Fast and simple
Written: Apr 17 '00 (Updated Apr 24 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast, simple to get and use credits
Cons: Must have membership card, Southwest flies only to selected areas
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| Arthur.Rubin's Full Review: Southwest Rapid Rewards |
(Minor update 4/24/00). The program is fast and simple. (I said that already.) Get 16 credits and they mail you two certificates good for 2 1-way trips anywhere Southwest flies.
Signing up for the program
I think you can still sign up at the gate....however, you get a cardboard card which gets stamped with the flight ID's, rather than a plastic membership card, and you don't get rental or hotel credits until after you get and use the plastic membership card. When you get your first certificates, you also get a plastic card. If you sign up with an affiliate program (credit card or MCI), or sign up online on their web site (http://www.iflyswa.com or http://www.southwest.com), you get the plastic card (almost) immediately.
Getting Credits
You get 1 credit for each flight segment; if you change planes on a trip, you get 2 credits.
Flight credits are doubled if you have a card, and book your flight on their web site http://www.southwest.com. (They claim this may be discontinued, but it hasn't been, as far as I know, since I've been in the program.)
Some affiliated car rentals give you 1/2 or 1 credit per rental, if associated (in time) with a Southwest flight.
Some affiliated hotels give you 1/2 or 1 credit per stay (not per night, if I remember correctly).
If you have an affiliated credit card, you get 1 credit per $1,000 of purchases, and 2-4 credits for signup.
If you have an affiliated MCI long distance account, you get 2-8 credits for signing up, and 1 credit for each $150 of usage.
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Losing credits
Credits expire 1 year (365 days) after the credit is earned.
Using certificates
Call a special toll-free reservation number listed on the membership card, and make your reservations. There are a few black-out dates, but a very short advance reservation requirement. I once called Sunday night to make a Monday morning reservation. I've never tried calling the reservation number from the gate area, but I wouldn't be surprised if it occasionally worked.
Losing certificates
Certificates also expire one year after issuance.
If you lose it, the officially stated policy is that you've lost it. Too Bad. However, in the case of my first certificate, they mailed it to the wrong address, and it was apparently thrown out as junk mail. They were willing to reissue the certificates, good for one year, after about a month after the original certificates expired. However, don't push your luck.
Miscellaneous situations
You must have your card with you for flights, and affiliated car rental and hotel credits. However, the official policy on flight credits, is, once a year, you can get credits for one round trip flight if you keep adequate receipts, and mail it to them within a month of the flights. There may be something similar with the other credits, but, since, I haven't personally used the car rental or hotel credits, I don't know what the actual policy might be.
Southwest only flies to certain areas of the country, and has no international flights.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Arthur.Rubin
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 in Personal Finance |
 in Personal Finance |
 - Top 500 |
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Member: Arthur Rubin
Location: Brea, CA, USA
Reviews written: 97
Trusted by: 109 members
About Me:
Expert in mathematics, computers, income tax, with a wide variety of interests.
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