The sale ends October 22.
By Staff Author Published on October 17, 2024
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Photo: Stephen M. Keller/Courtesy of Southwest Airlines
Buying points for your next award flight just got a lot easier with Southwest’s latest Rapid Rewards promotion.
“Get ready for big savings!” the airline wrote about the sale on its website. “Get 50 percent off when you purchase 3,000+ Rapid Rewards points.”
This deal, which ends on Tuesday, October 22, at 11:59 p.m. PT, allows Rapid Rewards members to purchase points at a discounted rate of 1.5 cents apiece. Points must be purchased in 1,000-point increments, with a daily cap of 60,000 points. That said, this limit resets each day, allowing travelers to buy an unlimited number of points over time.
According to the airline's policy, points are nonrefundable after purchase. While most transactions should be processed instantly, it can take up to 72 hours for the points to show up in your account.
Purchasing points can be a smart move for travelers who are only a few thousand points away from earning their next free flight, especially with the busy holiday season approaching. For instance, a Southwest flight from Orlando (MCO) to Kansas City (MCI) before Thanksgiving Day costs $164 or 11,465 points plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. While it might not be cost-effective to buy enough points for the entire one-way fare, using this promotion to top off your account with just a few thousand points can help reduce overall travel expenses.
There are several ways to earn Rapid Rewards points beyond flying and making qualifying purchases with the airline’s shopping and dining programs. Points can also be earned with Southwest’s co-branded credit cards or by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest instantly at a 1:1 ratio.
The promotion follows Southwest’s recent announcement of a key partnership with Icelandair just last month. Starting in 2025, travelers through Baltimore-Washington Airport (BWI) will be able to fly to numerous European destinations on a single itinerary. Next year, travelers will also be able to earn and redeem points for new destinations within Icelandair’s network.