Rapid Rewards Gift Cards Program - Unethical changes

[STL_KR]

No one wants to take accountability that the Rapid Rewards Program is taking advantage of us and making UNETHICAL changes....

>  They are  increasing the fee to redeem for gift cards - just on  9/29/2020 it was 5000 points for a $50 gift card, and now it is 7500 points for a $50 gift card.  Our Accumulated points are now WORTH LESS!.

> The gift card options are less than half of what they previously were ( no more LOWES WALMART MACY's SEPHORA SPA FINDER - these are no longer gift card options).

> And for those of you like me who paid an ANNUAL FEE ($69/year) with CHASE SOUTHWEST VISA just to get this Rapid Rewards program, I am furious that they are changing their part of the agreement.

Then I get over an hour run-around calling their contact support - NO ONE wants to take responsibility for the rewards program.

I can understand having patience with Covid, but we are getting near Christmas/Holidays when people plan to turn in their points for gift cards - and now we are getting cheated. Increasing the value per card is just unethical and taking advantage of us.

The program needs to go back to the original value per gift card.

This is just WRONG.

[dfwskier · Accepted solution]

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@STL_KR wrote:

No one wants to take accountability that the Rapid Rewards Program is taking advantage of us and making UNETHICAL changes....

>  They are  increasing the fee to redeem for gift cards - just on  9/29/2020 it was 5000 points for a $50 gift card, and now it is 7500 points for a $50 gift card.  Our Accumulated points are now WORTH LESS!.

> The gift card options are less than half of what they previously were ( no more LOWES WALMART MACY's SEPHORA SPA FINDER - these are no longer gift card options).

Perhaps you are unaware of the fact that Southwest does not control this. A company called More Rewards does. Southwest only controls point value when you spend points on flights.

The More Rewards option is only presented as a way that allows options. other than Southwest flights.

If you want to complain, then you probably should complain to More Rewards:

https://community.southwest.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/More-Rewards-Contact-amp-FAQs/ta-p/108878

[4DegreesLower]

False. 

Complaints should be made against southwest and not morerewards. Southwest is not obligated to use morerewards and can find a new company that will give better rates for other redemptions. I'm sure there are plenty of companies that would be happy to take the place of morerewards. 

[dfwskier]

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@4DegreesLower wrote:

False. 

Complaints should be made against southwest and not morerewards. Southwest is not obligated to use morerewards and can find a new company that will give better rates for other redemptions. I'm sure there are plenty of companies that would be happy to take the place of morerewards. 

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Perhaps you can provide the names of these other companies...

[TheMiddleSeat]

If you are relying on credit card spend to earn gift cards there are much better credit cards out there, often with no annual fee. Use a credit card based on what you want to earning from it. Southwest credit cards work best for people looking to earn points to fly. Everything else is secondary and can probably be done better with a different card. As @dfwskier said, the gift card program isn't even run by Southwest so your anger is very misplaced. Lastly, there's nothing unethical about lowering the value of points. All companies are free to raise prices and you are free to not buy from them.

--TheMiddleSeat

[bwallet]

Just be glad that they didn't add a $50 redemption fee on these.

[SWNOmore]

Okay so maybe the guy didnt word it perfectly for you.  To say that SW has no responsibility for the gift cards is a total cop out.  Grow a brain.  They are responsible for how there miles get used.   FYI many people like me don't earn there rewards by using the credit card we earn by flying  (Duh).  SW chooses who they use for a credit card company and has input into that conversation thus making them responsible. If they choose to do this its ultimately on them because I can fly with whoever I want.  What prompted this email was the very topic the originator brought up.  That is making a $50 gift card cost 1.5 times its 2019 cost of 5000 points.  Instead of getting $1000 of gift cards for 100.000 points I now get $750, not to mention LOWES, Amazon, Walmart, Best  buy, and Kohls are no longer option.  I probably missed one or two.  All left is lame places that are really not that usable.  Why bother to stay with SW then?  I earn points than I will use for reward flights so I think just go with another carrier that flys everywhere.  That is a ridiculous change and if SW doesn't address it I will be changing airlines.  FYI I spend $20K plus per year flying with SW.  

[dfwskier]

SW really has no control over prices charged for anything (other than tickets, early bird, etc)  offered

on the website: not hotel prices, not car rental prices, not the merchants listed in Southwest Shopping or Southwest Dining ,  and not prices charged by More Rewards.

You gotta do what you gotta do. It's up to you if you want to pay for seat assignments, checked bags, give up A-List status (since you say you spend $20k/year on tickets I presume you are at least that), that is certainly up to you.

I prefer to consider the entire package when I decide which airline I'm going to fly. I'm not happy with everything Southwest does, but I'm more satisfied with Southwest overall than with the competition.

[dfwskier]

"They (SW) are responsible for how there miles get used. "

Actually, mileage owners are solely responsible for how points are spent. No one requires point    owners to buy anything. If something is too expensive, then don't buy it. It's just like every other thing in the retail world.

Since points no longer expire, points can sit in an account for decades until a good deal is found.

[chgoflyer]

Just to be clear, if you don't have a Southwest credit card you are currently unable to use the More Rewards function. Those that earn points exclusively by flying can redeem their points exclusively for flying.