It’s another day, another change for frequent flyer miles programs. Here’s what’s happening.
Southwest Airlines announced that, as of April 17, its changing how you can redeem Rapid Rewards points.
The number of points needed will vary based on where you’re flying, the time of day, the fare class, and other factors.
The airline isn’t saying much right now, but the bottom line is that Southwest is probably following in the footsteps of other airlines to devalue your miles.
United Airlines just switched its rewards program this month. The miles you earn is based on your fare, not the distance you fly.
Delta made a similar change to its program earlier this year.
Now, the bulk of rewards points are actually earned on the ground—through credit card partnerships—not through real air miles.
So, making it harder for the average Joe to earn miles doesn’t impact the airlines much. Since airlines are flying at 80 percent capacity, they have no incentive to lose purchased seats in place of rewards redemptions.
This is merely a simple case of maximized profit for the airlines.
For more information about frequent flyer programs, check out:
- It’s Getting Easier to Use Your Miles to Buy One Way Tickets
- Would You Pay $2500 to Keep Your Airline Status?
- How to Reinstate Your Expired Miles
Keep reading for more travel tips.
