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Email news flashes + Wiki FAQ + Customizing FT + Posting guidelines

Old Jul 17, 2012, 7:12 pm
  #76  
 
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Schedule now open through March 8, 2013

Yesterday brought a small schedule extension from February 14 through March 8, 2013.

In other news, if you've been holding out on a 50k signup bonus for the SWA Visa card, it's back:

http://www.mychasecreditcards.com/so...ffpartnersplus
Apply for the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Card, and we'll get you started with 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months of opening your account. That's over $800 in Wanna Get Away? Fares that can be redeemed for 2 ROUNDTRIP FLIGHTS!
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Old Aug 27, 2012, 5:48 am
  #77  
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Schedule extended through April 12, 2013

"We are currently accepting air reservations through April 12, 2013. On October 15, 2012, we will open our schedule for sale through May 31, 2013. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently. "

Thanks to member jtkohl for the heads-up on what was the earliest (by time of day) extension I can recall, occurring before 5:30 AM Central Time. Ding did not announce this extension, nor has it done so in recent months.

In other news:

1. You can now get RR points for renting cars from National, as rove312 has posted at:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...r-partner.html

2. I expect to have a phone meeting with Southwest in late September about website issues. Post all your burning questions and suggestions in the Website issues thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...gs-issues.html
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Old Oct 21, 2012, 10:35 pm
  #78  
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Schedule extension through 31-May imminent

According to southwest.com, on October 22, 2012 the bookable window will be extended through May 31, 2013. If recent trends continue, the booking window extension will happen pre-dawn for most or all of us (it was reportedly 0530 Herb Time last time around), and there will be no DING! alert. Note that this extension was originally scheduled one week earlier (15-Oct). If the schedule extension happens as planned, there will be 222 bookable days of inventory.

As announced by SWA last week, this schedule extension will feature the conversion of four more AirTran cities to SWA: Charlotte (CLT); Flint (FNT); Portland (PWM) and Rochester (ROC). All four changeovers are scheduled for 14-Apr-2013.

Only 40 days remain to take advantage of this year's edition of the Marriott Gift Card promo that effectively gives a 20% rebate on Marriott gift cards in the form of RR 2.0 points.

If you have Awards that expire in less than 11 months, don't forget to freshen them with the WN/FL transfer two-step.

Also remember to frequently visit the friendliest forum on FlyerTalk to keep abreast of the latest SWA/RR news.
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Old Nov 18, 2012, 11:37 pm
  #79  
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Schedule extension to August 9, 2013 expected early Monday November 19, 2012

According to southwest.com, on November 19, 2012 the bookable window will be extended through August 9, 2013. If recent trends continue, the booking window extension will happen pre-dawn for most or all of us, between 5 and 6 AM Central Time and there will be no DING! alert.

In other news:

1. It's a great time to milk Chase Bank for Rapid Rewards points. You can get 50k points for spending $2000 in the first 3 months on any of 3 Southwest cards: Premier Business, Premier Personal, and Plus Personal. The Plus cards are blue; the Premier cards are black. This offer is at https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/southwest/2ffhero

Your best bet is probably to wait until after your December statement date to start using the new card(s). Then all your points will post in 2013 and count toward earning a Companion Pass that will be good through 2014.

2. Chase Bank has added an AirTran Visa card to its offerings. You can now get 32 AirTran credits, which are transferable at will into 2 Southwest Standard Awards, for spending $2000 in the first 3 months on this card. AirTran's home page gives the application link: https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/air...2loyaltycorner

There's another interesting twist to this offer: AirTran credits are transferable from one person to another for $19 each, or for free if you are an Elite member of AirTran's program. This could be more cost-effective than buying Rapid Rewards points to top off a family member's Rapid Rewards account. See http://www.aplusrewards.com/buy_or_give_credits.aspx

3. There was a 1-day sale last Friday, one week before Black Friday. There will probably be other sales some time between Thanksgiving Day and the following Monday. Check southwest.com over the holiday weekend. These sales are not being announced on Ding, which continues to be sadly neglected by Southwest. If a sale is really hot, we will newsflash it to people who subscribe to this thread.

To be notified by email when this a new post is added to this newsflash thread, click on Thread Tools in the blue bar above. Select "Subscribe to this Thread" from the pull-down menu and click. Select "Instant notification by Email" and "Add Subscription". If you need to establish or change your email address for Flyertalk, select "MyFlyerTalk" at the left of the blue bar, then "Edit Email & Password".

