The new Southwest Rapid Rewards program, which goes into effect March 1, is getting ripped apart by travelers on the airline’s Nuts About Southwest blog.
In a Rapid Rewards Followup blog post Jan. 7, communications manager Brian Lusk acknowledges “there is some concern about what the new program will mean for Customers,” and he notes that Southwest estabished a website “to help our Members understand  the new program and what it will mean for them.”
There were 242 comments about the new program as of this writing and judging by the first couple of pages of comments, the opinion was overwhelmingly negative.
Many commenters said they understand the new program — and they don’t like the changes.
There are many facets of the program that have drawn withering criticism. Among them, the new program awards points based on the fare type. For example, purchases of Business Select fares earn 12 points per dollar, Anytime fares earn 10 points per dollar, and Wanna Get Away fares earn points at just half the rate of Business Select fares at 6 points per dollar.
Southwest is pushing those Business Select fares. As the Rapid Rewards website states: “When you spend more, you’ll earn more. Now you have another reason to go for that Business Select Fare.”
One anonymous commenter, reflecting a theme picked up by others, wrote:
SOUTHWEST HAS CHANGED THE RULES AND I’M NOT PLAYING BY THOSE RULES ANYMORE. As a loyal Southwest customer for over 8 years, I have to say, without a doubt, this is one of the worst moves Southwest has ever made. The new program no longer rewards me for being a frequent Southwest flier. Instead, it rewards people for buying higher fares, even when cheaper fares are available. What a hoax. I guess they want to sell as many of those “Business Select” seats as possible. For an airline that prides itself on “every seat being a first class seat,” it sure seems like they are now trying to create a class structure, based on what people spend. Also, the new program is THE MOST COMPLICATED one I have ever seen for anything in the travel industry, be it airline, hotel or rental car. Absolutely ridiculous. I no longer consider Southwest to be my airline of choice and I will now look at all my other options. I have frequent flier acounts with other airlines and that’s where I will be investing my travel money from now on. I would rather earn miles for the distance I fly than for the amount of money I spend.
Another commenter, notsohappyshorthauler, implored Southwest to listen to the criticism and make changes.
I respect the work you (and your father) have done with everything not only here, but at Continental too. (Yes, I read Airliners and Airways regularly) I’m stunned that Southwest hasn’t seen the outcry- of all the posts I’ve read here, and via other sourcs, it’s nearly 94% AGAINST the new system. It makes NO sense except to a beancounter MBA with an idea to increase ancilliary revenue streams- and lose focus on what Southwest has focused on for a long time: Simple, efficient, easy, reliable and LUV-Filled service. The ‘new’ Rapids Rewards system shows none of that to ANY of your customers- except those with the larger expense accounts. A better solution (Should that fine beancounter MBA with the fancy title and the -total- lack of understanding of what Southwest’s history and mission IS) would have been to do this: Keep the old RR system of ‘credits’- but change the # needed to get the free trip, from 16 to 20. In order to balance the playing field for those in the longer-haul markets, change the credits awared: 0-750 miles= 1 RR credit;  751-1950 miles= 1.5 RR credit; and 1951 miles plus= 2 RR credit. Now THAT is a simple change that beneifts both Southwest- and it’s customers. I’ve been studying the airline industry since I was all of 6- some thirty years now- and I have a deep passion for the customer-centric cultures that make the world a better place. I can say unless Southwest repeals the changes, there will be a monumental end to the world that we have LUVd for a long time- and the name Southwest will ring the same as American, United or even USAirways. Bring back the LUV. Bring back the OLD RR system.
It remains to be seen whether Southwest will make any changes to the program, given the heat that it is under. You can expect criticism anytime you make a big change, but the level of objections merits attention.
But, Southwest has to get social media credit for not censoring the criticism on its own corporate blog or deleting comments outright. In addition, Lusk gets points for engaging with the commenters and answering some of the criticism.
Whether the new Southwest Rapid Rewards program will need some tweaking and redemption is a question the airline undoubtedly is considering.
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I have been closely watching these posts. I use a WN visa for my travel costs and between the card and flying have amassed 200+ credits this year. I may be part of the problem as well.
