Southwest Points Are On Sale Right Now — What to Know
The sale ends February 23.
It’s possible to score Southwest Rapid Rewards points at a much lower rate right now thanks to the airline’s newest sale.
“Turn your points into plans,” Southwest shared about the promotion on its website. “Reveal savings of 40 percent, 45 percent, or 50 percent off Rapid Rewards points and make this year your best travel yet.”
To purchase Southwest points, travelers will need to log into their accounts with their frequent flier credentials to see their targeted discounts. These offers are available until Sunday, Feb. 23, at 11:59 p.m. PT, and a maximum of 100,000 points can be purchased each day until the sale ends.
The discounts can vary based on your elite status level and other factors. For those eligible for the maximum 50% discount, a minimum purchase of 3,000 points is required, effectively reducing the cost of buying Southwest points from 3 cents to 1.5 cents per point.
Southwest Rapid Rewards operates as a revenue-based loyalty program, where the points needed for a ticket are closely tied to the cash price of the fare. Typically, travelers achieve a redemption value of around 1.5 cents per point, making this promotion an excellent opportunity to buy points at a rate close to (or at) their actual value.
Buying Southwest points can be a smart move if you’re just a few thousand points shy of booking a free ticket. For example, a one-way flight from Nashville (BNA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) during peak spring break season might cost $375 or 28,000 Rapid Rewards points plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. If you currently have 24,000 points, buying the additional 4,000 points could cost as little as $60 with this promotion, making it a practical option to save on the overall flight cost.
That said, travelers may have other ways to quickly earn the points needed for their next trip. Chase, Southwest’s co-branded credit card partner, offers options like the Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred, which allow members to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.
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