The Southwest Fast Rewards loyalty program might not have the identical elite perks you may discover with different airways, but it surely nonetheless presents good worth. Two notable benefits are this system’s lack of blackout dates for award redemptions and the unbelievable Companion Cross profit, permitting you to convey a companion on paid and award flights for simply the price of taxes and charges.
If you’re new to Southwest Airways or need to be taught extra about its loyalty program, this information will cowl every thing you must find out about redeeming your Fast Rewards factors — in addition to how this system might change in mild of Southwest’s latest adjustments and bank card overhaul.
Redeem factors on Southwest flights
You possibly can redeem factors for reward playing cards, merchandise, lodges, experiences and Fast Rewards Entry Occasions, however redeeming factors on Southwest flights nearly all the time supplies the most effective return in your hard-earned rewards.
Redeem Fast Rewards factors straight with Southwest
Southwest guarantees no blackout dates on any redemptions, so you need to use your Fast Rewards factors to guide any Southwest Airways ticket on the market. Even when the flight has just one open seat left, you must be capable of guide it with factors (however be ready to pay up).
The reserving course of is easy. Head to Southwest’s web site, enter your flight search parameters and test the “Factors” possibility on the high proper. If desired, you’ll be able to filter by particulars like worth, period and departure time. Choose the one you need, log in to your account (if you have not already) and observe the on-screen steps to finish your redemption.
Redeeming Fast Rewards factors on Southwest flights has modified just a little because the program applied its “variable” award charges. Traditionally, the value in factors was proportionate to the value in miles, however that is now not the case. Now, the worth you may get out of your factors varies relying in your particular flight and journey dates.
This implies you’ll be able to probably stretch your factors additional than earlier than, however it could require extra effort to search out high-value redemptions.
Here is an instance. You possibly can fly from Los Angeles to Honolulu on a Tuesday in September beginning at 7,500 Fast Rewards factors one-way, plus $5.60 in taxes and charges.
The identical primary economic system ticket prices $109, supplying you with a price of 1.38 cents per level. That is barely above our August 2025 valuation of 1.35 cents apiece for Southwest factors.
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Then again, the identical flight on a extra in-demand date — a Saturday in January — begins at $292 in money or 25,500 plus $5.60 in taxes and charges. This supplies a considerably decrease worth of 1.12 cents per level.
That is one thing to think about should you’re trying to maximize the worth of your Southwest factors.
From what we have seen to this point, your redemption worth tends to lower as you progress up the fare ladder. Nonetheless, if the advantages of the costlier fare lessons add a whole lot of worth for you, it may make sense to guide them with factors. For instance, top-tier Selection Further fares embody two free checked luggage and your selection of any seat at reserving — together with Southwest’s new extra-legroom seats, slated to debut in January 2026.
Redeem Chase factors by way of the Chase Journey portal
Should you maintain a Chase journey card, you will have the choice to redeem Chase Final Rewards factors for Southwest flights by way of the Chase Journey℠ portal. As a result of flights booked by way of the portal present up as income tickets, you may nonetheless earn Fast Rewards factors on flights booked with factors this fashion.
With Chase’s new Factors Increase system, holders of the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and charges) can redeem factors for as much as 1.75 cents every (relying on the precise redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars). You possibly can probably get a fair higher price of as much as 2 cents per level with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) (relying on the precise redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).
Remember that flight costs could also be greater by way of Chase Journey, so all the time evaluate costs to Southwest’s website earlier than reserving.
Different bank card issuers supply related journey portals, however for now, Southwest flights are solely obtainable on Chase Journey.
Associated: Your information to Chase Factors Increase
Free award ticket adjustments and cancellations (for now)
One factor that has traditionally made Fast Rewards factors so in style is Southwest’s versatile change and cancellation insurance policies. If the price of an award flight you’ve got booked goes down, you’ll be able to simply rebook your journey on the decrease price, and you will be refunded the factors distinction.
