Travel Smart: Southwest Special Fares, Rapid Rewards, and More

Southwest services continue to delight passengers in 2020. The airline transports more US passengers than any other airline. Courtesy of online cheap flight ticket deals they offer. Also, airline policies are passenger-friendly. Take this, for instance:

Despite being a low-cost carrier, Southwest checks in up to 2 bags per passenger for free. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. It is also the best airline to fly on a budget.

Are you a well-informed Southwest passenger? Test yourself by reading below

Southwest Special Fare Offers

1. Infant Fares

You may carry the FAA-approved child restraint seat for free if the adjacent seat is unoccupied. However, here is what you should know:

1. Online air booking will not work as you have to call Southwest to avail of the benefits. You may even contact the ticket counter at the airport.
2. Also, if the age of your child is not previously verified, you cannot check-in.

• Eligibility

Travelers older than 14 days and younger than fourteen are eligible for infant fares. Southwest doesn’t transport children younger than 14 days without the written statement of a Physician.

2. Child Fares

Just like infant fares, child fares are not available on Southwest’s website. You have to apply for the benefits at the airport counter or over a call.

• Eligibility: Passengers of ages 2-11 traveling with accompanying adults may avail of the child fares. Also, you must have a government-issued photo ID.

3. Military Fares

You get the boarding passes from the airport as you cannot check-in online.

• Eligibility: You can get military fares if you are an active US military personnel or an authorized dependent on one.
• Wanna Get Away Fares:

These fares are as good as they sound. They are discounted and nonrefundable. And unlike any other airline, Southwest allows you to cancel a flight 10 minutes before departure and settle the unused amount against future travel.

Southwest Rapid Rewards

Rapid Rewards is Southwest’s loyalty program. It gives you access to great offers on online flight tickets international and more.

Earn points on the number of miles you fly. Other ways to earn points include investing in the business partners of the airline.

Let’s look at some of the characteristics of Southwest’s loyalty program.

1. They are Purchasable: If you need or lack a few extra points to avail of a benefit, you can purchase them.
2. Cannot be Merged: However, the purchases and the membership are individual. That means you cannot combine your points like a member with other members unless specially approved by the Southwest.
3. Single Account: Further, each member can only operate a single account. All the information about your account will reach the inbox of the email ID you provide while creating the Rapid Reward account.
4. Always Valid: The points never expire.
5. Non-Transferable: The reward points are non-transferable. However, a person may purchase points as a gift for existing members. You can transfer points in sets of 1000 or 500. In a day, you cannot transfer more than 60000 points.
6. Donations: The points may be transferred as a charity. You can donate them to organizations already selected with the Southwest.

Redeeming Southwest’s Rapid Reward Points

You can redeem points for purchase air flight tickets through Southwest. You can also avail of benefits while purchasing products and services approved by the airline.

Let’s look at how to point redemption works:

• Cost of Reward Flight: The number of points needed to purchase Reward flights depends on time, demand, fare type, point redemption rate, member status, and on. For instance, the USA to India tickets may be more inexpensive than New York to Atlanta flights.
• The only Buyer Makes Itinerary Changes: A member may make Southwest Airlines ticket booking for other members. However, the changes to the itinerary can only be made by the purchaser.
• Fares You Cannot Purchase: You cannot buy special fares using the rapid rewards points.
• Southwest Airlines’ A-List Members

A-List members are those passengers who have earned 35000 points or have flown on 25 one-way segments or used 25 one way air tickets with the Southwest within a year.

Further, A-list preferred members consist of passengers that have earned 70000 points or flown 50 on-way flights within a year.

Southwest Airlines Reservation

Southwest reservation is simple and straightforward. You have to follow a few steps:

1. Find flights: Look for the best possible offer that suits you. You can book air flights online for a maximum of 8 passengers. Log on to Southwest’s official website. Further, look for ‘Air Booking page and enter the necessary details. These may include travel destinations, dates, time, and so on.
2. Select Ticket: Select the type of Southwest ticket that you want. For instance, if you want to book air flight tickets online for groups larger than ten people, or accompanied kids, you must select special tickets.
3. Select Fare Type: Southwest offers three fare types. These are Economy, Business Select, Anytime, and Wanna Get Away fare types.
4. Make Payment: Finally, to settle the charges for the online air ticket reservation, you may use a credit card. Other methods include unused travel funds, Southwest gift cards, or Southwest LUV vouchers. You can pay online or at any ticketing location. Also, Southwest ticket counters accept cash, and the Southwest website accepts PayPal payments.

Manage Southwest Airlines Flight Ticket

All Southwest passengers can manage their flight reservation, by logging in to the airline’s website.

Here’s what you can do:

• Share or View Your Flight Itinerary

You can view your flight, as well as print your travel documents such as e-tickets or boarding pass.

Further, you may email your flight itinerary details st ‘View/Share Itinerary.

It is also possible to get an upgrade or check-in for your flight.

Moreover, if you book fare types, Business Select or ‘Anytime’ can switch to an available flight for same-day travel. However, taxes and fees may be applicable for the same.

• Change your Southwest Flight Reservation

Southwest enables passengers to make changes to online airline tickets reservations.

All you have to do is log on to the Southwest’s official website.

On the other hand, if you did not purchase the flight ticket online, then you may contact the airlines.

Speak to a Southwest representative and make sure you have an e-Ticket number or flight confirmation number with you. Provide them with the necessary flight changes.

• Cancel your Southwest Flight Reservation

Southwest makes cancelation easy. You can log on to the website and enter details such as your name and confirmation number.

Next, follow the steps on the screen. You will get a refund or an e-credit that you can use against future travel purchases.

Southwest Check-In

You can check-in for your Southwest flight online through the airlines’ website. The check-in begins 24 hours before the flight departure.

Next, you will receive a boarding pass that you may print on the spot or email it to yourself to print later.

On the other hand, if you do not get a boarding pass, you may receive a security document.

You can use this to board. For any further inquiry, you may check with the gate agent or check-in at a Southwest ticket counter.

So, to conclude, you can say that Southwest offers some of the cheapest flight ticket offers in the aviation market.

Further, the airline also has lenient and perhaps the most passenger-friendly policies.