Basic vs WGA+ When Using Points?
May 28, 2025 | 5:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: SW RR
Posts: 82
Basic vs WGA+ When Using Points?
I always bought WGA fares when using points, And if points needed went down, I was able to "change" flight and rebook the same flight and get the points difference back. Is this still the case with BASIC fares? Or do I need to go with WGA+?
May 28, 2025 | 6:09 am
#2
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN A-list preferred, United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 22,856
Basic must be canceled and rebooked to capture the savings.
May 28, 2025 | 6:16 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: SW RR
Posts: 82
Extra step of canceling will be annoying, But whatever. Just to be clear that means there is no "real" penalty when using points when booking BASIC except for the extra step? I know for BASIC when buying with money, the travel funds expire in 6months if you cancel.
May 28, 2025 | 6:21 am
#4
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN A-list preferred, United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 22,856
There should be no adverse consequences, but we have no reports yet.
May 28, 2025 | 6:24 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: SW RR
Posts: 82
May 31, 2025 | 8:27 am
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP; UA 1MM & PP; Marriott AMB; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 62,274
Here's an interesting quirk - I booked a trip PHX-OAK close in on points a couple days ago, and the WGA+ was cheaper (13,500) than the Basic (14,000).
Jun 1, 2025 | 8:46 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: EWR/JFK
Programs: AA GLD 1.xMM, MAR SLV, HH DMND, IHG PLT
Posts: 901
Reading between the lines, the $5.60 for tax will come back as a flight/$ credit and expire in 6 months from date of booking. That is the main difference I read between BASIC and the old WGA. I haven't tested it out yet. Anyone know if this is true?
Jun 1, 2025 | 9:04 am
#8
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN A-list preferred, United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 22,856
Or unless you paid California sales tax on a car battery core deposit.
OK, maybe it's possible...
Jun 1, 2025 | 10:05 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 574
This is almost certainly incorrect.
Jun 1, 2025 | 10:28 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: California
Posts: 1,434
Never use a flight credit on a points booking anymore unless it's about to expire worthless. Other than that exception, always use a credit card. Never use a gift card either. This rule will always make your $5.60 refundable with no worry about funds expiration.
Jun 1, 2025 | 10:29 am
#11
Join Date: May 2025
Posts: 32
I've tested booking Basic fares with points. As long as you book the taxes with cash, the points are refundable to your account and the taxes to your form of payment. If you use a flight credit or gift card for the taxes, on cancelation, a credit is generated for that portion of the fare that adopts the 6-month expiration date. The CoC makes clear that you can refund cash-paid taxes back to your form of payment on points bookings, irrespective of fare type. As long as you don't need SDC or standby, booking Basic fares with points seems very logical and avoids short credit expiration situations.
Jun 1, 2025 | 10:45 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Window Seat
Programs: National Executive, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Visitor
Posts: 3,077
Booking with points seems to be the best use of this Basic fare.
Issue is the redemptions have gotten noticeably more expensive relative to cash prices in a lot of cases.
Issue is the redemptions have gotten noticeably more expensive relative to cash prices in a lot of cases.
Jun 1, 2025 | 11:00 am
#13
Join Date: May 2025
Posts: 32
Seems that they're still tinkering with the values of point redemptions (or their system has had glitches). I've found some good deals, though not in lockstep with cash prices as before. A couple of weeks back, even after they moved to this new model I was able to get some $39 cash price intra-CA flights at 1,359 points. Last year, I once paid 1,911 points for a $39 flight.
Jun 1, 2025 | 11:19 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Window Seat
Programs: National Executive, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Visitor
Posts: 3,077
Seems that they're still tinkering with the values of point redemptions (or their system has had glitches). I've found some good deals, though not in lockstep with cash prices as before. A couple of weeks back, even after they moved to this new model I was able to get some $39 cash price intra-CA flights at 1,359 points. Last year, I once paid 1,911 points for a $39 flight.
A few days after I booked, I went back to do some additional bookings, and everything had been fixed. Flights I booked for around 5k points were now 12k points- out in August-September. Cash price was unchanged, it was just the points price that went way up.
Jun 1, 2025 | 11:46 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: EWR/JFK
Programs: AA GLD 1.xMM, MAR SLV, HH DMND, IHG PLT
Posts: 901
I've tested booking Basic fares with points. As long as you book the taxes with cash, the points are refundable to your account and the taxes to your form of payment. If you use a flight credit or gift card for the taxes, on cancelation, a credit is generated for that portion of the fare that adopts the 6-month expiration date. The CoC makes clear that you can refund cash-paid taxes back to your form of payment on points bookings, irrespective of fare type. As long as you don't need SDC or standby, booking Basic fares with points seems very logical and avoids short credit expiration situations.
Glad they will still refund to the CC for taxes.