awful
 

Unfortunately, I do not think these changes to the RR program will have the desired effect WN is seeking. WN still cannot satisfy two needs desired by business travellers; first class upgrades and points for international travel.

I fly a fair amount each year...split between personal and business. My loyalty is gone with these changes in RR. Also, I will be dumping by Chase WN card and I spend a lot on that.

Kelly might as well flush the cancel/change fee policy and start charging for bags right now. He has been trying to make WN look like a legacy for years. Just get it over with!

I disagree because the 'low' award class is now the entire Wanna Get Away bucket, which offers much more availability than the old Standard Award availability, and Southwest Award tickets will still be very flexible regardless of the class they're booked in since there are no change fees/award redemption/award redeposit fees.

The new program will offer international awards, so your comments seem ill informed.

Pushing through credits to get new CP before 3-1-11
 

Is this official SWA dogma? I have 76 credits towards a new CP (current CP expires 8-2010 under Rewards 1.0 rules), and would definitely make a run toward getting 100 credits before March 1 if that would indeed result in issue of a new CP and extension to 12-31-2012.

Is this scenario covered anywhere in the SWA FAQ or elsewhere so that I would know with some assurance that it was worth making the run to squeeze in another 24 credits before March 1?

Boy, I bet I'm not the only one with my head spinning this am.

BRIAN:

Quick question. What is known about the 2 levels of Chase CC cards? I called Chase for more information and was told that it was "in the mail" and that the new cards are tiered cards. The first is a $39 to $59 annual fee, with the "Premier" being $85+. They told me that the "every dollar spent on the premier card would translate to a SWA TQP" Is that accurate?

I noticed at the bottom of the earnings page it says "Tier qualifying points are earned from revenue flights or through select Rapid Reward credit cards from Chase and are exclusive of bonuses and promotions"

If it is correct, I spend over $70,000/year on my Chase RR card (assuming I will get Premier), I would get A list preferred in no time at all as it only requires 70K tqps.

Clarifications would be helpful if you can Brian.

Devaluation is the name of the game
 

Thanks for highlighting what should be most flyers' major issue with the new program. It's kind of gotten lost in all the confusion. I guess the positive comments are coming from those who are pleased that the devaluation isn't even worse.

I am considering doing that as well. IT sounds like you get 2 points for every $ charged. Currently you have to have $19,600 in non-WN purchases for a free ticket which I can NEVER find any openings for on a LAS/DTW flight. that would be 39,200 points you would earn with the new system. Seeing it's 100 points/$ for an anytime fare it would mean $19,600 purchases would only be enough for a $392 ticket. Nice thing is though you can fly on any flight with enough points.

1. Yes, that's the way I read it. You might want to wait a couple days to be sure.

2. My information is that 2010 flight history will not be counted toward A-List preferred, meaning that very few people will reach that level before mid-2011. Southwest could change their minds on this, however.

I'm in that boat and that's how I read it.

For those near to qualifying, making the push to 100 credits before March 1, 2011 looks like an excellent idea. You get 22 months of CP for the price of 12.

I've already requalified for CP (expires 5/31/2011) so the way I read this I'll get an extra six months in 2012 on the CP. Nice.:cool:

What I can't figure out is if I'm screwed on A-list. My A-list expires 3/3/2011. I am already requalified. The way I read it my A-list will only be extended till the end of 2011, where I would have gotten it till 3/3/2012 under the "old" rules. Is that correct?

I wish they would let you pay part of the fare with points
 

It would be nice if they do what delta does and allow their card holders to pay with points/miles. On delta if you have an am ex you can use 1,000 miles to pay down $10 on a fare. I wish WN would allow this as well. It would be a great way to get rid of points that won't ever be used.

Paging SWABrian to answer this excellent question and idea...

You are right to be concerned. FTers complained that JetBlue did EXACTLY this after they switched to TrueBlue2. Capacity controlled seats became very difficult to find, and the online tools to search for them were withdrawn. It was even worse than finding legacy award seats for international flights. I hope Southwest doesn't do anything like that!

So the new program offers options to redeem points for international travel. The details seem a bit vague...but OK. I still stand by my prediction. The RR changes still will not entice the population WN desires. I suspect that the customers loyal to the legacies, which currently offer international travel, will not flock to WN. We'll see.

No you get extra months of A-List, to the end of 2012.

What about double dipping with Hilton? How many points will you get for that?

Precisely. The main restriction of WGA redemption is that these fares disappear (for most markets) 7 days before the travel date. So no last-minute bookings and no last-minute date changes.