Using MR points for Southwest Air tickets
Dec 6, 2011, 8:27 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: SAN
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, American Air, National Car
Posts: 1,131
Using MR points for Southwest Air tickets
I wasn't aware of this , but a friend called AMEX today and a rep told him on the phone that if he used an AMEX card to purchase a Southwest Air ticket , when it appears on his statement , the system will then allow him to apply MR points towards it at a 1:1 ratio.
Does not work towards other Southwest fees (I currently have a $5 Southwest Air fee on my statement, can't use pay with points towards it)
Does not work towards other Southwest fees (I currently have a $5 Southwest Air fee on my statement, can't use pay with points towards it)
Dec 6, 2011, 8:51 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
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Posts: 7,970
Perhaps believable if the 1:1 ratio is points-to-pennies. If it's points-to-dollars, then it's almost certainly 100:1, if it exists at all. No way that you can redeem MR points at anywhere close to $1 each.
Dec 6, 2011, 9:06 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: SPG Plat, Emerald Exec., PC Plat, AA, CO, DL, UBS Charter Card, Palladium Card, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,694
I believe he's referring to pay with points, you can do it with any airline ticket booked thru Amex. You get 1 cent per point or 1.25 cents per point if you have a Platinum/Centurion card.
1 cent per point isn't great redemption value.
1 cent per point isn't great redemption value.
Dec 6, 2011, 9:44 pm
#4
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And Southwest flights can't be booked through AMEX travel , so this is sort of a work-around - valuable when considering how much cheaper it is to fly IAD-DEN with 2 bags on Southwest vs the other airlines
Dec 7, 2011, 8:36 am
#5
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Dec 7, 2011, 11:05 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2010
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Isn't great value , but I was surprised , being most statement credit uses of points will only value them at 0.7 cents
And Southwest flights can't be booked through AMEX travel , so this is sort of a work-around - valuable when considering how much cheaper it is to fly IAD-DEN with 2 bags on Southwest vs the other airlines
And Southwest flights can't be booked through AMEX travel , so this is sort of a work-around - valuable when considering how much cheaper it is to fly IAD-DEN with 2 bags on Southwest vs the other airlines
7. Are any airlines unavailable on the American Express Travel site?
To use Pay with Points to book with Southwest Airlines, please call Membership Rewards® Land & Sea at 1-800-268-3205 and select option #2. If you are looking for any other airline and it is not shown in your search results on the website, please call American Express Travel at 1-800-297-2977.
To use Pay with Points to book with Southwest Airlines, please call Membership Rewards® Land & Sea at 1-800-268-3205 and select option #2. If you are looking for any other airline and it is not shown in your search results on the website, please call American Express Travel at 1-800-297-2977.
Dec 7, 2011, 7:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Texas
Programs: HHonorsDiamond
Posts: 665
After I applied and started to use my MR points I was very disappointed! Switched over from SPG Am Ex and remember reading that I could use my MR points and transfer them to SPG and to other airlines.
Imagine my surprise when I realized I could only get 333 SPG points per 1000...and also to find out United/Continental were going away!
I need to burn through 66K MR points before I cancel in a few months. I plan to go back to my SPG card instead. I would love to be able to buy my Southwest tickets for this June now and apply my MR points but only if I get $ .01...
Dec 8, 2011, 7:38 am
#8
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Green/Gold Pay with Points is generally $0.01 for airfare, less for other types of travel. ( don't know why, because lodging should be more profitable for the agency.) Some posters have reported targeted promotions which temporarily improved the return. Typically this is presented as a "discount" in the number of points per dollar.
Dec 9, 2011, 2:53 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 158
I'm gonna pay for the second year when the fee comes due, but I don't know if it will last must past 2 years.
Dec 10, 2011, 6:34 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Texas
Programs: HHonorsDiamond
Posts: 665
I made the same mistake. Signed up for PRG and thought I could convert the bonus points to SPG points (at a reasonable rate at least) - if it weren't for the 2X points on gas/groceries I wouldn't keep the card.
I'm gonna pay for the second year when the fee comes due, but I don't know if it will last must past 2 years.
I'm gonna pay for the second year when the fee comes due, but I don't know if it will last must past 2 years.
My husband has a Hilton Am Ex and on that card they do give the extra points and consider commissaries as grocery stores. But not the gold card. So now all I can get is 1 pt. I was surprised that they include it as a grocery store on a Hilton Am Ex...but not a Gold Am Ex.
So back to SPG Am Ex I go nect spring. I will apply closer to my 1 year on this card in hopes I might be able to get a sign up bonus again on SPG....
Dec 10, 2011, 1:55 pm
#11
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Dec 10, 2011, 2:28 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2011
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