Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Frustrated

Hanna
Explorer C

I booked my flight with points for the four of us. I now found a flight that is cheaper for cash but more points for points. I would like to switch to that direct fight to save 2 1/2 hours for my family but they want 50,128 more points! That is crazy! The flight is actually cheaper! I can’t switch and need to sit on a flight for double the time. I can’t find an email address to complain. Does anyone know of one?? 

 

Now or I know my problem. I booked the flight for 12,671 points. It is now 25,525 points.  So even though the flights are now almost equal to each other price and cash wise, I can’t switch flights unless I pay the point difference for what the flight is worth now. Maybe they can switch our flight at the counter if seats are left? I can only hope....

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Frustrated

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A
Solution

Can you please post specifics such as the flight information and what you paid? It doesn't make much sense for the cash value and points value to not change together as usually point redemption value is pretty set around 1.7 cents per point.

Re: Frustrated

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Actually, points cost varies by flight, and is not directly aligned to the cash price. Two flights in the same fare category with the same cash price can indeed have different points prices. (This is in addition to the extra cost a connecting flight may have vs a non-stop, due to additional fees, and the differences in conversion for WGA vs Anytime or Business Select.)

 

The WGA conversion rate for points bookings is anywhere from 60/$1 (very rare) to 80/1$. The most common range is 72-78/1$.

 

When the Rapid Rewards program first began using points, all WGA fares were set at 60/1$. Then points were devalued, and they became 70/1$. Then another devaluation moved conversion to a sliding scale, with no upper limit.

 

The OPs stated difference seems large and unusual though, but I suspect that's for 4 fares, which makes it seem more understandable.

Re: Frustrated

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Another issue you might be facing @Hanna is that the price shown is for one (two or three) tickets and the fourth ticket is causing the price to increase to the next bracket.

 

So when you look at the price it is cheap to add one new ticket, but when you go through the points booking for all four tickets it is the higher rate per flight.

 

Anyway:

 

1) Make sure when you are looking at tickets that you have four selected for both - sycnchronizing the quantity may levelize the costs in that case. (Both will be high...)

 

2) If I'm correct, can you rebook one, two, or three tickets at the lower price and then buy the last ticket at the higher price (whether points or cash)? If you cancel your original points booking you will receive the points back into the original account, save the confirmation numbers to re-use the $5.60 or $11.20 taxes/fees.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.