Converting SW Travel Credits ($) to Points

[disny_luvr]

We canceled our Disney vacation this summer and I have about $615 in SW credits for future travel. Would it make sense for me to convert the travel credits to points? We do plan on going to Disney in 2021 and will be flying with the intent to use our travel credits at that time.

 

[mmouse50]

If you want to convert Southwest travel funds to points, you’ll need to meet a few conditions:
You must be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member.
Your Southwest Travel Fund must expire on September 7, 2022 (you can see this under My Account/Travel Funds on Southwest.com as shown in the image above).
The first and last name on your Travel Fund should match the name on your Rapid Rewards account.
The Travel Fund must originate from a ticket purchased on Southwest.com or booked by a Southwest customer service agent.

 

[jkelly86]

I converted all of my funds to points, since they never expire and the exchange rate offered was excellent. (I had tickets for 7 people, including 2 grandparents who may never fly again; points can be used to purchase tickets for anyone/transferrable).
Find more detailed info in this thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/post-all-sw-questions-concerns-etc-here.2500174/post-62253790

 

[supersnoop]

Convert to points if:
* you rarely fly
* you want to use your credit for someone other than the original booked party

Keep your travel funds if:
* you need to qualify for A-List
* you'll only use funds for the person originally booked

Points are more flexible; they don't expire and they can be used for anyone, but they don't count towards elite status.
Travel funds can be used for all the fees, while a points-booking will still require you to pay the additional fees.
I've personally found that travel funds provide more value than the points conversion.

 

[EACarlson]

Convert to points if:
* you rarely fly
* you want to use your credit for someone other than the original booked party

Keep your travel funds if:
* you need to qualify for A-List
* you'll only use funds for the person originally booked

Points are more flexible; they don't expire and they can be used for anyone, but they don't count towards elite status.
Travel funds can be used for all the fees, while a points-booking will still require you to pay the additional fees.
I've personally found that travel funds provide more value than the points conversion.

I disagree, I would convert unless you are one of the following:
You are going to be within 2500 points of A-list or CP. In that case you might get enough points from the TF to make it.
Your TF are so small they aren't going to get you a flight on their own, and you don't get RR points any other way.

RR points allow much better flexibility, if you want to change or cancel you flight, the points go right back into your account. I haven't seen any data points yet on what happens when you cancel a flight made with a 9/7/22 TF. We know there will be an expiration date, we just don't know what it is going to be.

 

[starry_solo]

How many is "we"? That is what about what me & my traveling companion (2 people) have. The one thing with points is that if you don't have enough points to book the trip, you have to buy points or use them at a later time (you can't do partial points, partial cash).

You do have some time to think about whether you want to convert the TF to points (December 15, 2020 is the deadline).

 

[disny_luvr]

How many is "we"? That is what about what me & my traveling companion (2 people) have. The one thing with points is that if you don't have enough points to book the trip, you have to buy points or use them at a later time (you can't do partial points, partial cash).

You do have some time to think about whether you want to convert the TF to points (December 15, 2020 is the deadline).

“We” is four people. I did not know that you can’t do partial points and partial cash. That is good to know.

I’ll think about it a little since I have until December to decide. The travel funds expire in September, 2022 and I know we will use them before then.

 

[starry_solo]

“We” is four people. I did not know that you can’t do partial points and partial cash. That is good to know.

I’ll think about it a little since I have until December to decide. The travel funds expire in September, 2022 and I know we will use them before then.

Hmm....yeah, the only way to do "partial points and partial cash" is if you have enough points for one leg of the trip and book that separately from the cash leg. But if one leg costs more in points than you have, you either have to book it as cash only or buy points to make up the difference...from what I've read, it's really not worth it buying points.

Someone else mentioned that you can accumulate points for flights using travel funds, but not using points...not sure if that is a consideration for you.

I am considering the same thing, whether to convert to points or not. I have zero points at the moment (last SW flight was 5+ years ago and I don't have a credit card) so it's not like I have any extra points lying around to use.

 

[Fangorn]

I am considering the same thing, whether to convert to points or not. I have zero points at the moment (last SW flight was 5+ years ago and I don't have a credit card) so it's not like I have any extra points lying around to use.

If you're not a frequent SW customer, converting to points is likely not the best way to go. Yes, the points never expire, but does that help you much if you don't have enough to use for a flight? With the travel funds, you at least have that money you can put towards a flight(s) for the next 2 years - even if you have to add some more cash to it.

Points are great for the frequent SW traveler, and the rate SW is giving on this conversion deal is generous, but buying or transferring points if you don't have quite enough for a flight is very expensive.

Steve

 

[EACarlson]

There are other ways to get RR points. I have my two primary credit cards attached to the SW RR dining program. If I eat at certain restaurants I get points automatically, there is also a shopping portal and online surveys you can do for points.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Just know that EACH name on the ticket has to have a RR account in order to convert the points. You can't just put all 4 people's points into the same account. For instance, I booked my flight with my 13 year old nephew for May (which of course got cancelled). I clearly paid for both flights and my nephew is 13. I still can't convert his travel funds to points under my name. I would have to open an account for him to convert the points. So I converted my travel funds to points and his travel funds are still out there for when we can finally make our trip.

 

[MomRog]

Running into the same problem , we were able to get better rates after we booked our flights , and then our flights got changed so we had pick new flights so got even more travel funds and even though I paid for everything I am going to have to make an account for everyone ( there are 9 of us) so that they can convert to points and hopefully transfer them to me, it's almost a total of 400$ that I may never see.

 

[Fangorn]

Running into the same problem , we were able to get better rates after we booked our flights , and then our flights got changed so we had pick new flights so got even more travel funds and even though I paid for everything I am going to have to make an account for everyone ( there are 9 of us) so that they can convert to points and hopefully transfer them to me, it's almost a total of 400$ that I may never see.

While you can transfer points from one person to another, the cost of doing so is quite high. The rate is 1% of the number of points transferred (minimum 2000 points, and then 500 point increments) in dollars. So 2000 points will cost $20 to transfer.

As an example,, a $35 travel fund credit can be converted to 2730 points. Only 2500 of those points can be transferred to another person. Cost will be $25. The other 230 cannot be transferred since they must be transferred in lots of 500. After the transfer, your credit value has effectively been reduced to $10. Less, if you take into account the 230 points you can't use.

Since you can add additional cash to travel funds to buy a ticket, but can't do that with points, you may be better off keeping the travel funds - if there's any chance at all that any/all of you will be flying in the next 2 years.

Steve

 

[MomRog]

While you can transfer points from one person to another, the cost of doing so is quite high. The rate is 1% of the number of points transferred (minimum 2000 points, and then 500 point increments) in dollars. So 2000 points will cost $20 to transfer.

As an example,, a $35 travel fund credit can be converted to 2730 points. Only 2500 of those points can be transferred to another person. Cost will be $25. The other 230 cannot be transferred since they must be transferred in lots of 500. After the transfer, your credit value has effectively been reduced to $10. Less, if you take into account the 230 points you can't use.

Since you can add additional cash to travel funds to buy a ticket, but can't do that with points, you may be better off keeping the travel funds - if there's any chance at all that any/all of you will be flying in the next 2 years.

Steve

Thank you, it’s just makes me a little upset that there is not a better way .iI know in the past you could convert the points to SW gift cards it is no longer so.
Susan