I have discovered that it is often CHEAPER for me to buy 2 tickets (for example BWI-DAL – $99 and then DAL-LBB $59) than the regular one-way fare of $239. It is often much cheaper – and I would get double credit. Southwest seemed to catch on when they designed this program, but they need to figure out their own pricing first!
Like many of the posters, I have thought about switching airlines, but WN still has no change fees. If you are a frequent ‘changer’ they are still the best option!
Ken
The biggest issue is the award redemption. On AA you can book a last minute award for as low as 25K and no higher than 50K R/T. New on SWA, last minute DAL/LAS will be 105K, no cheaper options at last minute. I will have no use in filling their planes last minute with award travel, rather book far enough out on popular travel times’ so as not to give them this amount of points. I will book all last minute award on AA.
Agree SWA had to tweak the program due to “us” knowing how to “work” the system, but to “start over” not necessary.
SWA still has ” no change fee & companion pass” so these will keep me flying on SWA some, but I will return a lot of business to AA, my “other” hometown carrier.
BTW–fare compare DFW/ DAL to FLL is currently 142 on AA versus 227 on SWA each way in April. Wonder if this is a start on their new pricing for award travel or just a normal assumption by all that they are cheaper–they are not always a bargain.
Either way, I still think both SWA & AA are good airlines. I’m sure we’ll all figure out how to work the system again.
I like the new rewards program. I was one of those people that flew short 30 minute fights all the time to vegas and then would use my free flight to fly across the country. People are just too bitter and resistant to change. What about the positives, I love now that my points don’t really expire and that I can use them to discount airline tickets instead of saving up the full 16 credits. I did the math, and it’s not that bad. You now have to fly 10 trips, and you get a free trip of equivalent value. People you are stupid, these new points don’t expire and under the old system, most people had credits dropping off after 24 months that never got officially used anyways. If you think you can take 8 short flights and get a free long one at another company, you are crazy and I’m sure they don’t want your business anyways. I like the new system and it is going to benefit me in my opinion.
This program stinks already. For all of the promotion that Southwest has given this program, it’s website was an abysmal failure from the start. Frequent travelers such as myself, loyal customers, can’t either access my Rapid Rewards account or book travel. We fly Southwest twice a week, every week, as many commuters to the Washington DC area do from New England. At this point, we can’t even book a return trip home. I spent a good chunk of the entire day yesterday either trying to get on their Rapid Rewards site or on hold with one customer service person after another who in reality was unable to help because they didn’t have any better access than I did. At this point, my husband has a ticket on hold that I can hopefully pay for if the site ever comes up or, we miss work to join the ranks of what will undoubtedly be a much longer line at the ticket counter of very frustrated passengers and frequent flyers just trying to get to their destinations. This was a monstrous mess. I’ve been flying Southwest exclusively for years. With their new point system (that awards me a one way flight rather than the roundtrip flight that it used to) and more competitive rates from U.S. Airways at an airport closer to my home, Southwest will no longer have my exclusive attention. With its switch to this system, Southwest has lost its cache of being the “un” legacy airline. If it wants to behave like the legacy airlines, it will be treated like them.
I have flown SW almost exclusively since moving to California 21 years ago. One of the main reasons is that the RR program was so generous. I would estimate that I have earned about 40 free round trips over the last 21 years.
This change is horrible for me. It rewards people with expense accounts that do not care about wasting their employers’ money as long as they can quickly earn free flights that they will use for personal travel.
One of the greatest things about SW was always simplicity in fares, simplicity in seating, treating us all the same with no biz class, no first class, etc. etc. Now with an ability to pay $10 to go to the front of the boarding line, and these ridiculous changes to the RR program they are starting to look like all the rest, chasing customers that are paying with their employers money at the expense of customers that are paying with their own money, and in the process treating the customers that pay with their own money as second (third? fourth?) class. We all became huge SW fans for two reasons 1. low fares and 2. ease of earning free flights.
SW doesn’t understand how many of us there are, and how many will be deeply offended by their suddenly treating us as lesser customers. We built SW with our loyalty based on everyone being treated equally, SW has been throwing away that way of doing business in many ways recently, and these RR changes are the largest and most destructive to that credo yet.
These RR changes are horrible for me, and I will now begin to look at all other options for every flight since there is no good reason any more for me to be exclusively loyal to SW.
