This is why I use Southwest Hotels!

[jksobonya]

People like to complain about Southwest Hotels, but I use it frequently and this is why: 

2 nights at 2 different hotels, 13,000 points! The points posted just days after my stay, too. 

--Jessica

[dfwskier]

Thanks, Jessica.

You might have just helped those people scrambling for YE CP points.

[jksobonya]

The only caveat I will say is that points *can* take weeks to post (the web site actually says 8 weeks) but in my experience, they post in a week or two.

--Jessica

[dfwskier]

True, but if you "earn" the points in 2022, then they count toward 2022 CP qualification - regardless of when they actually post.

That being said, if they don't post til 2/15/23 then you don't actually get CP til 2/15/23.

[floridaguy]

So, you get 13,000 points, but maybe you overpaid the hotel to get those points.  Each point is worth about $0.01 of cash value, so maybe it is now $130 worth of points.  

If you booked with someone like Expedia or Hotels.com what would have the rate been versus what you paid to book through Southwest?

[jksobonya]

Southwest aside, I don't typically use 3rd party sites to book hotels, if I'm not using Southwest I normally book direct, and the hotel rates were the same when I compared them.

--Jessica

[floridaguy]

Another thing to consider is that with Hotels.com every 10th night earns you a credit equal to the average spent before taxes.  So, even if the price is equal, I find that the Southwest point system does not return an appropriate rebate compared to others.

[dfwskier]

Well that might make a difference to those who spend over 10 nights in hotels.

Not every one does.

[bec102896]

Personally I book direct though the hotel company 90% of the time a Marriott thanks to status but on occasion I’ll find a really good deal though priceline express deal and usually with about 2min of research I can figure out the hidden hotel and I can Google express deal coupon and usually find 5-15% off to make the deal sweeter then I call and add the rewards number to get the perks not always stay credit but late check out and upgrade usually without issue 

I usually earn my SW status on segments so those few SW points don’t bother me I like my suite upgrades more