benmaller

When the bonus post on the CC it shows as a 19,200 point bonus (at least on mine which was for 16 credits). Until 3/1 this converted to credits. I'll be very surprised if this doesn't post just as points after 3/1.

I'm not saying you don't have an argument. I'm just saying that based on how this appears to work on the CC and with the FAQ that I think it will be in points.

ordphx

If you are a $49.00 wanna get away flyer like me, then this is horrible news. It's going to take alot longer now (and I mean ALOT) to earn that free roundtrip cross country trip. I do a lot of short trips on Southwest, and then use my free rapid rewards roundtrip for cross country journeys. No more once this program takes effect. The only thing that has me wondering is whether Southwest will be able to appeal to the high paying business traveler? In an informal survey amongst my high mileage business traveling friends, they all seem to weigh heavily on comfort perks, rather than earning a free domestic ticket on a discount no frills carrier. They seems to enjoy earning upgrades, and are less interested in spending a lot of money on a Southwest's Business Select class just to earn a free ticket on a discount no frills carrier. "A- LIST" for me is not even a perk, because I like boarding a little later in the process so I know who I am going to be sitting next to during my flight.
As for me, I am switching to Delta, and it's strictly a business decision. The perks and even free tickets will come a lot quicker now on Delta than they will on the RR2.0. I am actually looking forward to earning GOLD status, which I should have no problem achieving in 2011, so I can start flying First Class again.

ordphx

RR2.0 is going to result in the demise of Southwest's reward program. It's not going to work. KISS concept (regardless of how fair or unfair it was), is what made them unique and successful.

pshuang

And if you can routinely find the same $49 fares on Delta, and if your plans are sufficiently stable that Delta's $150 change fee (making a round trip ticket at $49 published fare each way valueless) doesn't matter, then great, you're making the right decision for you. Whether Southwest will miss your business or not remains to be seen.

As I continue to look at RR 2.0, I agree with nsx in that it doesn't enable aspirational travel. Nonetheless it's a solid program that may earn the same or perhaps even a greater percentage of my spend as RR 1.0 did. There are years when I've flown 100,000 BIS miles for non-work, and years when I've flown 50,000 BIS miles for non-work. (Fortunately, not in the same year....) Omitting international travel, for which WN is not an option, if I partition my travel into four categories:

(1) Short cheap flight
(2) Long cheap flight
(3) Short expensive flight
(4) Long expensive flight

The way WN RR 1.0 works encouraged me to book travel in Category (1) on WN. The way UA MP works encouraged me to book travel in Category (2) on UA. For me, travel in Category (3) and Category (4) defaulted to UA MP so as to try to qualify for the next elite level, because that travel wouldn't do much for me in WN RR 1.0. What WN RR 2.0 will do is give me strong incentive to book more of my travel in Category (3) and Category (4) on WN. That is a very good thing for WN's bottom line.

illinidad

My experience is a little mixed. Bought and converted a few Priority Club miles to RR 1.0 credits about a week ago and they posted to my RR account almost immediately - 2 days at most. Budget, however, is generally slow, but they've been that way for most of the latter half of 2010, when their 5x bonus started. Only a couple of rentals out of 20-25 have posted to my RR account in under a week.

However, I think you might be a little paranoid Budget, Avis, Hertz, etc. are all running the 5x promotion, and all end at Jan 31. That gives them four full weeks to get the credits converted to RR 1.0. If WN really wanted to squeeze people, they'd probably would have let that promotion and the start of RR 2.0 overlap, or had less of a gap between the two.

tassojunior

I don't think SW was ever too fond of frequent flyer programs period. Saw them as an unnecessary expense. But as SW's costs and fares move up it will have trouble competing with the legacy carriers who have good brand loyalty programs.

It's a risk they're taking.

ftnoob

I disagree. Overall, RR 2.0 is vastly more generous than RR 1.5 Some passengers will experience a devaluation, the program is horribly dull, and it is mostly useless to me except for booking WGA fares with points earned from the credit card, but the truth is that RR 2.0 gives away far more than it takes away.