Sincerely,
Mike B
Carlbsad, CA
RR member since 1990
I totally agree with you. The reason I have flown SWA for MANY, MANY years was because of the easy and very rewarding RR program. I am a frequent flyer who apparently does not matter to them anymore. Bye, bye.
I totally agree too. I still like the no fees for checked bags, but everything else is basically the same as (or worse than) all the other airlines now. I don’t know what kind of fuzzy math Brad was doing, but to my mind it boils down to: every $100 you pay for a ticket, you get about 500 points. That means you have to spend a minimum of $5,000 to get the cheapest round-trip reward flight. Comparatively, I used a fare of approx. $300 for a round-trip flight of 2,000-3,000 miles. With a lowest-tier reward on another airline, that would mean shelling out between $2,500 and $3,800 for an equivalent (25,000-mile) reward flight. That’s a huge difference and one that I would like to see Southwest address in their defense of their crappy “new and improved and simplified” ‘rapid reward’ program.
OK… wasn’t Southwest’s Rapid Rewards rated the best frequent flyer program just recently??? Why would you change a winning formula? Southwest has been profitable even without the baggage fees, and with Rapid Rewards. If they are slowly morphing into one of the bigger airlines, they might as well do away with “Bags fly free” as well.
I had to fly three flights to get my next free trip… Now it says I have to earn 30000 or so points.
I am a senior citizen and have flown SW for many years, with this new Rapid Rewards it is very confusing to me.
I recently took a flight and have not seen where I was credited for it yet. I understand it takes from 4 to 6 weeks!
I am not sure I will continue to fly SW.
We have been southwest rapid reward flyers for years. We charge a lot with our card and have got a lot of tickets,but we are maybe going to look some where else to get our tickets from now on. Last weak we tried to book a flight to boston,mass. Out of four flights we could only use our tickets on the worst oune and fly in the the middle of the night and this was for a booking three mounths in advanst. We did not realized that southwest considers thier rapid reward people second class people.
SW just lost three loyal customers in my family. I will talk to everyone I know to try to avoid them! What irritated me the most is not the reward program but the fact they now dont let you use the travel funds for other members.
In the past, I even booked flights that required connection or at a higher fare at times both for personal and business trip just to stay in the loyal program. No more – there are other airline out there wanting your business, when SW become just one of them, what is the reason staying with them anyway???
What young genius thought of this change. A company that has done so well against all others is now listening to someone new. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE!
Wow… I sure hate the new point system Southwest has.
Maybe you need to take another look at how much everyone dislikes this and change it back.
Southwest you blew it ! Your loyalty program went from first to last…. Now we are all looking at the competitors Frequent Flyer programs,,,
This new point system sucks. If you want to go on a last minute trip you can’t any longer. You need near 50,000 points. Before you could just use your free roundtrip you got as the reward. Bad move SWA. Time to look to other airlines.
Yeah. I will be flying on a different airline now. Also, as soon as my anniversary ended for Southwest Visa, I will cancel my card since I am paying an annual fee for it and the points reward now sucks. Not only they lose a frequent passenger (familiy), but also a heavily credit card user.
Hi… I just phoned up and realized all the SouthWest Visa points I have been earning are pretty much USELESS! What a rip-off! If you purchase a ticket you earn 6 times the cost in points… but if you wish to REDEEM your points it will cost you 60 times the cost in points… SIXTY!
Hey must think we are stupid. I am canceling my SW airline Visa ASAP as you would have to charge enormous amounts each month just to get a stinking round-trip ticket. The new program is as confusing as a three-card Monte dealer…
I love this airline… and they repay my loyalty with a screw-job like this? Sorry SouthWest but you just blew a whole bunch of customer good-will… and that is NOT easy to come by these days.
I was wondering why I hadn’t received my usual email notification of a free flight award and finally decided to check the SW website. I am still in shock! I, too, have been charging my CC for everything, fully expecting the usual rewards, but now this is no longer cost effective at all. I am moving all my charging back to my AA Mastercard where the reward program is still logical, understandable, and FAIR!
I played their Yahtzee promotion and received 7500 points, but they never gave them to me. I had to call 3 times and noone seems to know why I won, but they didn’t give me the points! Total sham and false advertising!
