However, as a Rapid Rewards Member, you may still use Rewards Conversion to transfer your credits between programs. With this option, you can enjoy all 90+ destinations served by Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways.
The last day to earn A+ Rewards Flight Credits will be November 1, 2014.
The last day to redeem A+ Rewards Credits will be November 1, 2014.
Existing A+ Rewards Chase Cardmembers will begin earning Rapid Rewards Points in late October. More details about receipt of a replacement for your A+ Rewards Credit Card with a new Southwest Airlines branded credit card will be forthcoming from Chase prior to the end of October.
The last day to earn credits with Hertz, e-Miles, and e-Rewards will be September 30, 2014.
Your A+ Rewards account will be closed on November 2, 2014. We will convert your active A+ Rewards Credits to Rapid Rewards Points at a ratio of one A+ Rewards Credit = 1,200 Rapid Rewards Points. We plan to complete this process as quickly as possible.
Please note that your credits will not automatically convert to Rapid Rewards Points prior to November 2, 2014. However, as a Rapid Rewards Member, you may still use Rewards Conversion to transfer your credits between programs. With this option, you can enjoy all 90+ destinations served by Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways.
#2
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 413
So at this point it is definitely more beneficial to redeem e-Rewards dollars for A+ Rewards Credits over Rapid Rewards Points. The $50 redemption is for 1000 RR points or 1 A+ credit. Since 1 A+ credit will be converted to 1200 RR points you gain 200 points (arbitrage). While it's not a big difference, I have a decent e-Rewards balance that I'll now empty out over the next few months.
#3
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,587
Decision time is coming up for Standard Awards vs. Points:
1. If you have A+ credits you can convert them to Southwest Standard Awards through October or leave them in place for conversion to Rapid Rewards points.
2. Holders of Southwest points have until the end of October to convert points to Standard Awards. This decision, once made, will be final.
3. Holders of Southwest standard awards, including one-way awards, have until the end of October to convert them to AirTran credits, whence they will return as Rapid Rewards points.
I will be sad to see the end of Standard Awards. They don't suit every use, but they are a genuine bright spot for the Rapid Rewards program.
1. If you have A+ credits you can convert them to Southwest Standard Awards through October or leave them in place for conversion to Rapid Rewards points.
2. Holders of Southwest points have until the end of October to convert points to Standard Awards. This decision, once made, will be final.
3. Holders of Southwest standard awards, including one-way awards, have until the end of October to convert them to AirTran credits, whence they will return as Rapid Rewards points.
I will be sad to see the end of Standard Awards. They don't suit every use, but they are a genuine bright spot for the Rapid Rewards program.
Last edited by nsx; Apr 23, 2014 at 3:37 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,051
Standard rewards bright spot? I get almost zero availability for the places that I wanna go to....
#5
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 657
So the RR points never expire but the the Standard Awards are good for 1 year after conversion?
Is this one year to book, one year to fly or something else?
Is this one year to book, one year to fly or something else?
#6
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,587
One year to fly.
In my experience Standard awards are inferior to points for bookings far in the future. They are much better than points for bookings near the date of travel except for peak flights, namely those flights destined to sell out at relatively high prices. Want a last-minute trip on a Tuesday? A Standard award is (literally) your ticket. BA points (Avios) are also pretty good for this purpose, and that's what I will have to use after my Standard awards are gone.
In my experience Standard awards are inferior to points for bookings far in the future. They are much better than points for bookings near the date of travel except for peak flights, namely those flights destined to sell out at relatively high prices. Want a last-minute trip on a Tuesday? A Standard award is (literally) your ticket. BA points (Avios) are also pretty good for this purpose, and that's what I will have to use after my Standard awards are gone.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
Decision time is coming up for Standard Awards vs. Points:
1. If you have A+ credits you can convert them to Southwest Standard Awards through October or leave them in place for conversion to Rapid Rewards points.
2. Holders of Southwest points have until the end of October to convert points to Standard Awards. This decision, once made, will be final.
3. Holders of Southwest standard awards, including one-way awards, have until the end of October to convert them to AirTran credits, whence they will return as Rapid Rewards points.
I will be sad to see the end of Standard Awards. They don't suit every use, but they are a genuine bright spot for the Rapid Rewards program.
