Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Can I now buy points with my travel funds?

brianbeadle
Explorer C

I just got an email regarding the option to buy points at a reduced amount and it seems to list travel funds an option to use for the purchase. Am I correct?

 

If so, is this option available yet or will I have to wait for the tech team to get this option built? 

 

Also, I'm currently at 84,000 RR points, with the bonus 15000 points SW is giving us, could I buy another 16,000 and then qualify for the companion pass? 

 

Thanks! 

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Can I now buy points with my travel funds?

bec102896
Aviator A

currently the feature is not yet available for you to exchange travel funds for points. 

 

Also I don’t think those points you get will be tier qualifying so they won’t count towards A List or Companion Pass. I could be wrong but until the feature is released we won’t know for sure. 

 

Also keep in mind the 15,000 points won’t be spendable points. Lastly purchased points don’t count towards status.

 

-Blake 

Re: Can I now buy points with my travel funds?

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@brianbeadle wrote:

I just got an email regarding the option to buy points at a reduced amount and it seems to list travel funds an option to use for the purchase. Am I correct?

 

If so, is this option available yet or will I have to wait for the tech team to get this option built? 

 

Also, I'm currently at 84,000 RR points, with the bonus 15000 points SW is giving us, could I buy another 16,000 and then qualify for the companion pass? 

 

Thanks! 


 

I think you may be confused.

 

The email sent today offers a discount on purchasing points with cash. Southwest has always offered the ability to buy points, but at a price that isn't really a good deal. The discount offer helps a bit, but in general buying points is best reserved for "topping off" when a small amount is needed to meet a particular fare. 

 

Yesterday, Southwest announced that, as part of the pandemic customer service accommodation, you'll be able to convert some travel funds to points, at the same rate as when redeeming them. This hasn't been activated yet.

 

Purchased points have never been Companion Pass Qualifying (CPQP) or Tier Qualifying (TQP), and I very much suspect that converted points will not be as well.

 

 

Re: Can I now buy points with my travel funds?

gsking
Aviator C

The answers are correct .  Nothing you do short of putting new money in the system will get you to your companion pass.

 

If you have the money right now, you could buy $8,000 from Southwest on your RR card and get 16,000 points.  That means either buying some expensive flights and then canceling them for travel funds, or just buying the points directly from the sale.  At the current 45% sale, it's probably about a wash.

 

I think of it as a way to infuse some cash into SWA to help them weather the storm by prebuying future travel.