SW - Convert travel funds into RR points?

[CookieandOatmeal]

SWA GC? Don’t see why not. Otherwise you can use a Credit Card, debit card or paypal.

Yes, a SWA GC. Sounds good then. I think I will convert my travel funds to points...22,889pts should get 2 one way tickets at least from PVD to MCO.

 

[Alice Sr.]

So the points definitely will not be limited if the flight is canceled correct, no changes there? I have thousands in credit as our family of 9 had a trip to DVB over spring break cancelled. I'm leaning towards converting to points for better flexibility (and value). I have not requested a refund and not confident I would get it according to many of the reports I have seen.

 

[keishashadow]

I have not requested a refund and not confident I would get it according to many of the reports I have seen.

Iink to their covid policy has been posted on main page of the website for months. Just recently, has it changed to reflect the ability to convert to points.

It’s a no-brainer IMO. Even though each person in your party will have their own point balance, it can be used to book for anyone going forward vs having an expiry date & being permissable only for the original customer.

The security fee (currently $5.60 for each leg of flight/pp) currently can be held for future usage or refunded back to form of payment if they change/cancel the flight.

Wasn’t expecting to see ‘held’ fees (from self-cancelling travel) being listed in my account with the ability to convert to regular points.

 

[nkereina]

Is it true that if you don't have enough RR points it cannot be supplemented with another form of payment?

Whenever I have made a booking and did not have enough RR points to cover it all, I was given the option to purchase a "bank" of points that I could apply to the remaining balance. For example (using round numbers), if a flight cost 5,000 RR points and I only had 4,300 RR points, I could purchase a bank of 1,000 RR points to cover the difference. Its 300 more points than I would need, but that's the only option. Sometimes the added cost makes sense, sometimes it doesn't. It just depends on what kind of flexibility you need and how many RR points you are short by.

I believe SWA requires you to purchase points to cover the balance so that if you cancel the flight, everything goes back to your point balance on your RR account. If you used a form of payment to cover the balance, it would be tricky to have partial travel funds allocated for that.

So the points definitely will not be limited if the flight is canceled correct, no changes there? I have thousands in credit as our family of 9 had a trip to DVB over spring break cancelled. I'm leaning towards converting to points for better flexibility (and value). I have not requested a refund and not confident I would get it according to many of the reports I have seen.

Once you convert the points, they become points like any other that you've earned. They aren't differentiated in any way, so the same rules still apply. If your flight is canceled, your points will be returned to your account.

PP makes a good point that if re-booked flights using travel funds need to be canceled by the passenger, its very possible the expiration date may revert back to the date of the re-booking if the SWA travel fund expiration dates aren't extended again. If you decide in January 2021 to book June 2021 flights and then have to cancel them, your new expiration date will likely be January 2022, one year from the date of the booking, if SWA doesn't extend the courtesy for expiration dates again.

 

[iivye]

Another good thing about points is that you can use them to purchase a flight for someone else and if the flight is cancelled the points go back to the account of the purchaser. With travel funds they stay with the person whose name is on the ticket. I also changed all of my family's travel funds to points.

 

[LadybugsMum]

What is the amount of points per dollar that you need for a ticket? How many points would be required for a $99 ticket?

 

[pooch]

you can see how many points any particular flight would cost by changing the search option to points instead of dollars.

 

[Fangorn]

What is the amount of points per dollar that you need for a ticket? How many points would be required for a $99 ticket?

As @pooch mentioned, you just need to click on the points option instead of the $ to see the actual number of points needed.

There isn't an exact dollar to points conversation that's true in every case. But if you're looking for a rule of thumb, generally, it's close to 66.5 points per dollar. But YMMV on any given flight. I've seen two flights have an identical $ cost, but widely differ on the points cost. I've seen the reverse as well.

Steve

 

[DL1WDW2]

Southwest also has a sale on purchase of points for Rapid Reward Members that will end August 26. The amount of discount is staggered according to amount of points.
The more you purchase the more you save. 35%40%45%
Rapid Rewards Promotions

 

[easyas123]

I’ve taken advantage of this promo in the past, and I might again. Decent deal -

 

[LadybugsMum]

As @pooch mentioned, you just need to click on the points option instead of the $ to see the actual number of points needed.

There isn't an exact dollar to points conversation that's true in every case. But if you're looking for a rule of thumb, generally, it's close to 66.5 points per dollar. But YMMV on any given flight. I've seen two flights have an identical $ cost, but widely differ on the points cost. I've seen the reverse as well.

Steve

It looks like SW is giving 78 points per dollar. The points per dollar for the flights on my arrival day ranges from 69.33 to 72.09; so I think I'll convert my funds to points. I'll probably cancel my flight and rebook with points.

