How To Earn Points On Southwest Airlines

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Dreaming of free flights, priority boarding, and maybe even bringing a companion along for almost nothing? If you're a fan of Southwest Airlines' unique open seating and friendly service, then earning Rapid Rewards points is your ticket to making those dreams a reality! This guide will break down every way you can stack up those valuable points, turning your everyday spending and travel into future adventures.

So, are you ready to unlock a world of travel possibilities with Southwest? Let's dive in!

Step 1: Sign Up for Rapid Rewards (If You Haven't Already!)

This is the absolute first and most crucial step! Without a Rapid Rewards account, you won't be able to earn or track any points.

How to Do It:

  • Visit the Southwest Airlines website: Go to Southwest.com.

  • Locate the "Rapid Rewards" section: This is usually prominent on the homepage or in the main navigation.

  • Click "Enroll Now" or "Sign Up": Follow the prompts to create your free account. You'll need to provide some basic personal information.

  • Keep your Rapid Rewards number handy: This unique number will be essential for earning points across various platforms.

Once you're a member, every point you earn will contribute to your future travel plans!

Step 2: Earn Points by Flying Southwest Airlines

This is the most straightforward way to earn points, as it's directly tied to your travel with Southwest. The number of points you earn per dollar spent on flights depends on the fare type and your Rapid Rewards elite status.

Understanding Fare Types and Earning Rates:

Southwest offers several fare types, each with a different points earning multiplier:

  • Wanna Get Away® Basic: Earn 2 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent on the base airfare.

  • Wanna Get Away® Plus: Earn 6 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent on the base airfare. This fare type also offers more flexibility with flight credits.

  • Anytime®: Earn 10 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent on the base airfare. These fares are fully refundable.

  • Business Select®: Earn 14 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent on the base airfare. This is Southwest's most premium fare, offering benefits like A1-A15 boarding and a complimentary premium drink.

Pro Tip: While Wanna Get Away Basic might seem cheapest upfront, consider the points earned and benefits of Wanna Get Away Plus for slightly more. The higher fare types can significantly accelerate your points accumulation.

How to Ensure You Earn Points When Flying:

  • Always include your Rapid Rewards number: When booking a flight on Southwest.com or through their app, ensure your Rapid Rewards number is entered for each passenger on the reservation.

  • Check your past flights: If you forgot to add your number, you can often request points for past flights within a certain timeframe (usually up to 12 months) by logging into your account on Southwest.com.

Step 3: Supercharge Your Earning with Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards

This is arguably the fastest and most lucrative way to accumulate a significant amount of Southwest Rapid Rewards points, especially through welcome bonuses.

Types of Southwest Credit Cards (issued by Chase):

Chase offers a variety of personal and business Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards. Each comes with different annual fees, earning rates, and perks:

  • Personal Cards:

    • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: A good entry-level option with a lower annual fee and anniversary points.

    • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Offers more anniversary points and typically a higher earning rate on Southwest purchases.

    • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: The premium personal card with benefits like a Southwest travel credit, upgraded boardings, and more anniversary points.

  • Business Cards:

    • Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Designed for small business owners with a solid earning structure.

    • Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: The top-tier business card, offering enhanced earning rates and valuable travel benefits.

Key Ways Credit Cards Boost Your Points:

  • Welcome Bonuses: These are the biggest points earners! New cardholders can earn tens of thousands of points (often 50,000 to 80,000 or more) after meeting a minimum spending requirement within the first few months. These points often count towards the coveted Companion Pass!

  • Everyday Spending: Use your Southwest credit card for daily purchases.

    • You'll earn bonus points on Southwest Airlines purchases.

    • Many cards offer bonus categories like dining, local transit, internet/cable/phone services, and even social media/search engine advertising for business cards.

    • All other eligible purchases earn 1 point per dollar.

  • Anniversary Bonus Points: Each year you renew your card and pay the annual fee, you'll receive a certain number of bonus points (e.g., 3,000, 6,000, or 7,500) directly into your Rapid Rewards account.

  • Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs): Some Southwest credit cards allow you to earn TQPs based on your spending (e.g., 1,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent). These TQPs help you achieve A-List or A-List Preferred elite status.

  • Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost: As a Rapid Rewards credit cardholder, you may receive an annual boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, making it easier to earn the Companion Pass.

Actionable Advice: Research the current sign-up offers and card benefits carefully to choose the card that best aligns with your spending habits and travel goals.

Step 4: Leverage Rapid Rewards Partners for More Points

Southwest has a robust network of partners where you can earn points on activities you're likely doing anyway!

Sub-heading 4.1: Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal

Online shopping becomes a points-earning machine!

How it Works:

  • Visit rapidrewardsshopping.southwest.com: This is your gateway to earning points at hundreds of online retailers.

  • Log in with your Rapid Rewards account: Crucial for tracking your purchases.

  • Find your desired retailer: Search for stores like Macy's, Sephora, Staples, and many more.

  • Click through the portal: You must click the link from the Rapid Rewards Shopping site to the retailer's website to ensure your purchase is tracked.

  • Shop as usual: Complete your purchase on the retailer's site.

  • Points will be credited: Points typically post to your account within a few weeks. Keep an eye out for special bonus offers that increase the points per dollar at certain merchants.

Sub-heading 4.2: Rapid Rewards Dining Program

Eat out and earn points!

How it Works:

  • Enroll at rapidrewardsdining.com: Provide your Rapid Rewards number and register your credit and/or debit cards.

  • Dine at participating restaurants: Use your registered card to pay.

