Rapid Rewards 2.0 begins March 1, 2011
Feb 16, 2011, 1:31 pm
#916
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,036
If the software functions as it should, you'll only need to convert 900 points for your 0.75 credit. You are correct that the one year clock on the award will only start ticking once you cause it to be issued, but don't forget the two year clock on all your credits will continue to tick. You might or might not be willing to let a credit roll off before exercising your option (at the cost of an additional 1,200 points), but don't let that happen by accident.
Feb 16, 2011, 1:31 pm
#917
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards
Posts: 791
Looks to me that I don't need to rush to get the last .75 credit before March 1 since I will have a one-time opportunity to convert 1200 points earned after March 1 to get the remaining 1 credit I need (actually .75) to complete the standard award and that it may even benefit me to wait to get the new points until I need that additional award since the clock on the one year expiration won't start ticking until I top off that last point. Am I correct in my interpretation?
And don't forget that if your credits will be expiring on that rolling 24 month window, so make sure you do the top off before the first one expires.
Feb 16, 2011, 4:38 pm
#919
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: MDW
Programs: WN (CP 6x, A+ 2x), Marriott (LT Titanium), Hyatt Explorer, Hertz PC, UA/*A Silver
Posts: 425
Mostly. Except that you won't need to convert the full 1200, you'll only need to convert 900. When I log in to newrapidrewards.com, it shows that I'll need to convert 3900 points for my remaining 3.25 credits, so it seems to me that it will allow increments of 300 points, and you don't have to "waste" points on converting to full credits that you don't need.
And don't forget that if your credits will be expiring on that rolling 24 month window, so make sure you do the top off before the first one expires.
And don't forget that if your credits will be expiring on that rolling 24 month window, so make sure you do the top off before the first one expires.
Feb 16, 2011, 4:45 pm
#920
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SJC and ONT
Programs: WN A-List/CP, HHonors Diamond, CX J with AA miles, US Gold/*G
Posts: 2,082
With your flight frequency and location, I'd stick with WN: Frequency, reliability, direct flights, full-size airplanes, and points that won't expire with regular activity.
8, 10 flights (up and down the west coast) a year isn't quite enough to attain elite status so I wouldn't even think about any other airline..
Feb 16, 2011, 5:10 pm
#921
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Orlando, FL, USA
Posts: 2,398
I appreciate the additional good thinking on my issues. I'm not sure I handled this the best way but I decided to move 1500 SPG points to WN for 1 credit, giving me a 16.25 total. Hopefully the SPG transfer will take place in the next 12 days - the transfer seems to be running from 8-10 days according to the reports of other posters. After the standard award I'll then have a credit balance of .25 so that after 3/1 I can accrue points until I can do my one-time top-off of the .25 credit balance with the points from the new system. I thought about small purchases rather than SPG but was concerned they would not show up on WN records by 2/28, as was pointed out above. SPG was my only option in terms of accounts from which I could transfer in points to WN.
Feb 17, 2011, 2:00 am
#923
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,036
Can I buy points?
Yes. A Member will have the ability to purchase Rapid Rewards Points. Point purchases must be paid for with a credit card and can be made at southwest.com. Rapid Rewards Points will be offered in blocks of 1,000 with a minimum purchase of 2,000, maximum of 40,000.
Yes. A Member will have the ability to purchase Rapid Rewards Points. Point purchases must be paid for with a credit card and can be made at southwest.com. Rapid Rewards Points will be offered in blocks of 1,000 with a minimum purchase of 2,000, maximum of 40,000.
Feb 17, 2011, 6:51 am
#924
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,174
If points can be purchased in unlimited quantities, in a best-case scenario you could "buy the CP" for under $400 net a year, using the WN Visa (2 points per dollar), and buying on Jan. 1, 2, 3:
$25 gets you 1000 points, plus 50 for the WN CC use.
110000/1050 = 104.8
(104.8 x $25) = $2620.
The 110000 points are worth (110000 x 1.67 cents [WGA])= $1837. Difference is $783, but you only have to do it every 2 years.
$392 a year.
$25 gets you 1000 points, plus 50 for the WN CC use.
110000/1050 = 104.8
(104.8 x $25) = $2620.
The 110000 points are worth (110000 x 1.67 cents [WGA])= $1837. Difference is $783, but you only have to do it every 2 years.
$392 a year.
Feb 17, 2011, 10:01 am
#925
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP 4MM
Posts: 811
Given the routes you fly, you probably pay $70-$100 each way. Under the old program, 16 one ways gets you a free trip anywhere SW flies. But, it is subject to capacity restrictions, so you can't reliably know you will be able to use your free ticket when you want to.
Under the new program, you essentially earn a 10% rebate good for future travel on your tickets. In theory, the value is significantly less then the potential value of the free ticket you were earning under the old program, but you can reliably count on using your credits when you want.
So, the decision of which program is better depends on what you value--the opportunity of a high yield free ticket that you can not reliably use, or a lower value free ticket that you have confidence you can use when you want.
One other consideration: See the discussion a few posts up. There is a discussion of how less frequent travelers will essentially forfeit all their accumulated credits effective March 1. You exactly fit this profile of traveler. So, most likely, SW will start confiscating any orphan credits in your account starting March 1. So, you will essentially starting a new reward from scratch March 1.
Under the new program, you essentially earn a 10% rebate good for future travel on your tickets. In theory, the value is significantly less then the potential value of the free ticket you were earning under the old program, but you can reliably count on using your credits when you want.