Have been flying SWA for 25 years to Detroit – often my first choice. And sometimes used my free flights for there as well. Just looked for a flight this weekend and it will cost 16,000-20,000 points one way ! Yikes. I will be heading back to AA for purchases as well as free travel a lot more. It is also so confusing you need to work a spreadsheet to see how it compares to the old way as well as other programs.
I don’t understand any of it, to confusing, no help from customer service. I will start shopping other airlines
if this continues!
I’ve been a companion pass holder for the past 18 years in a row and have always earned it by flying 100+ flights per year. I always book my flights well in advance and when I learned about the changes to the program back in January, I had unfortunately already booked roughly 50 future flights. Luckily I live in Dallas and although I never thought it possible, I’m now an AA customer. After I flew my 50 flights on SWA, it’s been all AA for me — I have flown 95 segments since last flying SWA and will earn Executive Platinum next week — I have been upgraded to first class more than 90% of the time since I took the Platinum Challenge. I used to be SWA’s biggest fan, now I’m their largest critic — the planes are always full and the gate agents have gotten really mean (twice when boarding with my wife and twin one year old boys, they wouldn’t let us all board together since I am A-List Preferred and my wife is not) — so long Southwest!
That must suck to have to fly that much.
Anyone who doesn’t like the new rewards program isn’t good at 7th grade level math. Yeah it does take a little bit more to get a flight, but you don’t have any credits rolling off like you used to so you never lose anything. If you fly all the time, then yes it’s worse, but for the majority of people its pretty much the same. Plus all the people that were taking advantage of taking short flights before, and cashing in the free one for a long one…..you know you were getting a good deal doing that. Go fly on some other crappy airlines. I still luv my southwest.
You stated “for the majority of people its pretty much the same.” Are you kidding me? SW is now at a disadvantage for last minute travel, as many have pointed out. No longer is a reward redemption capable of getting this for you, unless you shell out much more than in the past. Ask any family member who tries to book last minute travel for an emergency, etc. Just like the guy above, I’ll be banking more AA miles and have begun using my AA visa more than the SW visa.
With respect to last minute award travel SW is now clearly more expensive with their new program and clearly less competitive than with most other mainline carrier fflyer programs. The result of the latter is clearly inane, even for SW standards.
I do like the gift card option, as we are now cashing out most of our points for other benefits because it doesn’t make sense to use points most of the time when we can purchase the fare.
Clearly we will be shifting our fflyer business away from SW, which doesn’t mean SW will lose us totally, but they will be seeing less of us, especially through credit card purchases.
“Real American genius…”
I truly hate the new Southwest Airlines I feel like they sold out their customers I will be looking for another way to fly in the future as well I will be canceling my Southwest Visa card too useless can’t earn enough points to fly anywhere.. They blew it big also I had a ton of drink coupons which did not have expiration dates however I was on a flight and told they are not accepting them any longer!!! Wow funny part is we earned those with our used to be free tickets we would get for utilizing them what a kick in the teeth.. I think someone needs to be fired for coming up this this crap because it’s crappy what your doing to your loyal customers who will find another airline to use and who will appreciate their customers…
I am SO lucky that Virgin Airlines is now flying out of PHL and that the United/USairways/Continental group can now beat prices, because Southwest has now lost my business for good. I signed up for their creidt card right before the ridiculous rewards program conversion. In the process I never saw my “flight segment” old award system arrive. All I could ever find was reference to their damn “points” After CHASE the credit card company finalyl told me wehre to find the “flight segment” aka ‘old’ awards I did only to see that they expire in a month. I explained to southwest that I found their redesign quite confusing etc only to get an auto response that POLICY IS POLICY I am SO disappointed and always expected more for Southwest. Sad to see them acting like other airlines, which will now be gettng a lot more of my business
Any word on whether SW had acknowledged the criticism and making plans to ameliorate the situation (or revert back to the old style)? I have been a happy customer for over a half-decade, but this new rewards program stinks. I fly with other airlines much more frequently as a result.
i hate the new program. What happened to having a stack of rewards in youre hand and just walking up to the counter last minute and getting on a flight anywhere without any problems??????now you it whipes out youre account on a last minute flights!!!!!!!