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Southwest Travel Funds into Points

lauryn
Explorer C

Hello friends,
I received SWA recent email today, incentivizing member's to convert their travel funds into SWA Rapid Rewards (RR) points. Member's can convert their travel funds into RR points.
What they’re offering me. SWA Conversion rate: $70 = 5380 RR Points $10 = 780 RR Points $5 = 390 RR Points.

 

However, my funds don’t expire until September 7, 2022. I’m wondering if I should keep these funds since I may travel between now and then
OR
Is their a better value in converting the funds into points?

8 REPLIES 8

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

gsking
Aviator C

That's about half the value they gave us in December.   Seems a bad deal. 

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

dfwskier
Aviator A

@gsking wrote:

That's about half the value they gave us in December.   Seems a bad deal. 


Actually that is about the same as was offered last year:

https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/convert-southwest-travel-funds-to-points/

 

If you don't think that you'll use the funds by 9/7/22, then converting makes sense because

1) Points don't expire .and.

2) You can use points to buy anyone a ticket while travels funds can only be used by you

 

The downside is that use of travel funds earns more RR points, while use of points does not.

 

FWIW, I have not received a current offer to convert TFs to points, and I do have qualifying TFs.

 

Are you sure that the one you are looking at did not expire last December?

 

 

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

gsking
Aviator C

I knew it was too late for me to be doing math. 

 

Cents per point vs. Points per cent never makes sense. 

 

So yeah,  I guess it makes sense.   Three other Points: (Pun intended)

 

1.  Short trips are relatively more valuable with Points due to eliminated taxes being a larger percentage of the flight cost. 

 

2. International flights are less useful,  since taxes must be paid in cash.   

 

3.  Points flights can be booked and canceled with impunity.   If you start doing that with your TF, you'll be chopping them up into new record locators,  which makes reuse a bit more complicated.   And any cash you attach to those new reservations with inherit the expiration date.   If you suspect Covid or other factors might make your travel unpredictable for the next year,  points might be the safer bet. 

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

jksobonya
Aviator A

IMO, I'd keep your credit, since it doesn't expire until September 2022, you have plenty of time to use it!

 

--Jessica

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@lauryn wrote:

Hello friends,
I received SWA recent email today, incentivizing member's to convert their travel funds into SWA Rapid Rewards (RR) points. Member's can convert their travel funds into RR points.
What they’re offering me. SWA Conversion rate: $70 = 5380 RR Points $10 = 780 RR Points $5 = 390 RR Points.

 

However, my funds don’t expire until September 7, 2022. I’m wondering if I should keep these funds since I may travel between now and then
OR
Is their a better value in converting the funds into points?


 

First: I'm not aware of a new conversion offer. Are you sure this is current, and not an older email?

 

The cost to use points is 78/$1. If the offer to convert is the same, it's a "good" offer (when compared to buying or transferring points). There is no better conversion value than 78/$1.

 

Are you sure of those numbers? The $10 and $5 convert correctly, but the $70 comes out less than it should be: $70 x 78 = 5460 pts.

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

KMart
Explorer C

Is it still possible to transfer travel funds into points?

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@KMart no

And no need for duplicate posts 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Southwest Travel Funds into Points

dfwskier
Aviator A

Southwest's offer to convert travel funds to RR points was a one time deal -- last year, if memory serves.