Jason Ishibashi

The New Southwest Rapid Rewards Loyalty Program

Do you love LUV?  If so, you’re in for an all new loyalty program come March 1, 2011.

The program shifts from credits to points earned on fare dollars paid similar to JetBlue or Virgin America.  There are many changes to earning, redeeming, and also elite status.  If you loved LUV because of their simplicity (and there is much to love, I admit) the new program will require you to break out Excel to maximize the benefits because it’s even more complicated than the traditional systems.

All in all, unless you’re earning lots of points and redeeming them on lowly Wanna Get Away fares, you’re going to be earning less free trips than with the outgoing Rapid Rewards credit system.

6 January 2011 ·

• Tags
• Travel
• Southwest
• Rapid Rewards
• Loyalty Program
• Airline