Southwest Companion Pass is back. Get it quick. [Deadline 3/31/17]

[deniseh]

i can't find the 5 night travel packages on the MVC website. I know i found it the other day but it seems to be difficult to find.

 

[Superchief]

You would be able to use the 110,000 RR for future travel. The 110,000 is the threshold you must earn in order to qualify for the companion pass.

I didn't realize this because I never flew Southwest that much. That makes this a no brainer now that Southwest is starting to fly from CVG. I wish I hadn't already booked our flights for my trips for the rest of 2017, except one way CVG to DEN in September. I'll plan my trips for 2018 for SW destinations. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Fasttr]

i can't find the 5 night travel packages on the MVC website. I know i found it the other day but it seems to be difficult to find.

This link should get you there after signing in.
https://owners.marriottvacationclub.com/timeshare/mvco/marriottRewardsOwnerSpecials

 

[dsmrp]

First thanks to the OP and others for the info about the Southwest companion pass and Marriott travel packages. I originally thought DH and I wouldn't be able to use the companion pass much, but on 2nd consideration it is definitely better than getting airline miles on other airlines such as United or American etc, so we're going to initiate getting the companion pass before the March deadline.

We want to use the Marriott hotel certificate in London in spring 2018. Looking at the London Marriotts, the ones we like are category 8 hotels. My question is, should we get the Cat 1-5 certificate and upgrade next year, or get the Cat 8 one now?

What's the history been like of Marriott raising the point requirements for the travel packages or hotels? I sure can see the categories changing for some hotels.
Also unknown for 2018 are Marriott's plans to revamp their rewards program and how the travel packages may be affected.

I'm banking on that I'll be able to extend the hotel certificate next year because my intended use will be GT than 1 year. On FlyerTalk, several have said they were able to have the certificates extended another year by calling close to the certificate expiration date. Am I making a bad assumption about being able to extend?

Thanks!

 

[dioxide45]

I didn't realize this because I never flew Southwest that much. That makes this a no brainer now that Southwest is starting to fly from CVG. I wish I hadn't already booked our flights for my trips for the rest of 2017, except one way CVG to DEN in September. I'll plan my trips for 2018 for SW destinations. Thanks for the clarification.

Yup, you are getting Southwest and we are losing them, here in Dayton. We never flew them that much anyway.

 

[lhwhizz]

First thanks to the OP and others for the info about the Southwest companion pass and Marriott travel packages. I originally thought DH and I wouldn't be able to use the companion pass much, but on 2nd consideration it is definitely better than getting airline miles on other airlines such as United or American etc, so we're going to initiate getting the companion pass before the March deadline.

We want to use the Marriott hotel certificate in London in spring 2018. Looking at the London Marriotts, the ones we like are category 8 hotels. My question is, should we get the Cat 1-5 certificate and upgrade next year, or get the Cat 8 one now?

What's the history been like of Marriott raising the point requirements for the travel packages or hotels? I sure can see the categories changing for some hotels.
Also unknown for 2018 are Marriott's plans to revamp their rewards program and how the travel packages may be affected.

I'm banking on that I'll be able to extend the hotel certificate next year because my intended use will be GT than 1 year. On FlyerTalk, several have said they were able to have the certificates extended another year by calling close to the certificate expiration date. Am I making a bad assumption about being able to extend?

Thanks!

When you call to upgrade the hotel cat. It will automatically extend for another year.

 

[dsmrp]

When you call to upgrade the hotel cat. It will automatically extend for another year.

Ahhh, thanks! I am a starwood immigrant into Marriott rewards land Okay we'll get the base cat 1-5 then.

 

[deniseh]

This link should get you there after signing in.
https://owners.marriottvacationclub.com/timeshare/mvco/marriottRewardsOwnerSpecials

thanks for that. I actually was on Marriott owners site yesterday looking for it prior to your post and engaged in chat with MVC rep and she told me it was no longer on their website.

