On the morning of March 4, Rapid Rewards members were surprised to discover that Southwest Airlines had sharply reduced the points earned on its two cheapest fare types: Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus.
Here’s what changed:
- Wanna Get Away fares were cut from 6 points per $1 spent to just 2 points per $1 spent — a staggering 2/3 reduction.
- Wanna Get Away Plus fares were also hit, dropping to 6 points per $1 spent, down from 8.
- Notably, other more expensive fare types were unchanged or improved: Anytime fares remain at 10 points per $1, while Business Select increased from 12 points per $1 to 14.
Even more surprising, Southwest did not notify customers in advance and instead quietly updated the new earning rules on its website. This no-warning move is understandably unsettling, especially for an airline known for communicating well with customers. Although the elite bonus for A-List members remains unchanged — A-List members still receive a 25% bonus, while A-List Preferred members get a 100% bonus — this devaluation is still a major blow for them. For example, an A-List Preferred member who earned 12 points per $1 on a flight yesterday would earn only 4 points per $1 on a flight today.
Overall, Southwest Airlines has struggled over the past two years, with revenue stagnating and its stock price falling sharply, so the company is trying to adjust its business model. Clearly, it believes reducing points earning on these two popular fare types will generate additional revenue, but that will no doubt disappoint customers.