  • Earn points automatically:

    • 3 points per dollar spent if you opt-in for email notifications.

    • 1 point per every two dollars spent if you opt-out of email notifications.

  • Bonus points: New member bonuses and extra points for submitting dining reviews are often available.

Sub-heading 4.3: Hotel Partners

Book your stays and get rewarded.

Southwest partners with major hotel chains:

  • Marriott Bonvoy™: Earn 600 Rapid Rewards points per qualifying stay. You can also convert Marriott Bonvoy points to Rapid Rewards points.

  • Choice Hotels®: Exchange 6,000 Choice Privileges points for 1,800 Rapid Rewards points.

  • Hyatt®: While not a direct earning partner listed on Southwest's site, points can often be transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards (a transfer partner of Hyatt) to Southwest.

  • Other partners: Keep an eye out for other hotel partners like Best Western, MGM Resorts, and Radisson Hotels.

Important Note: Points converted from hotel loyalty programs do not count towards the Companion Pass.

Sub-heading 4.4: Car Rental Partners

Rent a car, earn points for your next flight.

Southwest partners with various car rental companies:

  • Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty.

How to Earn:

  • Book through the Southwest Car Rental portal or directly with the partner, ensuring you provide your Rapid Rewards number at the time of reservation.

  • Typically, you'll earn 600 points per qualifying rental, with opportunities for bonus points during promotions.

Sub-heading 4.5: Other Specialty Partners

Southwest also has partnerships with other companies for various services:

  • Home & Energy Partners: Explore partners in this category on the Southwest website.

  • Specialty Partners: Companies like 1-800-Flowers, Harry & David, and Laithwaites often offer points for purchases. Always check the specific promotion codes and terms.

Step 5: Consider Buying, Gifting, or Transferring Points

While generally not the most cost-effective way to earn points, these options can be useful if you're just short of a redemption or need to top off your account.

  • Buying Points: You can purchase Rapid Rewards points directly from Southwest. This is usually more expensive than earning them through other methods, but Southwest occasionally runs promotions with bonus points on purchases, which can make it more palatable.

  • Gifting Points: You can purchase points to gift to another Rapid Rewards Member.

  • Transferring Points: You can transfer points from your account to another Rapid Rewards Member's account. There is usually a fee associated with this.

  • Transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards: If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Preferred card, you can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. These points do count towards the Companion Pass! This is a highly valuable strategy.

Caution: Purchased or transferred points (except for Chase Ultimate Rewards) typically do not count towards A-List status or the Companion Pass.

Step 6: Watch Out for Rapid Rewards Promotions

Southwest frequently offers special promotions that can significantly boost your points earning.

Where to Find Them:

  • Southwest Airlines website: Check the "Rapid Rewards" or "Promotions" section regularly.

  • Rapid Rewards emails: Ensure you're opted in to receive email communications from Southwest.

  • Credit card offers: Keep an eye on offers from your Southwest credit card, as they may have targeted bonus categories or spending challenges.

  • Frequent flyer blogs and websites: Many travel reward sites track and report on current Southwest promotions.

Types of Promotions:

  • Flight bonuses: Earn extra points for flying specific routes or a certain number of flights within a promotional period.

  • Partner bonuses: Increased earning rates with hotel, car rental, shopping, or dining partners.

  • Credit card spending bonuses: Earn additional points for reaching specific spending thresholds on your Southwest credit card.

By actively participating in these programs and staying informed about promotions, you can strategically maximize your Rapid Rewards points accumulation and get closer to your next Southwest adventure!


10 Related FAQ Questions

How to check my Southwest Rapid Rewards points balance?

Simply log in to your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com. Your current points balance will be displayed on your account dashboard.

How to make sure I earn points when booking a flight?

Always ensure your Rapid Rewards number is entered for each passenger during the booking process on Southwest.com or the Southwest Airlines app.

How to earn Companion Pass qualifying points?

Companion Pass qualifying points are earned from revenue flights flown on Southwest, points earned on Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards (including welcome bonuses and everyday spending), and base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners (e.g., hotels, car rentals).

How to use Southwest Rapid Rewards points for flights?

When searching for flights on Southwest.com, select the "Points" option instead of "Dollars" before hitting search. The prices will then display in points, and you can proceed to book your flight using your accumulated Rapid Rewards points.

How to get A-List status with Southwest?

You can achieve A-List status by flying 25 qualifying one-way flights or earning 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) in a calendar year. TQPs are earned from revenue flights and certain Southwest credit card spending.

How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest?

Log in to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account, navigate to the "Transfer to Travel Partners" section, select Southwest Rapid Rewards, and follow the prompts to transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio.

How to find participating restaurants for Rapid Rewards Dining?

Visit rapidrewardsdining.com and use the search function to find participating restaurants in your local area or desired travel destination.

How to get points for past Southwest flights I forgot to add my Rapid Rewards number to?

Log in to your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com, go to the "Manage" section, and look for an option to "Request past points" or "Claim Missing Points." You'll need the flight details.

How to find current Southwest Rapid Rewards promotions?

Regularly check the "Rapid Rewards" or "Promotions" sections on Southwest.com, and make sure you're subscribed to Southwest's email list to receive alerts about new offers.

How to tell if purchased points count towards Companion Pass?

Generally, purchased points do not count towards the Companion Pass. Only points earned from revenue flights, Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card spending (including welcome bonuses), and base points from select Rapid Rewards partners (like hotels and car rentals booked through their portals) typically qualify.

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