Converting Rapid Rewards Points to Rental Car Certificates
Jul 23, 2019, 7:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
Converting Rapid Rewards Points to Rental Car Certificates
Does anyone have any experience using their Southwest Rapid Reward points to buy a Budget Rental Car Certificate on the SWA RR 'More Rewards' marketplace? (Apparently 'More Rewards' is available only if you have a SWA Rapid Rewards credit card.)
I have a trip that I am planning to take that is not on SWA . . . and I currently have a lot of SWA RR Points . . . and realized that I could buy enough of the Budget certificates to cover my rental car. There does not appear to be anything on line that says I have to use these in conjunction with a SWA flight.
Just looking for someone else who may have already done this transaction.
Thanks
Martin
I have a trip that I am planning to take that is not on SWA . . . and I currently have a lot of SWA RR Points . . . and realized that I could buy enough of the Budget certificates to cover my rental car. There does not appear to be anything on line that says I have to use these in conjunction with a SWA flight.
Just looking for someone else who may have already done this transaction.
Thanks
Martin
Jul 23, 2019, 7:57 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Easily done but but not of great value. Here is a full week in MCI, the cheapest option listed. The points could get you $376 at Amazon plus cost another $150 in hard cash. You should be able to rent at 1/2 that. Even worse if you used the points on airfare. But can be done if you don't care. Maybe Amazon has car rental gift cards?Total Basic Price36,385 PointsOther Tax1,210 PointsTotal Price37,595 PointsAdditional charges could apply at the time of pick up.CONCESSN RECOV FEE$26.27ARENA FEE REC$28.00ENERGY SURCHARGE$1.49STATE TAX$24.85TRANS FACILITY CHG$41.51VEH LIC COST REC$12.67
Jul 23, 2019, 8:25 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
Well, this was not exactly the route I was going to take. I was not going to actually book the rental car and pay with the points, because I agree that locks you in to the rates that SWA wants to display / charge you.
Rather I was going to convert points to certificates that I could use to pay for a car that I had booked myself. Same redemption rate - 5000 points = $50 Budget Rental Certificate.
Rather I was going to convert points to certificates that I could use to pay for a car that I had booked myself. Same redemption rate - 5000 points = $50 Budget Rental Certificate.
Jul 23, 2019, 8:37 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
Well, this was not exactly the route I was going to take. I was not going to actually book the rental car and pay with the points, because I agree that locks you in to the rates that SWA wants to display / charge you.
Rather I was going to convert points to certificates that I could use to pay for a car that I had booked myself. Same redemption rate - 5000 points = $50 Budget Rental Certificate.
Rather I was going to convert points to certificates that I could use to pay for a car that I had booked myself. Same redemption rate - 5000 points = $50 Budget Rental Certificate.
BTW, 25,000 WN points for $250 is still a bad redemption IMO.............25k is over $350 in flights............if you use companion pass double that.
Jul 23, 2019, 8:40 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
I will agree fully that this is not the best redemption rate . . . . but I typically end up with way more SWA RR Points that I can redeem in a year on flights, so converting them to something else to offset hard cash expenses makes sense to me.
Jul 23, 2019, 8:43 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
If it works for you great, we have about 500K WN and millions more across other airlines but I don't like to waste them
How about the insurance ?
The way WN has increased prices over the past year or so I would hold on to them.............I am paying 4 times what I was
Jul 24, 2019, 7:15 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Well, this was not exactly the route I was going to take. I was not going to actually book the rental car and pay with the points, because I agree that locks you in to the rates that SWA wants to display / charge you.
Rather I was going to convert points to certificates that I could use to pay for a car that I had booked myself. Same redemption rate - 5000 points = $50 Budget Rental Certificate.
Rather I was going to convert points to certificates that I could use to pay for a car that I had booked myself. Same redemption rate - 5000 points = $50 Budget Rental Certificate.
Jul 24, 2019, 9:41 am
#8
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
Jul 24, 2019, 3:04 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 51
There is a limit to how much or many certificates Budget will accept- $300 comes to mind. Double check with the car company before redeeming points for the certificates. Also check if the remainder of the certificate won’t be lost if you only use a partial amount.