4. Southwest has adopted an even more generous Customer of Size (COS) policy. If you need a second seat you can now get it at the gate for free, just by asking. Read all about it at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-walk-ups.html

5. If you have Awards that expire in less than 11 months, don't forget to freshen them with the WN/FL transfer two-step.

6. FlyerTalk's home page, flyertalk.com, was reformatted on November 6. Check it out.

7. TalkBoard elections are happening now. You can vote through November 21, 2012. Since I am not running this year and I am term limited out next year (FWIW, I was the one who wrote the term limit proposal and managed to corral 6 votes for it), I feel comfortable copying our Community Director's announcement here:

Voting is now open for the 2012 Talkboard elections. The TalkBoard is an important element in how FlyerTalk manages change for its members. You are all invited to participate in this process.

You are being asked to vote for 4 new members to represent you for the next two years, joining five other members you voted for last year. We are fortunate and have a wealth of superb candidates.

FIRST, visit this link to read how the candidates expressed themselves in the 18 questions asked of them by the members of FlyerTalk. There has been excellent dialogue with good ideas about how to work for the good of FlyerTalk. Some participated wholeheartedly. Some never posted. Consider that an indicator about how they might work for you on Talkboard.

THEN, follow this link to vote. At the ballot box you will have a final chance to read back over the candidate application of each members background and their thoughts on FlyerTalk. Think about candidates who will represent the worldwide constituency of FlyerTalk.
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Old Feb 4, 2013, 5:45 am
  #80  
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Schedule extended through September 27, 2013

At about 6 AM Central Time Southwest's schedule opened through September 27, 2013. The travel tools page at www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/index.html says: "On March 4, 2013, On March 4, 2013, we will open our schedule for sale through November 1, 2013." (subject to change)

DING! did not announce the opening. Too many outages in the rush to book seem to have curtailed that former practice. The same reason may explain the move to a 6 AM opening time.

In other news:

1. Southwest is now selling empty Business Select boarding slots at the gate for $40. Join the discussion at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...kets-only.html
Post 61 in that thread links to possible creation of this idea on FlyerTalk almost two years ago.

2. At the same time as commencement of the sale of empty boarding slots, Southwest threw A-Listers a bone: You can now mid-board, after the A's and before family boarding, even if you have a B or C boarding pass due to a flight change or for any other reason. No more middle seats!! See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...after-a60.html

3. Gary Kelly is beginning to concede that baggage fees could be in our future: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-bag-fees.html

4. Check if you have old credits which are about to expire unused. You might want to transfer points to rescue them by creating a new standard award: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ts-awards.html

5. Companion Passes were processed more slowly than usual this year due to high volume. Is this due to blogs' promotion of earning a Companion Pass using two 50k point credit card bonuses? See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...on-passes.html

6. Club Carlson is now a partner, and you can transfer points from Club Carlson to Southwest. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...southwest.html

7. On the light side, Southwest inadvertently used pre-release ad copy in a renewal letter sent to A-List members. It mentioned "Free Drinks" as
an A-List benefit, something which was apparently considered but rejected just prior to introduction of the new Rapid Rewards program. Southwest apologized and sent all these members 4 drink coupons. So in that small sense "free drinks" were an A-List benefit this year. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ee-drinks.html
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Old Feb 5, 2013, 5:39 pm
  #81  
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3-day distance-based $49/$19/$119/$149 sale with extra RR credit! Travel Apr 3-Jun 8

Don't forget to FIRST sign up for DOUBLE CREDIT. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...15-2013-a.html

Travel and day except Sundays April 3 through June 8. Purchase by Thursday February 7. Sale discussion at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...119-149-a.html


Fine print from http://travel.southwest.com/specialo...l?id=118711972:
Available only on southwest.com or swabiz.com.
Purchase from Feb. 5 through Feb. 7, 2013, 11:59 pm for the respective time zone of the originating city.
Travel Apr. 3 through June 8, 2013.
Blackout Dates Apply: Boston, Providence, and Manchester: Apr 12-13, Apr 15-16. System blackouts include May 10, 17, 23-24, 27-28.
Travel valid every day except Sundays.
Based on nonstop flights. Select markets. Exclusions and restrictions apply.
Some flights operated by AirTran Airways. Available on published, scheduled service only.
Service to Branson, Missouri begins on March 9, 2013.
Displayed prices include all government taxes and fees.
Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destinations, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods.
Fares are available for one-way travel.
Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare's rules apply.
Fares are not combinable with Senior Fares.
Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but not guaranteed.
Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines.
Fares are not available through Group Desk.
Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare.
Fares are subject to change until ticketed.
Offer applies to published, scheduled service only.
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Old Mar 4, 2013, 4:50 pm
  #82  
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Schedule extended through November 1, 2013

