Rapid Rewards is the mileage/points program of Southwest Airlines. As the airline is not part of any major alliance, it is quite a standalone program. It offers good earning and spending opportunities for regular Southwest Airlines flyers, though. Flying is the primary way to earn points, but there are other ways to boost balances.
Earning when flying Southwest Airlines
Points are earned on all paid Southwest Airlines flights. There are no other airline partnerships that offer points. The earning rate is based on the ticket price (not the flight distance, as with some airline loyalty programs). This revenue-based earning is now standard among all the main US airline loyalty programs and is becoming more common in Europe too (British Airways, for example, will switch in late 2023).
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Points earnings depend on the base ticket price (base price not including taxes and charges), the type of ticket, and your elite status in the Rapid Rewards program.
Points are earned at the following rate for each ticket type:
- Wanna Get Away tickets: 6 Rapid Rewards points per dollar
- Wanna Get Away Plus tickets: 8 Rapid Rewards points per dollar
- Anytime tickets: 10 Rapid Rewards points per dollar
- Business Select tickets: 12 Rapid Rewards points per dollar
In addition to this, there is a points bonus for Rapid Rewards elite members:
- A-List: 25% bonus
- A-List Preferred: 100% bonus
Earning points from credit cards
Credit card points earning is now standard with most airline loyalty programs. It is a good way to build up balances for those flying regularly, especially as low cash fares now earn much less through revenue-based methods.
Southwest Airlines has several personal and business co-branded credit cards issued in the US by Chase. These offer different benefits (including flight credits and upgrades) when flying Southwest Airlines, as well as the chance to boost points earning.
In terms of points earning, all cards will earn at least one Rapid Rewards point per dollar spent, with several additional bonuses. Flight purchases with Southwest Airlines will earn two, three, or four points per dollar, depending on the card. Other bonus areas (typically at two points per dollar) include hotel and car rental partners, transit and commuting costs, and telephone and internet services.
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There is also usually a sign-up bonus for new cardholders. This varies, but can be up to 40,000 or 50,000 points. In 2023, a further bonus was added. All cardholders will receive a 10,000 points bonus each year. This was introduced at the same time that the airline increased the points requirements to earn the popular Companion Pass.
Earn points when traveling
Another popular way to earn points is through hotel and car rental bookings. Rapid Rewards has a number of partnerships with major hotel chains. Rapid Rewards points are usually earned instead of earning within the hotel’s own loyalty program. You simply provide your Rapid Rewards account details when making a booking. Partners include Radisson Rewards America, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, Choice Hotels, and Best Western.
Points are either earned per dollar spent (such as 20 points per dollar with Radisson America) or at a fixed rate (such as 600 Rapid Rewards points per stay with Marriott). There are also partnerships with MGM Rewards and Rocketmiles.
With car rentals, points can be earned with most of the main rental companies – including Avis, Budget, Alamo, Dollar, Hertz, National, Payless, and Thrifty. Most of these companies offer a fixed 600 points per qualifying rental.
Earn points through shopping and dining
In common with most other US airline loyalty programs, Rapid Rewards has an associated shopping portal and dining portal.
The shopping portal is known as Rapid Rewards Shopping. This allows you to earn points when shopping at over 800 US retailers by following links from the portal to make online purchases. Options include large retailers such as Macy’s, Walmart, and Kohl’s, as well as many smaller retailers. Earning rates vary widely - from 0.5 points per dollar to five points per dollar or more. There are also regular promotions and additional bonuses.
Rapid Rewards Dining allows you to earn points at participating restaurants and cards across the US. To earn points, you simply register any credit card details, and points are then awarded on total spend (usually at a rate of three points per dollar).
Do you regularly fly Southwest Airlines, and do you use Rapid Rewards? Feel free to discuss your experiences with the program and the ways you earn points in the comment section.