The Southwest Rapid Rewards loyalty program might not have the identical elite perks you may discover with different airways, nevertheless it nonetheless provides good worth. Two notable benefits are this system’s lack of blackout dates for award redemptions and the unimaginable Companion Pass benefit, permitting you to deliver a companion on paid and award flights for simply the price of taxes and costs.
If you’re new to Southwest Airways or wish to be taught extra about its loyalty program, this information will cowl every little thing you might want to learn about redeeming your Fast Rewards factors — in addition to how this system might change in mild of Southwest’s recent changes and credit card overhaul.
Redeem factors on Southwest flights
You’ll be able to redeem factors for present playing cards, merchandise, resorts, experiences and Fast Rewards Entry Occasions, however redeeming factors on Southwest flights virtually all the time gives the perfect return in your hard-earned rewards.
Redeem Fast Rewards factors instantly with Southwest
Southwest guarantees no blackout dates on any redemptions, so you need to use your Fast Rewards factors to ebook any Southwest Airways ticket on the market. Even when the flight has just one open seat left, it is best to have the ability to ebook it with factors (however be ready to pay up).
The reserving course of is easy. Head to Southwest’s web site, enter your flight search parameters and verify the “Factors” choice on the prime proper. If desired, you may filter by particulars like worth, period and departure time. Choose the one you need, log in to your account (if you have not already) and comply with the on-screen steps to finish your redemption.
Redeeming Fast Rewards factors on Southwest flights has modified a bit because the program applied its “variable” award rates. Traditionally, the worth in factors was proportionate to the worth in miles, however that is not the case. Now, the worth you will get out of your factors varies relying in your particular flight and journey dates.
This implies you may probably stretch your factors additional than earlier than, however it could require extra effort to search out high-value redemptions.
This is an instance. You possibly can fly from Los Angeles to Honolulu on a Tuesday in September beginning at 7,500 Fast Rewards factors one-way, plus $5.60 in taxes and costs.
The identical basic economy ticket prices $109, supplying you with a worth of 1.38 cents per level. That is barely above our August 2025 valuation of 1.35 cents apiece for Southwest factors.
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However, the identical flight on a extra in-demand date — a Saturday in January — begins at $292 in money or 25,500 plus $5.60 in taxes and costs. This gives a considerably decrease worth of 1.12 cents per level.
That is one thing to contemplate when you’re seeking to maximize the worth of your Southwest factors.
From what we have seen to this point, your redemption worth tends to lower as you progress up the fare ladder. Nonetheless, if the advantages of the dearer fare lessons add plenty of worth for you, it might make sense to ebook them with factors. For instance, top-tier Selection Additional fares embrace two free checked baggage and your alternative of any seat at reserving — together with Southwest’s new extra-legroom seats, slated to debut in January 2026.
Redeem Chase factors by means of the Chase Journey portal
For those who maintain a Chase travel card, you have got the choice to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for Southwest flights by means of the Chase Travel℠ portal. As a result of flights booked by means of the portal present up as income tickets, you may nonetheless earn Fast Rewards factors on flights booked with factors this fashion.
With Chase’s new Factors Enhance system, holders of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) can redeem factors for as much as 1.75 cents every (relying on the precise redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars). You’ll be able to probably get a good higher charge of as much as 2 cents per level with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) (relying on the precise redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).
Remember that flight costs could also be greater by means of Chase Journey, so all the time examine costs to Southwest’s web site earlier than reserving.
Different bank card issuers supply related journey portals, however for now, Southwest flights are solely obtainable on Chase Journey.
Associated: Your guide to Chase Points Boost
Free award ticket modifications and cancellations (for now)
One factor that has traditionally made Fast Rewards factors so standard is Southwest’s versatile change and cancellation policies. If the price of an award flight you have booked goes down, you may simply rebook your journey on the decrease charge, and you will be refunded the factors distinction.
In case your plans change and you can’t make an award flight, you may cancel without cost. Your factors will probably be refunded to your account with out penalty (even on Primary fares), so long as you cancel at the least 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure time. You’ll be able to even go for the taxes paid to return to the bank card you used to ebook the reservation.
Not like different fare lessons, fundamental economic system tickets aren’t eligible without cost same-day modifications, nor can fundamental economic system vacationers request complimentary same-day standby.
Associated: How to reprice a Southwest flight when the fare decreases
The Companion Move doubles the worth of your Southwest factors
One solution to maximize the worth of your Fast Rewards factors is by incomes the Southwest Companion Pass. With this helpful perk, you may select a companion to fly with you on all of your Southwest flights whereas your cross is legitimate. Your companion will solely must pay the taxes and costs for his or her ticket, no matter whether or not you used money or factors to your ticket.
This primarily doubles the worth of your Fast Rewards factors when touring together with your designated companion.
After Southwest stripped away lots of its longtime insurance policies, like free baggage and open seating, flyers are questioning if the Companion Move will probably be subsequent on the chopping block. For now, you may nonetheless earn the Companion Move by both incomes 135,000 qualifying factors or finishing 100 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest inside a calendar 12 months. As soon as achieved, you’ll have the Companion Move for the rest of the present 12 months and your entire following 12 months.
Companion Move-qualifying factors could be earned by flying paid Southwest flights (together with these paid for with Cash + Points), spending and welcome bonuses on Southwest credit cards, purchasing and eating by means of the Fast Rewards portals, and using Southwest’s partnerships.
Proper now, you will get virtually three-quarters of the best way towards a Companion Move with the welcome bonus on any of Southwest’s three client playing cards. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees), the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees) are all providing 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 5 months from account opening.
You may also fast-track your solution to a Companion Move with the welcome bonuses on Southwest’s two enterprise playing cards:
The data for the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Associated: 15 lessons from 15 years of having the Southwest Companion Pass
Southwest Fast Rewards FAQ
Have questions on Southwest Fast Rewards? Let’s handle them.
How do I be part of Southwest Fast Rewards?
You’ll be able to be part of the Southwest Fast Rewards program without cost on Southwest’s website. Simply click on the “Create account” hyperlink on the prime of the web page.
Subsequent, fill out the requested data and click on the yellow “Create account” button on the backside of the display screen. Your account will probably be opened instantly, and you can begin incomes and redeeming Fast Rewards factors.
When do Southwest Fast Rewards factors expire?
Southwest Fast Rewards points don’t expire so long as your account is open. Nonetheless, Southwest has introduced that flight credit issued on or after Could 28, 2025, will expire in 12 months for Selection, Selection Most popular and Selection Additional fares — and in simply six months for the brand new Primary fare class.
Can I switch factors to Southwest?
You’ll be able to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Fast Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, which means 10,000 Chase factors equal 10,000 Fast Rewards factors. These transfers usually course of immediately.
You may also switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to Southwest Fast Rewards at a 3:1 switch ratio. You will get 5,000 bonus Fast Rewards factors for each 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors transferred, so 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors will web you 25,000 Fast Rewards factors. This switch ratio is not superb, nevertheless it’s choice to have when you’re quick on factors for a Southwest redemption.
Word that factors transferred to your Fast Rewards account do not rely towards incomes the Companion Move.
Associated: How (and when) to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest
Backside line
Southwest Fast Rewards factors have lengthy been a superb alternative for vacationers in search of flexibility in reserving flights inside a large home community, and so they might grow to be much more helpful as Southwest branches out into partnerships with Icelandair and probably China Airlines. Nonetheless, with many much less fascinating changes at Southwest on the horizon, it stays to be seen if this beloved loyalty program will keep its worth.
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