Some time this morning Southwest's schedule opened through November 1, 2013. The travel tools page at www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/index.html says: "On May 6, 2013, we will open our schedule for sale through December 19, 2013." (subject to change)

In other news:

1. Southwest is integrating its reservations process with AirTran, offering shared itineraries for 39 cities. "The airline is on pace to fully connect the networks in April." Free bags and other policies will be governed by whether you book your trip on southwest.com or airtran.com. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-networks.html

2. As explained in post 43 of that thread, the Companion Pass can be used for shared Southwest/AirTran itineraries booked on southwest.com. Post 44 notes that this will not include international travel, since international itineraries will only be bookable on airtran.com.

3. Gary Kelly recently hinted about restrictions on Wanna Get Away fares which could go beyond the no-show fee already announced to start some time in 2013. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ur-future.html

4. The fee to revive expired ticketless funds appears to have increased to $100 from the former $75 and $50 not too long ago. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...red-funds.html

5. Points will start expiring some time this year for accounts without activity for 2 years. I do not expect expiration to occur until either members are notified by email or members are given a way to check the expiration date online.

6. On a very sad note, our first and most prolific company representative, SWABrian, died last week. Share your thoughts at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-swabrian.html
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Old May 5, 2013, 4:51 pm
  #83  
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The big one: Schedule to be extended through January 5, 2014 early Monday morning

This is the big one, covering Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Expect the new dates to show up between 5:30 AM and 6:15 AM Central Time Monday, May 6. This extension continues the change of AirTran cities and routes to Southwest branding.

If you need to book at the earliest possible instant, you'll need to glue yourself to your computer and constantly refresh the flight search page. To avoid any nasty Master Session Timeout surprises, you should also plan to delete southwest.com cookies every 10 minutes or so. Note: it is best not to log in first! You may encounter booking problems and inconsistent behavior due to website overload. Be aware that the schedule opening may not activate on all Southwest's servers at the same time. Reloading the web page may put you on a different server, opening or perhaps even closing the schedule extension. Patience is required.

In some past schedule extensions, standard award seats did not become available immediately. Please post your results on finding any award seats or not finding any for any routes or dates. As soon as one person posts finding an award seat during the new dates, we will know that at least some award inventory has been loaded.

For information on future schedule extensions, see the travel tools page at www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/index.html

In other news:

1. AirTran and Southwest are now fully integrated for booking combined itineraries. Award travel redeemable on both airlines under the rules for whichever website you use to make the booking. Shared itineraries booked on southwest.com are eligible for Companion Pass travel. This includes trips to San Juan!

2. The no-show fee Southwest told us to expect is here. For WannaGetAway and Ding fares booked on or after May 10, 2013 for travel dates on or after September 13, 2013, you will lose the entire fare if you fail to cancel before the scheduled departure time and you don't get to the gate in time to invoke the flat-tire rule (up to 2 hours after scheduled departure). FT'ers seem to find the new policy both fair and overdue:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-may-10-a.html

3. Early Bird Check In increased to $12.50 on February 22. WiFi increased to $8 on February 1.

4. The 143-seat Evolve interior is now being installed on the 737-300's, which are very slightly shorter than the 737-700's. This makes for an even tighter fit: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...l#post20436934
In the department of misery loves company, Alaska Airlines is now adding a row of seats: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...r-outlets.html

5. Monster drinks were dropped on April 1 (no joke). Vitamin water was added on May 1. The surprising good news is that Southwest has decided to accept your dated drink coupons (both Business Select and rainbow coupons) for this new drink option: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...l#post20683046
Print the press release from http://swamedia.com/releases/southwe...ater-r-onboard and take it with you on the flight in case the flight attendant has not gotten the word.

6. The impressive new terminal at Dallas Love Field is opened on April 16: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...inal-open.html

7. Last and most important is an upgrade to FlyerTalk. Members with 90 posts and 90 days of membership can now create and edit per-thread Wikiposts. If you've surfed slickdeals.net or fatwallet.com, you have seen these. In a wikipost, our members attempt to collect the most pertinent information in the thread and summarize it at the top of the thread for newly arriving readers.

