Getting to the end of 16 A+/SW credits for 1 RR RT
 

I am at 15.5 credits and it is looking like my 0.5 credits due from e-miles is just going to take too long to post. The A+ support told me 6 to 8 weeks it should post, but in the meantime I have credits falling off 4/15/14. My wife also has 2 credits expiring on 4/15/14, though she won't be getting close to 16.0 credits, her only 2 credits could help me get to 16 if I pay $19 each to convert one or both of them.

couple of questions:
-As for the 4/15 exp date, does this mean when I log in on 4/15/14 I will be missing credits? Does my rewards conversion have to take place by Midnight 4/14 or 4/15??

-If I convert her credits at $19 each ($38.00 total, plus tax) then I may feel as though her two credits did not go to waste. However, I could just as well spend $8.50 worth of my southwest points to bring me from 15.5 to 16.0. My tax free rate of $17/credit is advantageous vs. airtran's conversion rate of $19/credit transferred. Furthermore, I am using southwest points toward an end, and Airtran method requires me to spend cash on top of points, a $40 value as opposed to $17.

-And Airtran has a $29 fee to extend points that in my mind are only worth $20. So I should allow her airtran points to expire gracefully, rather than throwing more money at retaining them, right?

-In the past, there was a loophole where transferring between A+ and SW restarted the clock, but that is no longer allowed, correct? Are there any other loopholes I should be aware of?

I would do a quick one day Hertz rental, which will give you 1.5 credits for a one day rental. However, I would not wait to do it, as it takes awhile for the credits to post to your account.


http://offer.hertz.com/offers/index....editupto35.jsp

Make sure that you enter your A+Rewards account number in the reservation and elect to receive frequent flyer points. You will probably get lower rates at an HLE location, rather the airport, due to airport fees/surcharges.

E-miles does take a long time to post.

I believe with Airtran you have until that date to book a flight but I would check the T&C.

The easiest thing it to transfer 600 of your Southwest points then transfer the 16 Airtran Credits back to create a new Southwest Standard Award which you will have one year to use.

[QUOTE]-And Airtran has a $29 fee to extend points that in my mind are only worth $20. So I should allow her Airtran points to expire gracefully, rather than throwing more money at retaining them, right? [QUOTE]

I think you have other options.

You can do the two step and get 16 A+ Credits to Southwest creating an new Standard Award with a new expiration date 1 year from the date of conversion. That is not a loophole, it's explicitly stated in the T&C. As of 2 weeks ago it still worked.

There is a true loophole (or bug) where if you transfer on the date of expiration you get another year. I'm not clear how it works, you could ask in the Southwest Forum. I'm not clear on whether that loophole has been closed or not.

Another option is to transfer points from a Credit Card (Chase Ultimate Rewards works) or a Hotel program into you RR account and then to Airtran.
These transfers are pretty quick usually only a day or two sometimes instantly. This might also allow you to save your wife's credits.

If you are Elite on Airtran you can transfer enough of your credits to her at no cost, then create the Standard Award in her name. The Awards can be used to book tickets for anyone.

Great! Thanks for the very helpful answers. you just gave my questions a great deal of time and effort and I thank you for your thoroughness and concern.

You're welcome. I hope I helped, as with all thing related to the Airtran/Southwest merger all of this is subject to change and open to interpretation. ;)

Good suggestion if the OP is Elite.

If the OP is looking to use this for travel for him and her and Standard Award isn't available. Check Airtran... and transfer the SA to 16 A+ credits. At worst it's at least a one-way in the more widely available BC or Business select. At best it at least extends enough credits for use in her name. Kind of a roundabout two step.

Am I missing something?

My wife and I currently have 56 credits in our FL inventory that we were planning on converting no later than 12.14 for travel during 2015.

Is there a date beyond which the credits can't be converted?

None that has been announced. SW will have to do something when AirTran goes away at the end of the year. I would assume they will just transfer all your credits to Rapid Reward credits. It would be nice if they converted them into rapid reward points though.

I'm not sure what they will do.

They can not simply transfer credit to RR accounts, because many Airtran customers don't have RR accounts or haven't connected the accounts. Automatically creating new accounts would seem to cause more problems than it would create.

I think it most likely they will keep the A+ Rewards site up for a while and continue to allow transfers to RR accounts, but block transfers from RR to A+. In two years all existing A+ rewards points will be transferred or expire.

Another related issue is what to do about existing Airtran vouchers, which have less and less value as Airtran contracts. Airtran will usually convert free flight vouchers to A+ Credits simply by asking. The more recent dollar value vouchers require asking Airtran to do something to allow you to book on Southwest. I understand that can happen sometimes if you ask.

I would not wait until the very last minute. It is possible that Southwest will do something unexpected.

I would transfer the credit and get the Standard Awards. As long as you have 16 credits and Southwest permits it, you can always do the two step again and extend the date.

11/1/14 or thereabouts, most likely. I just got an email from LUV asking me to link my A+ account to my SW RR acct so that I'd be eligible for the mandatory conversion of lingering credits. In what ratio that may be taking place and with what expiration dates has not been announced to my knowledge. In turn, southwest gave m 750 pts (the equivalent of about $12) to set up the link of my two accounts. I did not see a public link for this promotion, so I guess it depends on getting directly emailed to you.

Much of this has now been revealed. Please look at the Integration Thread or the Southwest Integration FAQ.

On or about 11/2 A+ Rewards will cease to exist. Any remaining credits will be transferred to a Rapid Rewards account and converted to RR points at the rate of 1200 points to the credit.

Any reservations for flights on Airtran after 11/2 must be made on Southwest.com. Presumably certain Airtran perks, (like Elite upgrades, A+ rewards upgrades etc.) will go away at that time.

If you would like to have Standard Awards in lieu of points, you can still transfer credits and get them, apparently up to the end of October.