Southwest Airlines New Rapid Rewards Program Has Arrived

SouthwestRewards_Bob_B_Brown_Flickr

[Update: The offers mentioned below have expired. For current terms and conditions, please see card agreements. Disclosure: Cards from our partners are mentioned below.]

In early January, I wrote a blog about the upcoming changes to Southwest Airlineโ€™s Rapid Rewards program. Starting March 1, 2011 the New Rapid Rewards program takes effect.

Hereโ€™s a brief rundown of some of the changes:

  • The number of points earned depends on the amount of your airfare. Before, you earned credits based on the number of flights taken.
  • According to NewRapidRewards.com, hereโ€™s the formula: 1 credit=1,200 points=free flight.
  • You get points for every dollar you spend and they donโ€™t expire. However, the fine print in the rewards program details says that if your account is inactive for 24 months, you forfeit the points. So yeah, technically they donโ€™t โ€œexpire,โ€ but you can sure lose them.
  • The website says there are no more blackout dates with Rapid Rewards Points earned after March 1. But there are restrictions when using your Standard and Freedom Awards.
  • You can now redeem points for international flights.

The comments I got on my previous blog were quite passionately against these changes. Iโ€™m guessing that public sentiment hasnโ€™t changed.

I donโ€™t have a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase. I fly out of Atlanta, so Southwest Airlines isnโ€™t within my personal orbit. So Iโ€™d love to hear from those of you who are directly affected by these changes.

What are your thoughts about the new program? Is there anything you like about it?

[Related Resource: Roundup: 5 Airline and Travel Rewards Credit Cards]

Image: Bob B. Brown, via Flickr.com

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