In case your plans change and you can not make an award flight, you’ll be able to cancel without spending a dime. Your factors will probably be refunded to your account with out penalty (even on Fundamental fares), so long as you cancel a minimum of 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure time. You possibly can even go for the taxes paid to return to the bank card you used to guide the reservation.
Not like different fare lessons, primary economic system tickets will not be eligible without spending a dime same-day adjustments, nor can primary economic system vacationers request complimentary same-day standby.
Associated: Tips on how to reprice a Southwest flight when the fare decreases
The Companion Cross doubles the worth of your Southwest factors
One method to maximize the worth of your Fast Rewards factors is by incomes the Southwest Companion Cross. With this useful perk, you’ll be able to select a companion to fly with you on all of your Southwest flights whereas your cross is legitimate. Your companion will solely must pay the taxes and charges for his or her ticket, no matter whether or not you used money or factors in your ticket.
This primarily doubles the worth of your Fast Rewards factors when touring together with your designated companion.
After Southwest stripped away lots of its longtime insurance policies, like free luggage and open seating, flyers are questioning if the Companion Cross will probably be subsequent on the chopping block. For now, you’ll be able to nonetheless earn the Companion Cross by both incomes 135,000 qualifying factors or finishing 100 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest inside a calendar 12 months. As soon as achieved, you should have the Companion Cross for the rest of the present 12 months and your entire following 12 months.
Companion Cross-qualifying factors might be earned by flying paid Southwest flights (together with these paid for with Money + Factors), spending and welcome bonuses on Southwest bank cards, purchasing and eating by way of the Fast Rewards portals, and using Southwest’s partnerships.
Proper now, you may get nearly three-quarters of the best way towards a Companion Cross with the welcome bonus on any of Southwest’s three client playing cards. The Southwest Fast Rewards® Plus Credit score Card (see charges and charges), the Southwest Fast Rewards® Premier Credit score Card and the Southwest Fast Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card (see charges and charges) are all providing 100,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 5 months from account opening.
You too can fast-track your method to a Companion Cross with the welcome bonuses on Southwest’s two enterprise playing cards:
The data for the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Associated: 15 classes from 15 years of getting the Southwest Companion Cross
Southwest Fast Rewards FAQ
Have questions on Southwest Fast Rewards? Let’s handle them.
How do I be a part of Southwest Fast Rewards?
You possibly can be a part of the Southwest Fast Rewards program without spending a dime on Southwest’s web site. Simply click on the “Create account” hyperlink on the high of the web page.
Subsequent, fill out the requested data and click on the yellow “Create account” button on the backside of the display. Your account will probably be opened instantly, and you can begin incomes and redeeming Fast Rewards factors.
When do Southwest Fast Rewards factors expire?
Southwest Fast Rewards factors do not expire so long as your account is open. Nonetheless, Southwest has introduced that flight credit issued on or after Could 28, 2025, will expire in 12 months for Selection, Selection Most well-liked and Selection Further fares — and in simply six months for the brand new Fundamental fare class.
Can I switch factors to Southwest?
You possibly can switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Fast Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, that means 10,000 Chase factors equal 10,000 Fast Rewards factors. These transfers usually course of immediately.
You too can switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to Southwest Fast Rewards at a 3:1 switch ratio. You will get 5,000 bonus Fast Rewards factors for each 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors transferred, so 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors will web you 25,000 Fast Rewards factors. This switch ratio is not preferrred, but it surely’s a very good choice to have should you’re brief on factors for a Southwest redemption.
Word that factors transferred to your Fast Rewards account do not rely towards incomes the Companion Cross.
Associated: How (and when) to switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest
Backside line
Southwest Fast Rewards factors have lengthy been a superb selection for vacationers searching for flexibility in reserving flights inside a large home community, and so they may turn out to be much more useful as Southwest branches out into partnerships with Icelandair and presumably China Airways. Nonetheless, with many much less fascinating adjustments at Southwest on the horizon, it stays to be seen if this beloved loyalty program will preserve its worth.
