Southwest Rapid Rewards - Cancel a Southwest flight booked with Rapid Rewards points

If I'm reading the FAQs correctly, when you cancel a WGA flight booked with a credit card, your refund is in the form of credit that can be used for a future flight within 1 year from the date of the original booking. But when you cancel a flight booked with points, the points get refunded to your account with no stipulation that they have to be used in a year. Is that true? If so, isn't it always better to book a flight with points?

If I'm reading the FAQs correctly, when you cancel a WGA flight booked with a credit card, your refund is in the form of credit that can be used for a future flight within 1 year from the date of the original booking. But when you cancel a flight booked with points, the points get refunded to your account with no stipulation that they have to be used in a year. Is that true? If so, isn't it always better to book a flight with points?

It is true. If your travel is reimbursed, cash may be better. Otherwise, you are correct.

Exception! If you are building points toward A-List or CP, the points purchase does not help.

Also you can't use a coupon to reduce the number of points needed for a flight. If you have a coupon code it's likely better to use money.

If I'm reading the FAQs correctly, when you cancel a WGA flight booked with a credit card, your refund is in the form of credit that can be used for a future flight within 1 year from the date of the original booking. But when you cancel a flight booked with points, the points get refunded to your account with no stipulation that they have to be used in a year. Is that true? If so, isn't it always better to book a flight with points?

If you have an unlimited number of points, sure. If, on on the other hand, you're not magical, and your points are finite, then obviously it makes sense to use points for the flights that are most likely to change, and cash for the flights that are least likely to change.

It also often makes sense for one member of a family (or extended family) to accrue the paid flights and to use the resultant points for others who don't fly as much.