We are not currently able to report issues within a wiki. Please feel free to correct vandalism or incorrect information yourself. Should you believe a mod should see it, please use the little red triangle, "Alert Moderator", within the first thread post. Should you see a technical issue with wiki posts, please post at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/techn...l#post20641560

Wiki posts are an important step toward enabling all FT members to maximize their contributions to our fellow members. For everyone who ever wanted to pitch in, this is your chance to shine!
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Old Jun 11, 2013, 1:44 am
  #84  
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49/99/129/149 Anniversary sale June 11 to 13

Southwest has a 72-hour distance-based fare sale for fall travel. Book by Thursday, June 13 for travel from August 26 - December 18, 2013.

Sale fares are $49 up to 500 miles, $99 up to 1250 miles, $129 up to 1750 miles, and $149 above 1750 miles.

For more details see this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...e-11-13-a.html
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Old Jun 11, 2013, 7:33 pm
  #85  
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50k bonus points available again for Rapid Rewards Visa cards (all 4 types)

Chase has just flipped the switch again to turn on the 50k bonus point offer:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20904255-post230.html

Note that you cannot apply now and wait until January to cross the spending threshold. There is a time limit of about 3 months for crossing that threshold.

Furthermore, waiting until 2014 to earn a Companion Pass on bonus points carries two risks:
1. Southwest might find a way to exclude signup bonus points from counting toward the Companion Pass (unlikely, since Chase would certainly prefer all its customers' points to count in full), or
2. Southwest might drop the Companion Pass benefit from the Rapid Rewards program, not allowing any Companion Passes to be earned in 2014 and beyond. This would be a definitive way to deal with the beginning of international flights on Southwest. Southwest might create some kind of sweeter to soft-land members who would otherwise have earned a Companion Pass, but I don't know what that could be other than a third Elite tier.

I may be a pessimist, but I rate the probability of one or both of these changes at about 50%. I am amazed that the Companion Pass has continued this many years without significant devaluation. I don't think any high-value award in the loyalty program universe has lasted this long. Long gone are Marriott Travel Packages, Hilton ALON and GLON, super-expensive resort hotel rooms at standard redemption prices, last-seat flight awards at standard redemption prices, and of course award travel on the Concorde. The Companion Pass has outlasted them all.

If you're planning on trips to Las Vegas with your Companion Pass, you might want to gamble by waiting until 2014 to qualify. History argues that you shouldn't bet against continuation of the Companion Pass. If, like me, you fear that all good things must Pass, make your move now.
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Old Aug 25, 2013, 10:18 am
  #86  
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Schedule to be extended through April 6, 2014 early Monday morning

On August 26, 2013, Southwest's schedule should open for sale through April 6, 2014. Previous extensions have happened between 5:30 AM and 6:15 AM Central Time.

We failed to flash the last extension: On July 22, 2013, the schedule opened through March 7, 2014. I was having fun on vacation with limited Internet access.

In other news:
1. Award space is now searchable by everyone. You need not have awards in your account. Just login and click "Where are my old credits?" to get to the normal award booking prompt. You will not be able to select a flight, but you will see the availability matrix:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-searches.html

2. Starting September 13, you will lose your travel funds if you no-show a flight booked on a discount fare:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-may-10-a.html
This policy does not apply to points bookings, but don't be surprised to see that change within a year or so.

3. Southwest's latest Contract of Carriage allows it to cancel multiple bookings for the same passenger on the same date:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...l#post21313360
You have been warned against this trick that some people must have used to avoid paying full fare to travel earlier in the day.

4. Installation of 143-seat interiors is nearly complete, including most 737-300's. There is no truth to the rumor that Southwest's next gift to A-List members will be a free set of knee pads.

5. Do you have family members whose points may expire due to 2 years of inactivity? Southwest will notify them of the upcoming expiration by email only. MySouthwest does not display an expiration date anywhere.

