98Mike

I was waiting for spouses Starpoints to xfer to my account, and off we were going to go with a Nights + Air certificate. This would have been our 3rd round of CP status, just enjoyed 4 years of it. Glad to find out today and not when I was stuck with the WN points. This changes our spring break plans immensely. Was going to hassle through SJU to get to STX all in the name of sticking with WN and using, and earning, the CP. All told we were flying a silly route, paying for puddle jumping, and staying a night in SJU to make it work - all for the pass. Worth it if we get the pass. Now I'll use Delta or AA, 100% less headache.

I don't blame them for shutting it down. Its a sound business decision. I'll miss that pass though. We use the daylights out of it.

jghassell

I don't blame them for shutting it down either, but many (including me) made points purchases in December to set up a transfer January 1 to play by the existing years long practice. Dirty ball to pull that plug with no notice. What would the huge downside been of announcing this change on 12/1/16 effective 30 days later?

Sure, this pass was too valuable as it stood. But a 12/1 notice changes this fronm "damn, that was a good deal, too bad" to "..., I spent actual money to prepare for this." And for an airline that tries so desperately to distinguish itself from the legacies, it's distastefully poor form.

mymousecapades

+1

I spent $525 on SPG points for this, too. I don't begrudge them for making the change, I begrudge them for giving me zero notice. I wouldn't have made half the decisions I made if I knew it was coming. It's not too much to ask a company who is going to change their T&C to give advance notice.

mile ho

This (arrows and details on how to 'buy' a companion pass and so much more for only 1595.00!) is most assuredly an example of the bloggers pounding a deal to the point of the Airline having to respond.

If you've read WN's statement, you'll see they call it a loophole that they were forced to close.

Thanks bloggers. You obviously don't know how to control yourselves sometimes.

jghassell

I think you have a point about the bloggers killing the deal (watch how they'll all say they had nothing to do with it), but I think it's unlikely some VP awoke this morning and decided far too many bloggers were costing WN money all of a sudden, as if there was a leak or a hack or web bug or something. This isn't the 8 mile UA F tickets to HKG. This decision had clearly already been made. To keep that under wraps and make it effective with zero notice is simply punitive.

Mr. Vker

Unbelievable. I had called WN today to make sure we could do this. The rep said MR points would work. Fortunately, MR was closed and couldn't process the TP.

bgriz18

Wow not happy. My old companion pass just expired and have all my SPG and MA points ready to redeem for the package to get a new one.

I understand why Southwest would change the terms but a little advanced notice would have been nice. Time to think of alternatives, all is not lost. The 7 night packages are still a good deal and SPG points still provide great value. As for the companion pass, I guess I will wait for 2018 and try the 2 southwest CCs again.

SAPMAN

I am sure WN knew of this at least 60 days ago. Should have posted and let everyone know then. As I am a AA Platinum for Life, I will move most of my flights to AA now as spouse cannot travel for taxes. Any much more flexibility now - WN does not have the best fares very often anymore.

I think they would have been smarter to allow 50% of point transfers as many would then use Credit Card much more AND also fly WN a lot to get to the Companion Pass.

Also could have made it good for 12 (or 13) months vs. the end of following year so not so lucrative.

Lots of solutions to keep loyalty and not so costly for WN.

olouie

I am ok with this change. Hope it means less full flights and lower fares as people fly other airlines more :-)

likely wishful thinking

mile ho

I disagree.

I believe this was indeed a knee-jerk reaction to the numerous bloggers touting this incredible deal (which it was).

I believe they were completely freaked out by the possibility that a huge number of people would take advantage of this deal. And it was the uncertainty of how many would take advantage of it that caused them to move in such a rash manner.

Tanic

The ability to get a CP from a MR travel package has existed for years - even during RR1.0 when you needed 100 flight credits for a CP.

You're right about the bloggers; they really pumped up this balloon until it burst.

olouie

I speculate that it's a response to SW lagging stock price more than anything else. Ticket flexibility already impacted with new IT system. Only a matter of time before free baggage limits get lowered or eliminated (most likely lowered since its still a great marketing tool).

mile ho

"We’re working to protect the integrity and value of Southwest’s industry-unique Rapid RewardsŪ Companion Pass by closing a loophole that previously allowed Members to transfer mileage and points from other partner loyalty programs toward qualification for a Companion Pass."

This quote is from the statement from Southwest regarding the change. Pretty obvious that something CAUSED them to move to 'protect the integrity and value'.

What was it? ... see the numerous blogger's posts re exactly how (step by step instructions included) to purchase the CP and so much more for only 1595.00.

People, you need to wake up. There was a day when our hobby was not on the radar of the company execs. But that day has long past. When these ridiculous bloggers start touting a deal such as this, it will get noticed and companies will move to protect their bottom lines.

Southwest had no idea if a few hundred or tens of thousands would take advantage of this fantastic deal. A few hundred? No problem. Tens of thousands? Huge problem. They were forced by the bloggers to make a move on this. It's called 'closing a loophole'.

For proof that execs are paying attention to our 'hobby', see also Chase's move to 5/24, among so many others.

philemer

The next step may be the elimination of credit card bonus pts counting toward the CP. Pure speculation of course.

palmetto86

It does suck that Southwest acted with such short notice, but I think it was three confounding factors creating the perfect storm that forced them to act:

1) the ability to link SPG and Marriott accounts which has only been in place a few months
2) the SPG deal to buy points (Marriott never let people buy the equivalent of that many points at once)
3) the blogger swarm and the wildfire nature of travel deals and mistake fares these days

This CP deal got A LOT of coverage. Coworkers who don't follow any of this stuff closely were texting me about it over the holidays.

Call me old fashioned, but I guess folks will have to go back to earning the way a few of us do...by actually flying.