 

[DEScottzz]

Basics 101 on Southwest and companion pass. I work 10 mikes from Islip but live 15 miles from JFK so I rarely fly SWA. From what I have read on Tug and the internet, can someone validate what I think...

- if you earn 110k rapid reward points in a given year, you earn a companion pass.
- the companion pass is valid in the year you earn it and the following year
- when I fly, a companion can fly free with the companion pass.
- I can use a Marriott Travel Package that gets me 120k rapid reward points either with a 5 day or 7 day package at any level hotel I want (I have the MR points).
- as long as the package transfer it complete before 3/31/17 I will get the companion pass.

If this is the case, it seams like a no brainer.
questions
can the companion pass be used when yiu book a flight using Rapid Rewad points or only when tickets are paid for?
Is the companion pass good for any SWA ticket type?

Thanks in advance for your help.

One other thing to mention on the Companion Pass:

You must designate a "Companion," and that's the person who can fly free with you. You are allowed to change who you designate only a limited number of times over the life of the pass. I believe it's three times.

 

[vacationlover2]

One other thing to mention on the Companion Pass:

You must designate a "Companion," and that's the person who can fly free with you. You are allowed to change who you designate only a limited number of times over the life of the pass. I believe it's three times.

Per the terms and conditions you can change your companion 3 times per year.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yup, you are getting Southwest and we are losing them, here in Dayton. We never flew them that much anyway.

My sister-in-law lives in Germantown, and she just informed me of this. I have given her several gift cards for Southwest, and now she cannot use them. Very disappointing. She is not able to travel before Southwest vacates Dayton's airport.

 

[dioxide45]

My sister-in-law lives in Germantown, and she just informed me of this. I have given her several gift cards for Southwest, and now she cannot use them. Very disappointing. She is not able to travel before Southwest vacates Dayton's airport.

It is only an extra half hour to CVG, so she could book some flights from there to use up the cards. My issues with CVG is that it is much larger than both DAY and CMH and parking is also much more expansive than the other two.

 

[Superchief]

It is only an extra half hour to CVG, so she could book some flights from there to use up the cards. My issues with CVG is that it is much larger than both DAY and CMH and parking is also much more expansive than the other two.

If you are flying an early flight on a weekend, check out the Park N Fly rates at hotels on weekends. I sometimes use the airport Marriott, which often has a P&F rate under $120. Since my house in north of Cincinnati, I'd prefer to get there the night before rather than risking delays or construction on I-75 South.

 

[AlmostRetired]

Just got off the phone with Marriott to do the exchange for the 5 day package cat 5 235,000 MRP. On call, I was told that Marriott is being inundated with Transfers for this. My guess is we will see point and fare increases but still the best use of MR points I have seen in recent years for anyone that has easy access to Southwest. I have Aruba in July, trying for Newport Beach in August and might squeeze a Ft Lauderdale in April. If I can't trade for Newport, I will use the 5 day stay at a Marriott. I priced out the trips using Jetblue and Southwest. Looking at all the trips as a package the costs are almost equal.. $2400. I would still have a couple of points left over with RRP.

Just as an FYI, Amx doesn't go to MRP but it transfers to Starwood at 3 Amx to 1 Starwood. Starwood goes 1 to 3 to MRP. So it becomes a 1 to 1 from Amx to MRP and the who;e process took a blink of an eye.

I posted that LI is having a local Marriott presentation for current owners in a couple of weeks. Choice of gifts are 300 or 50,000 MRP. Before this post I was signed up for 300. I now switched to 50,000 points.

Again, thanks to the OP and for all who contributed.

 

[PamMo]

If you convert MRP's into Rapid Rewards points for the Companion Pass, do you automatically get Southwest's A-List Preferred status, too?

 

[larryallen]

If you convert MRP's into Rapid Rewards points for the Companion Pass, do you automatically get Southwest's A-List Preferred status, too?

Nope.

