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SW gift card better than points

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by Bernie2, Jul 11, 2013.

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  1. Bernie2

    Bernie2 MIA

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    If, you use SW points to book a flight, you get no points and if you get bumped you will get $300 + cost of your ticket which is zip. However, if you use your points to get a gift card there will be points and if bumped the $300 + cost of ticket. For those of you, who feel it's easier to use the points so be it.
     
  2. Big Tip

    Big Tip VIP Whale

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    Very interesting idea.

    I didn't even know they had gift cards available to buy with points. I was excited after reading this because I thought this would be a way to buy inflight drinks with points. Just buy a card and use it. But no, gift cards are for ticket purchasing only. Dang it!

    So now back to doing some math on what gives the greatest return on credit card use.
    About the best redemption rate I usually find is 53 points gets $1 worth of travel. That is 1.9% return. Pretty good rate of return for credit card use. Throw in the Companion Pass and I almost don't understand how they can afford to give that much away. But that's another matter.

    The gift cards costs 1% of points. 10,000 points pays for a $100 gift card. Spend that $100 on a Wanna Get away flight and earn another 600 points. $6 worth.
    So that nets a 1.06% return. Not bad, but not as good as 1.9%

    I appreciate the bumping thing, but I have never taken that option. I get all my flights free anyway so a free flight has no appeal.
     
  3. Bernie2

    Bernie2 MIA

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    A very good response but where one would make out is being bumped. If, you are so lucky.
     
  4. jimboguy

    jimboguy MIA

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    Thank you for this, Bernie2. I had no idea you could buy gift cards with points.
     
  5. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Yep... Thank You!!!!
     
  6. user3657

    user3657 VIP Whale

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    Seems like alot of effort for a 1% return. Also, if you need to cancel a flight now you have a credit that must be used within a year. Plus another thing to keep track of.

    Unless they recently changed something with bumps, you still get the same amount back. The past year I was bumped twice and even though I booked in points I got back in a voucher what the flight would of cost me if I booked using $$.
     
  7. bubbakitty

    bubbakitty Doing retirement again and happily so....

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    hmmm, now I am confused but do not mean to hijack. I was told when offering to be bumped to a later flight that I would have my points returned to my account for the seat I was giving up and my later flight would would have me with business select boarding (but no drink coupons) so I wouldn't be C-77 or something.

    I assume that when I give up my flight it is converted to a cancellation which would then return my points to my account but did not ask for details so am unsure. I did fly on schedule so I only know what the counter person told me to be the offer. I thought the boarding pass at the front of the line was a nice thought / consideration so as NOT to be the last middle seat on a later plane.

    Anyone else have any similar experiences?
     
  8. Big Tip

    Big Tip VIP Whale

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    So their bump offer was to give you a free flight? They give you your points back for your booked flight and board you first on the next "free" flight?
     
  9. bubbakitty

    bubbakitty Doing retirement again and happily so....

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    We were coming from San Francisco on July 5 and they were oversold to San Diego (our first stop)....they offered to send me via Denver instead (no open seats on later flights in my original path. Offered the cost of my home, and a seat on the next flight to Denver and then home. But again I didn't take it. So I have no evidence of the outcome.
     
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