Just wanted to let all of you SW fliers flying on Rapid Rewards points know that you can save points on trips you have already booked!
SW has a super easy method of changing your flight on their website and will refund you points into your account if the fare you booked has gotten any cheaper. We decided last fall to go to WDW so I just went ahead and booked our family of four with my Southwest points (I’m on the road for work a lot), at that time, the trip from MDW to MCO was around 33,000 points per person. Over the months (and especially when I see Southwest running a sale), I go in and “change” our reservation–I actually just pick the exact same flights. If the new fare will be refunding points into my account, I follow through on the “new” booking. If it happens to be a bit more expensive, I just abandon the change flight process and the original reservation is still left intact.
Using this technique, our original flights cost each of us 33,000 points and now (27 days out) are only 9,000 points. And all those points went right back into my Rapid Rewards Account
Oooh thanks for the tip! I got a good fare (by fare I mean points I used as I did book this trip on points) on the Orlando flights I just booked for us but if it happens to go lower anytime before my travel date, I can make this change?
Yep! You can do it anytime, etc. But the fare could be more, so if you get nearly to the end and see that it will cost you more points, just abandon the whole process… you won’t lose your current reservation. At the end if it says “Points difference” and the number is in parenthesis, then you’re going to be saving points.
I CONCUR - last trip - among the 4 of us - I ended up SAVING 30,000 by simply rebooking. It is VERY easy and if for some reason the agent can’t help - just hang up and try again. LOVE SW
ONLY caveat with booking points - each of us had a separate reservation. So to ensure all of us sat together - I bought two Early Bird passes each way. So my son and I could get the seats and then my wife daughter could join us. Made it a bit easier. HOWEVER - since everything was on MY phone - we all went together on the earlybird as my wife / daughter tickets were on my phone. No issues.
Thanks for all of the great tips! I just got a SW card so I am very excited! I do have a question about early bird check in…what happens to it if you had it on your original flight…but then rebooked? Do you cancel that as well and start again? Just wondering about loosing your “place” in line. I’ve only flown SW one time so I’m still pretty confused!!
to be honest, I really don’t know. I never use the Early bird thing. If you call, I’m sure someone will help advise you! Southwest is the friendlist airline and it’s so easy to get a human on the phone (1800iflyswa)
I called and got our MKE to MCO flights (4 of us) from 10500 points to 6500 for 2 and 7000 for 2. I called, because I felt more comfortable talking to someone than doing it myself. She got me better rates than appeared on the website. There was no waiting to talk to someone and she was very courteous.
Now I’m 15000 points closer to our next WDW trip and we still have 59 days before we leave on this one!!
For early bird I think once you book it it stays with your reservation - but if they cancel / rebook you may have to rebook it as well. Don’t worry about losing your place in line. It is a cattle call for Early Bird. If you have early bird no matter what your position - you are good.
