Can you buy southwest points

This method might lose you some value because Marriott points are worth about 0. Cancel another upcoming flight. Canceling a flight booked with points returns the unused points back into your account without any expiration date. This could be useful if you need those points more urgently, and you can rebook the other flight later. Although purchased points can be used to book travel, they do not count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass.

To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you must fly one-way qualifying flights or earn , Companion Pass qualifying points. These points can be earned on revenue flights, partner hotel stays and car rentals, and spending or welcome bonuses from any of the Rapid Rewards credit cards. No, purchased points do not count toward elite status with Southwest Airlines. A-List and A-List Preferred are the elite status levels for Southwest Airlines, and they're earned based on one-way segments flown and tier qualifying points earned.

Points purchases do not count as "airfare" or "travel," so you will not earn bonus points when you use a travel credit card. However, you will earn rewards from your credit card at its non-bonus rate for the purchase. Your best bet is to use the purchase toward earning a welcome bonus, meeting a spending hurdle or using a credit card that earns high rewards on non-bonus purchases. For travelers who need extra points, Southwest Airlines allows Rapid Rewards members to buy points to boost their account balance.

While these points can be used to book travel, they do not count toward earning the Companion Pass or A-List elite status. Buying Southwest points can be significantly more expensive than the value of those points. Because of that, there are only a handful of situations where it makes sense to buy them.

For most people, it makes sense to buy Southwest points only when you need to top off your account to book an award flight or when a promotion brings the cost down significantly. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of , including those best for:. How to buy Southwest points. Click on Buy or Transfer Points.

Click on Buy points. How much do Southwest points cost? When you should buy Southwest points. Alternatives to buying Southwest points. Southwest points never expire! If you find yourself in that predicament, buying the points you need could be worth it. Earn 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases, 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners, 2 points per dollar on rideshare, 2 points per dollar on social media advertising, internet and phone services, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

It also comes in handy for anyone who could benefit from the insurance it offers on travel accidents, lost luggage, baggage delays, and more. Deborah Atchison is a contributor to Million Mile Secrets, she covers topics on points and miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels, and general travel.

And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. Comments are closed. June 14, 4. June 12, 2. Advertiser Disclosure We are an independent publisher. Apply Now. Who is it best for? Earn 2X points on rideshare. Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services and 1X points on all other purchases.

Pros Anniversary points awarded annually No foreign transaction fees Additional employee cards are free. Cons Annual fee Narrow range of rewards categories. Reward Rate New! Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services. APR Show more. Deborah Atchison Contributor. Join the Discussion! You May Also Like. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

For better or worse, Southwest points have a fairly defined value. Instead, Southwest award flights are redeemable based on the following general formula:.

That said, this formula is based on the base airfare cost, before taxes and fees. The rate for buying just 2, points is punitive at 3 cents per point — more than twice the value of Southwest points. And purchases of either 3, or 4, points cost 1. Your best bet for quick Southwest points are Chase Ultimate Rewards points , which you can transfer to Southwest instantaneously.

Related: How to earn points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. All three of these cards currently have a welcome offer of up to , bonus points. Related: Maximize your wallet with this perfect quartet of Chase cards.

One of the most valuable airline perks around is the Southwest Companion Pass. It allows its holder to bring a companion on any Southwest flight along with them for just the cost of taxes and fees.

For some travelers just shy of the Companion Pass, it could make sense to overpay for Southwest points if the purchased points were elite-qualifying.

As explicitly stated in the terms:. Related: How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass. Southwest point purchases are processed by Points.