 

[puffkin]

I will take points anyday over travel funds. I converted mine and my husbands. I think I am going to finally set up RR accounts for each of the kids and convert theirs too.

 

[Kaarup]

I did not have enough points for a RT flight from Austin to San Jose last year, but I did have enough for a one way ticket with points. Then I purchased the return ticket as another one way ticket. It worked fine, but it will give you TWO different reservation numbers, one for each flight. We too quickly switched our travel funds over to points when the offer began. We just aren't sure when/if we need to fly for a while. And our kids and their families would be able to use the points for travel if we don't. The only difference was if you purchase a ticket with points, you will have to pay the taxes and fees at time of purchase, which usually doesn't exceed $12. I just worried about losing the flight information or forgetting to use is as we don't fly often. Now I can see the points balance in my account and "play" with the options. LOL

 

[Sugardimples]

I called and got my money back. I don’t know how long it will be before I fly again and would rather have the money.

 

[nkereina]

I would caution that if you have a small amount of travel funds (i.e. less than $100), then it may not make the most sense to convert to RR points unless you already have a decent amount of RR points in your bank.

In my case, I can convert to RR points and would receive roughly 6,000 points for my $75 travel funds. But the flights I'm interested in booking in the future run roughly 14,000 points. Because I only have a couple hundred RR points in my bank currently, I would need to purchase additional RR points in order to use my converted points on the flight I want. To purchase enough additional points, I'd have to pay $220. If I keep my travel funds and deduct that from the flight price ($242), then I'd only be paying $167. I do understand that RR points don't expire, but it would take me at least another 2-3 times flying to cover a future flight purchase.

 

[Alice Sr.]

I will take points anyday over travel funds. I converted mine and my husbands. I think I am going to finally set up RR accounts for each of the kids and convert theirs too.

I did this for my DD's family, including 2 DGD's, for us it was a mistake. They did not have enough points for R/T on our upcoming trip so I booked one way. The DGD's now have 10,500 points that cannot be used on the return trip. As a lessons learned I recommend only converting the small dollar credits as you can only use 3 payment methods for a cash flight. Had I done that I would have been able to book the trip down with points and used the remaining credit in conjunction with a credit card payment and would not had stranded points. Again this applies to our situation (flight use) YYMV.

I called and got my money back. I don’t know how long it will be before I fly again and would rather have the money.

I wish I had done that. Kind of kicking myself.

 

[Alice Sr.]

I would caution that if you have a small amount of travel funds (i.e. less than $100), then it may not make the most sense to convert to RR points unless you already have a decent amount of RR points in your bank.

In my case, I can convert to RR points and would receive roughly 6,000 points for my $75 travel funds. But the flights I'm interested in booking in the future run roughly 14,000 points. Because I only have a couple hundred RR points in my bank currently, I would need to purchase additional RR points in order to use my converted points on the flight I want. To purchase enough additional points, I'd have to pay $220. If I keep my travel funds and deduct that from the flight price ($242), then I'd only be paying $167. I do understand that RR points don't expire, but it would take me at least another 2-3 times flying to cover a future flight purchase.

Yes, this. And for my DGD's there is no way for them to acquire or add to the points other than transfers or purchase, neither is a desirable choice.

 

[keishashadow]

In my case, I can convert to RR points and would receive roughly 6,000 points for my $75 travel funds. But the flights I'm interested in booking in the future run roughly 14,000 points. Because I only have a couple hundred RR points in my bank currently, I would need to purchase additional RR points in order to use my converted points on the flight I want

The points never expire, as long as SWA stays solvent

They have sale prices, who knows what the new normal will be going forward.

You can earn points via many different methods: branded CC, purchases (including non travel) thru their website, etc.

Don’t book RT to typically half the point requirement, paying cash for other leg.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We also took advantage of the dollars-to-points offer. We fly SW a lot, and having the points is just much cleaner and more convenient - especially at a time where we have had to cancel or change several flights. The points work out better at this time. Glad to see the offer.

 

[nkereina]

The points never expire, as long as SWA stays solvent

They have sale prices, who knows what the new normal will be going forward.

You can earn points via many different methods: branded CC, purchases (including non travel) thru their website, etc.

Don’t book RT to typically half the point requirement, paying cash for other leg.

Right, in my last sentence above, I mentioned that I am aware the points don't expire. For me to earn another 8,000 points will be at least a couple of years - I fly once a year in "normal" times and use a Disney Visa card rather than a Southwest one. But since I know I will most likely fly before September 2022, when my travel funds expire, it makes more sense to me to use the monetary value now rather than cashing in on the points value which I won't be able to use until 3-4+ years from now. And unfortunately, the 14,000 points is a one way price!