Southwest Rapid Rewards - Question about getting RR points from Alamo.

I regularly rent cars from all the major companies and "usually" do not run into any problems receiving the Rapid Reward points (including bonus) I am due.

Yesterday I rented from Alamo, included my Rapid Rewards number on the reservation, double checked and made sure it printed out on my copy of the rental contract, and made note of the $1.50 ff daily charge.

Today I returned the car and the final receipt they gave me no longer contained my Rapid Rewards number nor did it reference the $1.50 fee as my final charge was $1.50 less than it should have been.

I am certain this means I will now have to fight Alamo to get the points (along with the double bonus points). I inquired at the counter and of course both the agent and then her manager assured me I had nothing to worry about and that I'd get credit for the points. I don't think so. My experience tells me otherwise and I know I've seen this before.

I paid extra to rent from Alamo so I could get the promotion and I'm not looking forward to an annoying battle to get both the regular points (probably not too hard) and the bonus points (much harder) credited.

Anyone here have experience with this and know why my RR number would have disappeared when I returned the car? How hard is it going to be to get these points credited?

Thanks,

Rich

I've had issues like this with Hertz, and think it is more laziness/lack of training on the part of the person at the counter. You will get the points, but you will probably have to call Alamo and insist on the points. You may or may not have to pay the $1.50 annoyance fee for the points.

I seem to have more problems getting Southwest points credited than the other carriers from rental car companies. One of the problems (I think) is too many of the counter people think the code for Southwest is SW, (it's WN). I have had many at the Hertz counter argue with me, put the SW code and my number, and the number doesn't take. They blame the computer, and try to enter it again, and naturally again the computer doesn't work. They then tell me my number is wrong. I then tell them it's WN and not SW, they look at me like I don't know what I'm talking about, but humor me, and then are amazed that the computer takes the number.

As you know, make sure the number is on the final bill, or you aren't going to get the points unless you jump through hoops and make a bunch of calls. You will get them, but there probably will be a hassle, especially since you are getting 3X the points. Hopefully you still have the original contract showing your number, as it will show the number was there when you picked up the car, and then disappeared.

I wonder if the 3X credit costs the rental car agencies more money than 3X on the legacy carriers, and they are hoping more people will either not notice or not want to go through the bother of making the calls for the points.

You might want to print out your original reservation which showed your Rapid Rewards number, so they don't try to not give you the points because you didn't input it at the time of reservation. I seem to remember some past promotions had that in order to get the bonus points you had to enter your number when you made the reservation.

You'll get the points, but you'll probably have to call them to do so. You shouldn't have to 'fight' them, just give them the rental agreement number and if they don't already have it, the promo code you used and your RR number.