6. Delta is starting hourly service between LAX and SFO, using modern, roomy small jets. This is the first large-scale challenge to Southwest's intra-California dominance in many years:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ia-market.html

7. Club Carlson recently devalued its transfer option with zero advance notice. This program has a history of such abrupt customer-unfriendly changes (Google ValueMags, Hallmark, and GoldPoints), but this one occurred just days after the program sold millions of points to unsupecting members in the Amex Daily Getaway. Such decisions are the hallmark (pun intended) of what I call a treachery program rather than a loyalty program:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...een-hosed.html

8. For those visiting Las Vegas, MLife is a new partner. You can earn 600 Rapid Rewards points per stay at quite a few hotels in Las Vegas, including the Bellagio:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...rtnership.html
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Old Oct 8, 2013, 1:14 am
  #87  
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$49 and up 3-day sale: Buy by Oct 10, travel Dec 4-18, Jan 7 to Feb 12 except F, Su

http://www.southwest.com/html/promot...wide-sale.html

Travel December 4 - 18, 2013 and January 7 - February 12, 2014 except Fridays and Sundays. Book through Thursday, October 10. No rigid distance rule applies and not all markets are included.

These are likely the lowest winter prices you will see.
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Old Oct 14, 2013, 5:29 am
  #88  
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Schedule extended through June 6, 2014; New double points promo for 10/14/13-11/21/13

On October 14, 2013 at about 6 AM Central Time Southwest's schedule opened for sale through June 6, 2014.


As posted by algagg this morning, there's a new promotion which appears not to be targeted. Login to My Southwest and look for it in Promotions.

Nationwide Double Points

Register to earn double points on every flight you book through Southwest Airlines for travel between October 14, 2013 and November 21, 2013! That means you will receive 12 bonus points per dollar spent on Business Select Fares, 10 bonus points per dollar spent on Anytime Fares, and six bonus points per dollar spent on Wanna Get Away Fares, in addition to the standard flight points you normally receive for each Fare.

To take advantage of this promotion, simply register, book, and travel.

Register between October 14, 2013 and November 21, 2013.
Book your flights through Southwest Airlines between October 14, 2013 and November 21, 2013.
Complete your flights between October 14, 2013 and November 21, 2013.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to earn double points! Register and book today.
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Old Dec 15, 2013, 8:57 pm
  #89  
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Schedule to be extended through June 30, 2014 early Monday morning Dec 16, 2013

On December 16, 2013, Southwest's schedule should open for sale through June 30, 2014. Previous extensions have happened between 5:30 AM and 6:15 AM Central Time.

Edited at 6:30 AM to add: "On January 27, 2014, we will open our schedule for sale through August 8, 2014."

In other news:

1. Southwest has announced its first major devaluation of the new Rapid Rewards. Starting March 31, your points will only go 6/7 as far when redeeming for WannaGetAway fares, which is the only kind of fare you should ever redeem for. This was a big disappointment to most FTers. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...31-2014-a.html

2. Southwest has joined the PreCheck program. Login to your account to see if you are offered a chance to opt in. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ater-year.html

3. Gary Kelly recently stated that Southwest will announce its international plans in January 2014 and that the AirTran operations will be converted to Southwest by the end of 2014. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...2-12-13-a.html

4. Like other airlines, Southwest now allows personal electronic devices other than cell phones and laptops to be used from gate to gate. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ronic-use.html

5. Southwest has a new unannounced policy that hidden city tickets now earn ZERO points and have zero residual value. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ticketing.html

6. Branson, Key West, and Jackson are leaving the WN Network on June 7, 2014. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-7-2014-a.html

7. Space on the old-style Standard Awards may be loosening up. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...long-haul.html

Last edited by nsx; Dec 16, 2013 at 5:29 am
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Old Jan 27, 2014, 5:45 am
  #90  
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Schedule extended through August 8, 2014; Use Companion Pass to 3 Caribbean islands!

"We are currently accepting air reservations through August 8, 2014. On March 3, 2014, we will open our schedule for sale through October 31, 2014." The extension happened about 6 AM Central Time.

The big news is that we can now book some international cities on Southwest, and you can use a Companion Pass on those flights! This was expected after Gary Kelly mentioned it in mid-December.

As FT member HPN-HRL notes: "When you click on the "Where We Fly" link on the left side of the main web page, you get a list of all cities flown by both WN and FL. You can de-select FL; the new list of WN-only cities now has AUA, MBJ, and NAS (but no other int'l cities)." SJU is still in that short list.

My speculation: Ability to use the Companion Pass on international flights may lead to the demise or devaluation of the Companion Pass after 2015. If you were planning to earn a Companion Pass in early 2015, you might want to accelerate that plan and do it now instead.
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