1. If you have A+ credits you can convert them to Southwest Standard Awards through October or leave them in place for conversion to Rapid Rewards points.
2. Holders of Southwest points have until the end of October to convert points to Standard Awards. This decision, once made, will be final.
3. Holders of Southwest standard awards, including one-way awards, have until the end of October to convert them to AirTran credits, whence they will return as Rapid Rewards points.
I will be sad to see the end of Standard Awards. They don't suit every use, but they are a genuine bright spot for the Rapid Rewards program.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2010
Programs: My opinions are my own and not that of my employer(s)
Posts: 1,411
There is one more issue that needs to be addressed. This e-mail discusses what happens to A+ credits on November 2nd, however, I transfer those A+ credits as soon as earned to my Rapid Rewards account. So, what happens to the credits in the Rapid Rewards programs after November 2nd? Does the elimination of A+ affect those? If not, Standard Awards will still be around until those credits expire. Otherwise, Southwest might also decide - at some point - to convert any remaining credits in the RR programs to points as well but I haven't seen an announcement to that effect yet.
Unless through the end of October you convert back to A+ and back to new Standard Award with a fresh issue date. nsx addressed this in point number three and then read back to number one.
#9
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
If you transferred any A+ credits to RR you have Standard Awards...(there was no way to transfer to anything less) those are good 1 year from issue date regardless of the original A+ credits expiration date.
Unless through the end of October you convert back to A+ and back to new Standard Award with a fresh issue date. nsx addressed this in point number three and then read back to number one.
Unless through the end of October you convert back to A+ and back to new Standard Award with a fresh issue date. nsx addressed this in point number three and then read back to number one.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Not necessarily. If you transfer 16 A+ credits, you have a Standard award, if you transfer less than that, you just have converted A+ credits into old RR credits. That's it. I currently have 7 of those. If I move them back to A+ Rewards, on November 2nd, they will be converted to points but if I don't, what happens after November 2nd? Will they just sit there in my RR account until used? This is what I'd like addressed.
The assumption is that the existing credits will remain in your RR account and can later be topped off using RR points, as you can do currently.
I wouldn't rule out a similar conversion of existing RR Credits to points, but that hasn't been announced as far as I know.
Making too many changes all at once would seem a huge risk so If a conversion of RR credits and Awards is made I expect it will be later, but that's just my speculation and my track record on A+/RR is not that good.
#11
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,587
If you WANT to convert your RR credits to points, move them to AirTran and leave them there. If you want them to remain as credits, leave them in RR and cross your fingers.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
But this brings up another point - when A+ Rewards is gone, you can no longer accumulate credits - because that option is long gone on WN and with A+ going away, there would be no way to accumulate credits anymore. I'm sure there will be people with less than 16 credits in their accounts - not sure how many but probably not a few. And if earned through the Chase AirTran card, they have a 2-year expiration. You won't be able to purchase (if necessary) points to convert to credits as that option will be gone, so you're essentially stuck with a FF currency, I. e. credits that you can't use - unless WN makes an announcement that any remaining credits ALREADY in the RR system will be converted as well. I don't see how they can resolve this any other way without pissing off a bunch of people with credits they can't use.
#13
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,587
Transfer points to bring your credits up to 16 now. Buy points in the current sale if you need to. Then move the 16 credits to AirTran, back to Southwest (resetting their expiration), then back to AirTran. Leave them there and they will become points in November.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
That's a sound strategy. Thanks, nsx!
#15
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 31
1) Currently have 2 A+ credits set to expire July 1, 2014
2) Prior to July 1, will transfer these 2 A+ credits to WN for 2 WN credits
3) Will transfer 16,800 WN points (which equals 14 WN credits) to bring total WN credits to 16 and a WN Standard Reward will automatically be issued with an expiration date of one year (i.e. July 1, 2015)
4) Will transfer the WN Standard Reward back to Airtran (16 A+ credits)
5) On Nov 2nd my 16 A+ credits will be automatically credit back to WN as 19,200 SW points
My question in regards to your earlier response is why you recommend a transfer back to WN after you transfer them once to Airtran? You mention reset of exp date but I thought the exp date would be reset for one year when the 16 WN credits are converted to a WN Standard Reward?
I am fairly new to this so I appreciate your input-Thanks