The real question is whether it will generate enough new revenue to pay for itself. That actually is impossible under current management's uber-conservative growth strategy. So getting back to core principles of growing the fleet and growing employment is essential to the success of RR 2.0.

Vinodavid

The only thing that makes me fly SW over AA or UA is the companion pass.

I flew 75 segments on SW last year plus another 25 or so on others and according to the calculator I would not qualify for the CP.

I tend to fly the $59 - $79 fares so I will go from earning 8 or 9 free flights a year to 2 or 3.

The one question mark for me that I can't find an answer to is when double points kicking for A+ flyers.

Does it reset at the beginning of the year and double credits are not earned until you hit the required points that year or do status and bonus points carry over?

I can be mid to high elite in any 1 airline program. If my travel patterns don't earn me the CP like in years past than my days with SW are over.

InkUnderNails

Top reasons to fly Southwest, IMO:

1. No change fees.
   
2. Retention of TTF's.
   
3. No baggage fees for first two <50#
   
4. Overhead bin space availability because of #3.
   
5. A-list.
   
6. Companion pass.
   
7. Seat pitch even if all coach.
   
8. No RJ's.
   
9. No plane change in large hub airports.
   
10. Best availability of price and schedules at my airport (BNA).
    
11. Baggage gets there with me more often.
    
12. FF program.

(RR is almost last whether old or new. I really do not care. Much.)

kennycrudup

WHS; I have 4 SAs I don't have time to use right now, and when I hear of other FTers sitting on piles of SAs they similarly don't/can't use (or have to get re-upped) I wonder why all the b'n and m'n about RR2.0.

ftnoob

Status applies for the remainder of the calendar year in which earned, and all of the next calendar year. Folks who earn status year after year will be "Perma-A" or "Perma-A+," so always earning at the higher rates. I think plenty of folks have not properly incorporated this fact while analyzing the changes. (And the simulator does not help, though it otherwise grossly overestimates points.)

GumboCook

My current companion pass expires 3/31/11 so I will get extension to 12/31/11, but I already changed companion names two times already. Does this mean I only have 1 name change left for the rest of 2011 ? That means 3 name changes for a CP that lasts 22 months.

I will requal for companion pass again before 3/31/11, but since the current CP is extended until 12/31/11, I wont get new CP w/ 3 allowed name changes until 1/1/2012.

Am I interpreting this correctly or am I missing something ?

Cheers,

mile ho

From the FAQs on the WN website:

I'm a Companion Pass Member now. What does this change mean to me and my designated Companion?
If you have a Companion Pass at the time of program launch you will retain your Companion Pass in the new program. The length of your eligibility will vary depending on the year of expiration date of your Companion Pass. At the time of launch, if your Companion Pass has an expiration date between 3/1/2011 and 12/31/2011, you will retain your Companion Pass through 12/31/2011. If your Companion Pass has an expiration date in 2012 at the time of launch, you will retain your Companion Pass until 12/31/2012. Following the launch of the new program the Companion Pass Member will be allowed to change their designated Companion 3 times during your qualification period by calling 1-800-IFLYSWA.

The way I read it we'll be able to change our companion 3 times after March 1.

mile ho

All you need to get your CP is just keep doing what you're doing and add a few car rentals. Your A+ status (12 pts WGA) will almost get you there flying the flights you're flying. And too, my best guess is that once you acheive A+ which it sounds like you'll be in right now, you'll always have it for the remainder of the current year and the whole following year. So if you get it and maintain it, you'll never be without it. I think you're in a good position.

lainys

If i'm following this thread correctly, it appears that SAs can only be used by yourself in RR2.0.. hence more restrictive. Under the current rules, you can book flights under a std award for anybody.. you're not limited to just you... ie: more flexibility under old regime. If incorrect, FTers please chime in.