Southwest has devalued their points overnight, without providing any warning. A redemption on a $50 award flight that was worth 1.73 cents per point is now worth 1.62 cents per point.
Southwest devaluations are typically gradual, so that customers remain like the fabled slowly boiled frog. The fact that it was done without warning is wholly unacceptable.
When Rapid Rewards 2.0 launched, you needed 60 points per dollar of airfare.
Back in 2013, a $58.90 ticket from Louisville to Atlanta was just 2,890 points+$2.50, a value of 1.96 cents per point:
They devalued that to needing 70 points per dollar in 2014, but provided 6 months advance notice of that devaluation.
Now they’ve devalued them to needing 83 points per dollar and it was done without warning.
Today, a $66.98 ticket from Louisville to Atlanta is 4,060 points+$5.60, a value of 1.51 cents per point:
The exact value of Southwest points today will vary based on the fare.
For example, a flight from Long Island Islip to Fort Lauderdale on 5/12 is $98.98 or 6,531+$5.60, a value of 1.43 cents per point.
Or a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco on 5/16 is $48.98 or 2,671+$5.60, a value of 1.62 cents per point.
Yesterday, that $48.98 flight cost 2,510 points, a value of 1.73 cents per point.
Of course, Southwest is a revenue based mileage program where the cost of an award is directly tied to the cost of a flight. Other programs claim they need to devalue when the cost of flights go up, but a revenue based program shouldn’t need to be devalued as points requirements automatically go up when flight costs go up.
We’ve been through no notice changes with Southwest before.
On 1/1/17 they killed the ability to earn Companion Pass via hotel point transfers without warning.
2 days later they gave into pressure on social media and gave a 3 month reprieve.
Let them know your thoughts about devaluations without warning, you can like and retweet this:
@SouthwestAir You claim to run on #SouthwestHeart but you devalued points without providing any warning. That's just wrong. Changes should be made with proper notice! #WhereIsTheLuvhttps://t.co/I5N5rAuc87
— DansDeals (@DansDeals) April 14, 2021
It’s another reason why I try to keep most of my mileage balances in bank points like AMEX or Chase where they won’t be devalued based on the whims of an individual airline.
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40 Comments On "Southwest Devalues Their Points Without Warning!"
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Inflation? I 6% increase across the board is not crazy, although would be nice to give notice.
Other programs just butcher specific redemptions which are costing them money, far more terrible
Monetary inflation increases the cost of the flight, as can be seen from the cost of the SDF-ATL flights in the post.
That automatically means you need more points for a more expensive flight, so while inflation can be blamed for rising costs in an award chart based program, it can’t be blamed in a revenue based program that has built-in inflation protection.
Is the award rate is tied to the cash price, then why is the redemption cents per point value different on different routes ? Sometimes you get 1.67 while others 1.48 point ?
The value of revenue based points like Southwest and JetBlue will be greater when used on lower fares as award tickets don’t have the flat rate facility fees and taxes that revenue tickets have.
not following isnt taxes the same more or less for domestic flights how does a lower priced flight change the VALUE of the points?
Because the fees are flat rate, on a lower price flight you save a higher percentage of the total cost by using points, giving each point a higher relative value.
Still will always fly southwest, they are always loyal to their customers!! Extended my companion pass to the end of 2021. 3 years of campinion pass, which other airline does that!!! Additionally, 2 free bags, and free cancellation on award flights, even pre covid. Additionally, with all these free change in flights for the same value, they are practically giving you a free flight. There is no airline that conpares to southwest. Especially now that we see airlines like united pushing for more woman pilots as opposed to more experienced pilots. This is really a no brainer. Just my little rant. Have a good day
1. All airlines extended elite status and certificates.
2. All airlines now have free cancellation on awards.
But yes, 2 bags are nice. And no warning devaluations are not nice.
FWIW, United didn’t say anything about more or less experienced pilots, they said they want to see more women entering their flight training school.
