I agree, as a loyal customer of southwest for the past 2 years. I am not happy with this new program. It is very complicated no doubt, but I feel like there is a reason. The complicated part doesn't bother me. It's what "we" lose that bothers me.
You used to need 16 credits for a free flight anywhere in the US. So I could have bought 8 short round trip tickets from Denver to Las Vegas (approx. $159 round trip cost) and gotten a free flight. I spent $1272 to get that free trip let's say. But now a could use that Award ticket on any continental US flight. So I could book a trip from Los Angeles to Boston for free (which may have an advance purchase value of $350 value round trip at it's best deal)
Not to mention that award tickets could often be booked without much advance notice sometimes even within a day or two of needing to travel. So I, a smart travel would plan the best I could and earn credits on my planned short trip and then save my award tickets for short-notice necessary long trips (that would be extremely expensive if I had to purchase). The days of this are now over with the "new" rapid rewards. Now to get a trip that costs $350 for free I have to have $350 X 60 = 21000 points which will cost me $2100 in flight spending as opposed to the $1272 I spent before. And I wouldn't be able to book the LA-Boston trip on short notice either.
This program is horrible and no better (if not worse) that all the other mileage programs out there. And sure you can double your point earnings by buying an anytime fare or business select (but anyone knows that this is a waste of money, big deal you double or triple the price of your ticket to get a free drink and priority boarding)....you're still sitting economy for crying out loud. But then you aren't getting any rewards at all b/c your spending double on your airfare than you would otherwise just to earn "free" stuff faster.
Not to mention that I was 5 one-ways away from being an A-List member 3 days ago, and now they are telling me I'm 28 trips away, not counting any trips I took before the beginning of 2011 instead of looking at the past 12 consecutive months.
I never thought I'd say this, but I have like 6000 points left to get a free flight and once I get that if they stick with this program, I am switching to United.
I'd rather bag fees along with the old program that this crap. And least on United with a high miles (point) balance you start getting first class upgrades and free standby upgrades.
If Southwest really LUVs their customers, someone wil read this and respond to me and explain why they are doing this to loyal customers like myself. It's just a matter of time before people realize that they are paying more to get less.
... View more