So, the decision of which program is better depends on what you value--the opportunity of a high yield free ticket that you can not reliably use, or a lower value free ticket that you have confidence you can use when you want.
One other consideration: See the discussion a few posts up. There is a discussion of how less frequent travelers will essentially forfeit all their accumulated credits effective March 1. You exactly fit this profile of traveler. So, most likely, SW will start confiscating any orphan credits in your account starting March 1. So, you will essentially starting a new reward from scratch March 1.
My initial impression is that in the future I'll use Southwest when convenient, but that the new program is unlikely to induce me to take additional discretionary trips.
Feb 17, 2011, 11:13 am
#926
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Austin TX
Programs: HH Dia, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 442
If points can be purchased in unlimited quantities, in a best-case scenario you could "buy the CP" for under $400 net a year, using the WN Visa (2 points per dollar), and buying on Jan. 1, 2, 3:
$25 gets you 1000 points, plus 50 for the WN CC use.
110000/1050 = 104.8
(104.8 x $25) = $2620.
The 110000 points are worth (110000 x 1.67 cents [WGA])= $1837. Difference is $783, but you only have to do it every 2 years.
$392 a year.
$25 gets you 1000 points, plus 50 for the WN CC use.
110000/1050 = 104.8
(104.8 x $25) = $2620.
The 110000 points are worth (110000 x 1.67 cents [WGA])= $1837. Difference is $783, but you only have to do it every 2 years.
$392 a year.
Members who earn 110,000 points from flying Southwest Airlines flights and/or points earned through Rapid Rewards Partners or who fly 100 Southwest Airlines flight segments per calendar year will qualify for a Companion Pass, which entitles a designated traveling Companion to fly free with the Member for one year on Southwest Airlines flights.
They aren't specifically excluded but they are not part of the statement above either.
Feb 17, 2011, 11:47 am
#927
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,174
Do purchased points count towards CP qualifying? T & C's on newrapidrewards.com say this:
Members who earn 110,000 points from flying Southwest Airlines flights and/or points earned through Rapid Rewards Partners or who fly 100 Southwest Airlines flight segments per calendar year will qualify for a Companion Pass, which entitles a designated traveling Companion to fly free with the Member for one year on Southwest Airlines flights.
They aren't specifically excluded but they are not part of the statement above either.
Members who earn 110,000 points from flying Southwest Airlines flights and/or points earned through Rapid Rewards Partners or who fly 100 Southwest Airlines flight segments per calendar year will qualify for a Companion Pass, which entitles a designated traveling Companion to fly free with the Member for one year on Southwest Airlines flights.
They aren't specifically excluded but they are not part of the statement above either.
Presumably Southwest itself is not a Southwest partner.
Feb 18, 2011, 7:51 am
#928
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 352
Thanks for all the input. I currently have only 2.5 credits toward the next ("old") award, and I'll get 2 more this weekend, but I'll still have only 3.5 credits which might expire or be orphaned. Does it make sense for me to "do something" about these credits?
My initial impression is that in the future I'll use Southwest when convenient, but that the new program is unlikely to induce me to take additional discretionary trips.
My initial impression is that in the future I'll use Southwest when convenient, but that the new program is unlikely to induce me to take additional discretionary trips.
I should have been thinking more and stopped using my SW cc after the last reward until the new system started. It's only about $40 in rewards from other credit cards but since I hate to leave money lying around, it still bugs me a little.
Feb 19, 2011, 12:39 am
#929
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 54
I'm currently smitten with US Airways...but for a bunch of other reasons.
With your flight frequency and location, I'd stick with WN: Frequency, reliability, direct flights, full-size airplanes, and points that won't expire with regular activity.
8, 10 flights (up and down the west coast) a year isn't quite enough to attain elite status so I wouldn't even think about any other airline..
With your flight frequency and location, I'd stick with WN: Frequency, reliability, direct flights, full-size airplanes, and points that won't expire with regular activity.
8, 10 flights (up and down the west coast) a year isn't quite enough to attain elite status so I wouldn't even think about any other airline..
Feb 19, 2011, 3:21 am
#930
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
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Yep. WN does have the most consistantly low fares to So. Cal. but with RR2.0 I'll look at USAir for Tucson and Delta for SLC and Alaska for the Pacific Northwest. It seems strange that WN is going from a position of where the Legacies have to react to WN to where WN will have to react to the Legacies. Isn't it better to fight the enenmy on your battlefield than his?
Just remember that WN has the most flights at Tucson. The problem with US to Tucson is they make you stop in Phoenix every time. If the PHX-TUS flights are late (like the one that flew over my house at 3:15a the other night) you're going to lose a lot of time sitting around T4. If you're coming here with any regularity, it might be something to factor in.
Alaska is a very good option for SoCal-PNW. I don't usually take WN on those routes, unless Alaska is overpriced.
Originally Posted by curunir
I'm currently smitten with US Airways...but for a bunch of other reasons.
With your flight frequency and location, I'd stick with WN: Frequency, reliability, direct flights, full-size airplanes, and points that won't expire with regular activity.
8, 10 flights (up and down the west coast) a year isn't quite enough to attain elite status so I wouldn't even think about any other airline..
With your flight frequency and location, I'd stick with WN: Frequency, reliability, direct flights, full-size airplanes, and points that won't expire with regular activity.
8, 10 flights (up and down the west coast) a year isn't quite enough to attain elite status so I wouldn't even think about any other airline..
Alaska is a very good option for SoCal-PNW. I don't usually take WN on those routes, unless Alaska is overpriced.