You tell him Dan
I’ve been flying southwest for the past 4 years, only paying for one flight and adding my spouse as companion. No other airline in the world would do that. No other airline in the world would let you cancel, after the flight took off, ( yes I got refunded fully, points of course, after the flight already left) and this is pre covid, airlines are now fighting to get you on their planes offering you free cancellation while southwest always did that.
To answer you’re last question: https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-airlines-says-it-wants-50-of-pilots-trained-in-next-decade-to-be-women-or-people-of-color
I know southwest doesn’t have a hub out of Cleveland, but if they did you would be just as obsessed with them as I have. I’ve been booking and canceling southwest flight for free for 10 years now, with no represcussions
In my opinion, Southwest is still one of the best airlines given their 2 free checked bags and incredible cancellation policies
Still doesn’t excuse this behavior.
You can put in the tweet – Where’s the Transfarency?
Can’t edit a Tweet.
As long as they have the free date changes every now and then I am happy 🙂
Well it’s a good thing I just used 240,000 points in the last 14 days.
Impressive timing.
yes….almost suspicious timing….
Southwest only Flies domestic, correct?
Also when I ever I use the priceline search engine southwest flights are not showing up. Any reason for that ?
Incorrect.
Southwest only sells direct.
Wow never knew about that !
To where do they fly internationally??
https://www.southwest.com/flight/routemap_dyn.html
Do they typically give cheaper cash prices then there competitions?
If you want to complain and we should complaint against any devaluation not that the timing is the issue . So if they say we will devalue after 2 months you should say thank you ?
No, but they have the right to devalue if they so choose. And people should have the right to burn their existing points should an airline choose to devalue and switch to another airline.
Devaluations without warning are just highway robbery.
When having a companion pass does the free pass have any worth if you still have to pay the tax portion of the ticket?
Just the 9/11 fee.
No difference if the original ticket is a cash ticket or award ticket ?
No
Based on this I’m guessing the ability to redeem points for 1 cent towards Amazon GCs is never coming back….
The redemptions for anything but flights have been unavailable for over a year. Now they are back, but are awful….
Guess that explains why they let us convert travel funds into points a few months ago… Really sneaky
In short they just gave out massive CC sign up bonuses and now devalued the points so it won’t cost them anything….
But I still prefer southwest, there customer service is spectacular!
And as a companion pass holder and the no fare difference change policy that has been on and off for a long while now. The value I get is amazing! I fly with my wife and 2 kids who under 2 for the price of one and since there are usually a couple of empty seats they allow me to bring car seats on for my kids, that’s 4 seats for the price of one.
Recently I booked a flight with points that in the end I didn’t need and I forgot to cancel it, they automatically refunded me the points once the flight left. I believe most airlines will say tough luck and keep your points.
@dan, can you post that southwest is allowing free changes including fare difference. I just changed a flight originally booked for 04/21. It’s letting you change for free for 30 day (until 05/21)
This sucks and I am *definitely* not the type of person to sugar coat bad news, BUT….in this case, I agree with the other guy who said as long as we continue to have periodic access to this glory hole of changes with no fare difference, I am happier than a pig in sh*t. I have save soooooo much money with that thing.
That said, all things being equal, it’s still pretty sleazy to devalue without notice.
the point costs have been variable for a long time. you always ought to pull out the calculator to determine if you’re getting good bang for your buck.
No, they have always operated based on a fixed points per dollar ratio.
Not to mention they had a promotion not long ago to transfer Chase UR for 20% more SW points. Pushing people into devaluation…
By leaving points in a programs ‘bank’, we’re essentially giving them an interest free loan on the points value.
Nevertheless, they still feel the need to do devaluations, effectively paying us negative interest rates for leaving our points in their bank.
It seems the programs are almost always devaluing, and rarely the other way around.
Why is that? Are we just past the golden era of point programs?
We are past the peak of the golden age, but it’s not gone yet.
Like I say, focus on bank/hybrid points and burn your airline miles as you earn them.