Separate work and personal accounts

[KAforumSW]

I started flying Southwest a few years ago when my employer booked my flights. Since then, I have also used Southwest for personal travel. 

I have accumulated personal flight credits and miles that I would like to keep for myself and not have our travel department use them for work travel. I tried to create a separate account, but it won’t let me.

What do I do?

[dfwskier]

I'm afraid you are stuck. One account per customer is the rule

[SoCalFlyer97]

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@KAforumSW wrote:

I started flying Southwest a few years ago when my employer booked my flights. Since then, I have also used Southwest for personal travel. 

I have accumulated personal flight credits and miles that I would like to keep for myself and not have our travel department use them for work travel. I tried to create a separate account, but it won’t let me.

What do I do?

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Hello-

As @dfwskier mentioned, one account per individual. However, this is where it gets complex and I think your HR department or supervisor may be place to check.

I don't think your employer is allowed to fully control or have custody of an individual's Rapid Rewards account according to Southwest Policy. I also do not think a business is allowed to be enrolled under an individual Rapid Rewards account nor can the points earned can be pooled with other members. They would need to use the Southwest Business Assist to manage employee flights.

However, regarding the usage rights of the points themselves that were generated from company use for company use, I think employers are allowed to have policy in place to restrict use if they have the resources to manage and account for the points that were accumulated from business travel and points spent on business travel. 

This is where it gets a little complex because it would be wrong for an employer to restrict use of flyer points earned from personal travel for future personal travel. Many companies like my employer don't have the resources to track such use and allow the employee to use the points earned from business for personal use.

I'm not a lawyer and cannot provide any definitive answer on this either way but I would first talk with your supervisor or HR department on this and let them know you intend to use Southwest and the Rapid Rewards program for personal use and that individuals are permitted only one account according to airline policy.

[parpitt1]

If they are using SWABIZ I believe there may be a favorable solution for the OP, As mentioned check with you employer/travel planner.

Safe Travels

[DancingDavidE]

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@parpitt1 wrote:

If they are using SWABIZ I believe there may be a favorable solution for the OP, As mentioned check with you employer/travel planner.

Safe Travels

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I'm not a SWABIZ member myself but I understood there to be overlapping benefits to the company but also the individual would maintain their own benefits as well.

There are a million people in the OP's boat where they are flying for business and then get to use the benefits when a personal trip comes up. It may trace back to who pays - if you are using expense reports then it's yours, if the company pays directly then the benefits are theirs.

You @KAforumSW  should still get a tier qualifying benefit - which is one reason that you should NOT try to split into separate accounts if possible - even if the employer keeps all the points you would still be wanting to use A-list on your personal flights. If you go separate then you'd have to qualify separately for A-list on both accounts.