 

[rickandcindy23]

It is only an extra half hour to CVG, so she could book some flights from there to use up the cards. My issues with CVG is that it is much larger than both DAY and CMH and parking is also much more expansive than the other two.

She wouldn't want to park her car, and her elderly parents would not want to drive so far to drop her off. I can give her some hotel nights, so she could book a parking and hotel package. I will look into it. She wanted to know if I want those SW gift cards back. No, because we book all of our flights with points. We never pay for flights anymore, and now we have the Companion Pass, so we just cannot use the gift cards.

 

[rthib]

If you convert MRP's into Rapid Rewards points for the Companion Pass, do you automatically get Southwest's A-List Preferred status, too?

When I moved to Dallas they offered me a challenge. Gave me A-list and a pretty easy challenge to earn it for the year. If you travel on business and can book business select, it is pretty easy to get.

 

[deniseh]

can anyone tell me what number to call for the Marriott reward 5 night packages?

 

[dioxide45]

can anyone tell me what number to call for the Marriott reward 5 night packages?

1 801 468 4000 (8:15am - 9:00pm, Monday - Friday, US Eastern time)

 

[dsmrp]

Per the terms and conditions you can change your companion 3 times per year.

Really? 3 times per year is great. I too quickly read it as 3 times per the entire duration of the companion pass period.
FWIW, if converting Starpoints to Marriot reward points, Starwood lets members of the same household transfer points without fee or max limit of points. Marriott charges $10 and max transfer is 50K points. Since DH and I decided it was best for me to be the primary traveler for the SW companion pass, he's transferring all of his starpoints to me, woohoo!

 

[deniseh]

I'm ready to do an exchange with our reward points for a travel package but think it might not be working out as good as I hoped. Our Marriott Rewards number is in my husband's name but I'm the one that wants the companion pass so I can designate my companion. I tend to travel more of the two of us and sometimes travel with girlfriends or sisters/daughter so it would be nice to have the option to change companion depending on who I am traveling with. Am i right in thinking that the name attached to Marriott reward number is the one that will need to be associated with the miles from the travel package and then be considered the owner of the companion pass?

 

[dioxide45]

I'm ready to do an exchange with our reward points for a travel package but think it might not be working out as good as I hoped. Our Marriott Rewards number is in my husband's name but I'm the one that wants the companion pass so I can designate my companion. I tend to travel more of the two of us and sometimes travel with girlfriends or sisters/daughter so it would be nice to have the option to change companion depending on who I am traveling with. Am i right in thinking that the name attached to Marriott reward number is the one that will need to be associated with the miles from the travel package and then be considered the owner of the companion pass?

You are correct. However, you should be able to transfer all the points from your husbands account to your MR account when you redeem the reward. They will want to talk to your husband when you do this, but there should be no problem getting all the points moved over to your MR account, then you can convert to the travel package award.

 

[mdurette]

Really? 3 times per year is great. I too quickly read it as 3 times per the entire duration of the companion pass period.

Yes....but keep in mind if you have multiple flights with companion A already scheduled, you need to cancel them if you change to B, then change back to A later on if needed and reschedule the flights.

How do I change my Companion Pass designation?

You can change your designated companion and request issuance of a new Companion Pass up to three (3) times each calendar year that you maintain Companion Pass status. Any reservation with the current Companion Pass would need to be cancelled before changing your designated Companion. You can designate a companion through My Account on Southwest.com, but to change your companion you must call 1-800-435-9792. Please allow 21 business days for processing.

 

[dualrated2]

You are correct. However, you should be able to transfer all the points from your husbands account to your MR account when you redeem the reward. They will want to talk to your husband when you do this, but there should be no problem getting all the points moved over to your MR account, then you can convert to the travel package award.

One caution in doing that. If your husband has Lifetime status, he could lose it based on the number of points that are transferred from his account to yours. I know this for a fact as I briefly lost my Lifetime Gold status when I transferred 280,000 to my wife's account for a travel package. I went from Lifetime Gold to Lifetime Silver.