The Southwest Speedy Rewards loyalty program could not have the identical elite perks you may discover with different airways, but it surely nonetheless provides 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 deliver a companion on paid and award flights for simply the price of taxes and charges.
In case you are new to Southwest Airways or wish to study extra about its loyalty program, this information will cowl all the things you must find out about redeeming your Speedy Rewards factors — in addition to how this system could change in gentle of Southwest’s current modifications and bank card overhaul.
Redeem factors on Southwest flights
You may redeem factors for present playing cards, merchandise, lodges, experiences and Speedy Rewards Entry Occasions, however redeeming factors on Southwest flights virtually all the time offers the very best return in your hard-earned rewards.
Redeem Speedy Rewards factors instantly with Southwest
Southwest guarantees no blackout dates on any redemptions, so you should use your Speedy Rewards factors to e book any Southwest Airways ticket on the market. Even when the flight has just one open seat left, you need to have the ability to e book it with factors (however be ready to pay up).
The reserving course of is straightforward. Head to Southwest’s web site, enter your flight search parameters and test the “Factors” choice on the prime proper. If desired, you possibly can 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 Speedy Rewards factors on Southwest flights has modified a bit of for the reason that program applied its “variable” award charges. Traditionally, the value in factors was proportionate to the value in miles, however that is 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 possibly can doubtlessly stretch your factors additional than earlier than, however it might require extra effort to seek out high-value redemptions.
Here is an instance. You could possibly fly from Los Angeles to Honolulu on a Tuesday in September beginning at 7,500 Speedy Rewards factors one-way, plus $5.60 in taxes and charges.
The identical fundamental financial system ticket prices $109, providing you with a worth 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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Alternatively, 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 offers a considerably decrease worth of 1.12 cents per level.
That is one thing to think about in case you’re seeking to maximize the worth of your Southwest factors.
From what we have seen to date, your redemption worth tends to lower as you progress up the fare ladder. Nonetheless, if the advantages of the dearer fare courses add loads of worth for you, it might make sense to e book them with factors. For instance, top-tier Alternative Further fares embrace two free checked baggage 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
In case you maintain a Chase journey card, you’ve got 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 Speedy Rewards factors on flights booked with factors this manner.
With Chase’s new Factors Enhance system, holders of the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges) can redeem factors for as much as 1.75 cents every (relying on the particular redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars). You may doubtlessly 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 particular redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).
Remember that flight costs could also be larger by way of Chase Journey, so all the time evaluate costs to Southwest’s web site earlier than reserving.
Different bank card issuers provide related journey portals, however for now, Southwest flights are solely obtainable on Chase Journey.
Associated: Your information to Chase Factors Enhance
Free award ticket modifications and cancellations (for now)
One factor that has traditionally made Speedy Rewards factors so widespread is Southwest’s versatile change and cancellation insurance policies. If the price of an award flight you’ve got booked goes down, you possibly can 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 possibly can cancel without spending a dime. Your factors will likely be refunded to your account with out penalty (even on Primary fares), so long as you cancel at the least 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure time. You may even go for the taxes paid to return to the bank card you used to e book the reservation.
In contrast to different fare courses, fundamental financial system tickets should not eligible without spending a dime same-day modifications, nor can fundamental financial system vacationers request complimentary same-day standby.
Associated: The way 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 Speedy Rewards factors is by incomes the Southwest Companion Cross. With this precious perk, you possibly can select a companion to fly with you on all of your Southwest flights whereas your go 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 to your ticket.
This basically doubles the worth of your Speedy Rewards factors when touring along with your designated companion.
After Southwest stripped away lots of its longtime insurance policies, like free baggage and open seating, flyers are questioning if the Companion Cross will likely be subsequent on the chopping block. For now, you possibly can nonetheless earn the Companion Cross by both incomes 135,000 qualifying factors or finishing 100 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest inside a calendar yr. As soon as achieved, you should have the Companion Cross for the rest of the present yr and the complete following yr.
Companion Cross-qualifying factors could be earned by flying paid Southwest flights (together with these paid for with Money + Factors), spending and welcome bonuses on Southwest bank cards, procuring and eating by way of the Speedy Rewards portals, and using Southwest’s partnerships.
Proper now, you may get virtually three-quarters of the best way towards a Companion Cross with the welcome bonus on any of Southwest’s three shopper playing cards. The Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card (see charges and charges), the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card and the Southwest Speedy 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 can even fast-track your method to a Companion Cross with the welcome bonuses on Southwest’s two enterprise playing cards:
The knowledge for the Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Associated: 15 classes from 15 years of getting the Southwest Companion Cross
Southwest Speedy Rewards FAQ
Have questions on Southwest Speedy Rewards? Let’s tackle them.
How do I be part of Southwest Speedy Rewards?
You may be part of the Southwest Speedy Rewards program without spending a dime on Southwest’s web site. Simply click on the “Create account” hyperlink on the prime 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 likely be opened instantly, and you can begin incomes and redeeming Speedy Rewards factors.
When do Southwest Speedy Rewards factors expire?
Southwest Speedy Rewards factors do not expire so long as your account is open. Nonetheless, Southwest has introduced that flight credit issued on or after Might 28, 2025, will expire in 12 months for Alternative, Alternative Most popular and Alternative Further fares — and in simply six months for the brand new Primary fare class.
Can I switch factors to Southwest?
You may switch Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, that means 10,000 Chase factors equal 10,000 Speedy Rewards factors. These transfers typically course of immediately.
You can even switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to Southwest Speedy Rewards at a 3:1 switch ratio. You will get 5,000 bonus Speedy Rewards factors for each 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors transferred, so 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors will internet you 25,000 Speedy Rewards factors. This switch ratio is not ideally suited, but it surely’s a very good choice to have in case you’re brief on factors for a Southwest redemption.
Be aware that factors transferred to your Speedy 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 Speedy Rewards factors have lengthy been a superb selection for vacationers searching for flexibility in reserving flights inside a large home community, they usually might turn out to be much more precious as Southwest branches out into partnerships with Icelandair and probably China Airways. Nonetheless, with many much less fascinating modifications at Southwest on the horizon, it stays to be seen if this beloved loyalty program will preserve its worth.
