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

[dualrated2]

I guess all the complaints helped. I'm calling now.
http://thepointsguy.com/2017/01/southwest-companion-pass-transfer-eligibility-march-2017/

As we began the New Year on January 1, we took the opportunity to close a loophole in our Rapid Rewards Companion Pass terms and conditions related to transferred points from our Partners. This was an effort intended to clarify qualification requirements for Companion Pass, one of the best benefits in travel, as well as to protect the integrity and value of the Rapid Rewards program.

In doing so, we updated our terms and conditions which now clearly state that points transferred from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club will no longer count toward qualification for a Companion Pass. Members will continue to earn toward Companion Pass benefits through paid flights flown on Southwest, Points earned through spend with Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards credit cards, and base points earned through transactions with Rapid Rewards partners.

Many of you have reached out to us since then, and we greatly appreciate your honest and candid feedback. Because we are a Company that values our Customers and believes in doing the right thing, we are offering a limited window for Customers to earn toward Companion Pass by transferring their loyalty points from these Partners.

To that end, points converted from the above mentioned programs will count towards a Companion Pass until March 31, 2017. This is a hard deadline and we will not be able to make any exceptions beyond March 31. If you have points with these Partners that you wanted to transfer, please do not wait. Make the transfer before the deadline.

We appreciate all of our Customers and look forward to seeing you onboard very soon!


Read more: http://thepointsguy.com/2017/01/sou...ransfer-eligibility-march-2017/#ixzz4UrOBWymq

 

[mdurette]

Yeah!

 

[Fasttr]

It's not often today, that a company realizes they screwed up, admits it, and offers a solution. Kudo's to SWA.

 

[larryallen]

Doing it today! Good news.

 

[Weimaraner]

Omg! This is unbelievable! I was one of those people who saved points for Jan 1. I had just heard of the Companion Pass. I am so impressed that they changed position. Thank you for letting me know!

 

[rthib]

This is why people love SWA.

 

[dioxide45]

This is why people love SWA.

They certainly didn't love them the other day. SW did this because of the many negative complaints. Doing it this way from the beginning would have been the right way to do it.

 

[LilyPond]

I love SWA, have traveled with them for years. I agree, they look out for their customers and pay attention when an issue arises. No one is perfect and sometimes mistakes happen. It's how a company takes care of their customers that counts and keeps so many of us coming back. Kudos to SWA!

 

[rickandcindy23]

I already did purchase a travel package with 5 nights in category 7.

 

[vacationlover2]

Does anyone know how long it takes for the companion pass to show? My points were transferred over on January 3. Thanks!

 

[dioxide45]

Does anyone know how long it takes for the companion pass to show? My points were transferred over on January 3. Thanks!

You might need to contact them. I know Mr Vickr also ordered a travel package. I thought the PC showed up right away, but you probably ordered in the period of time where SW stopped offering it on hotel transfers and the new announcement.

 

[JT]

Is there a travel package for dummies thread somewhere? My wife and I have a lot of points saved up and not sure how this works.
THx

 

[mdurette]

Is there a travel package for dummies thread somewhere? My wife and I have a lot of points saved up and not sure how this works.
THx

There is a lot on flyertalk. This would be start for you: http://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi

As for the question about how long....
I ordered my TP on the 4th. That ECert showed up right away with Marriott.
My SW points showed up today.
CP indicator full - but no link to allow me to designate my CP holder. But, in the past, I know I needed to call that in if I wanted it right away. I will wait a few days and if the link doesn't show, I will make the call.

 

[rthib]

Is there a travel package for dummies thread somewhere? My wife and I have a lot of points saved up and not sure how this works.
THx

I'll give you the quick version:
Two types of Travel Packages 7-day (available to everyone) and 5-day (only available to MVCI owners).
You can order 7-day online at Marriott.com, 5-day you have to call.
It includes a hotel stay and airline points. You don't have to have a hotel reservation, you can get certificate and it is good for 1 year (and lots of threads on how to extend).
Advantage is if you subtract the hotel cost from the package, the airline points conversion rate is 1-1 so it is a good deal. 5-day is a little less value than 7-day but if you don't need 7-days or don't have points, 5-day is great.
Most people get Category 1-5 certificate. You can always call later and have them upgrade (and you just pay point different of package).

Hope that helps.

 

[dioxide45]

I was not aware that you could order any of the travel packages online. We have always called. I find it best to call Marriott Rewards Customer Service. Unfortunately their business hours are only M-F till 5:00pm, they seem to be the most knowledgeable in processing these reward redemptions.

 

[bazzap]

I was not aware that you could order any of the travel packages online. We have always called. I find it best to call Marriott Rewards Customer Service. Unfortunately their business hours are only M-F till 5:00pm, they seem to be the most knowledgeable in processing these reward redemptions.

I too always phone to order my Travel Packages, but it is true that you can order the 7 night ones online.
If you are signed in to your Marriott Rewards account and go to the Travel Package page
https://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi#3
then click "View" against your chosen combination of Airline Miles and Hotel Category
it will take you through the booking sequence.

 

[rthib]

I will add that I never do online since I am Platinum Premiere and have the super secret phone number where they know my name.

Even if you call, it is a good idea to look at it online and get the certificate number; for Cat 1-5, 120K SWA it is 830T
When I called she was having trouble finding it, so I suggested 830T to her.

I called Thursday morning and points were posted Saturday.
SWA shows Companion Pass meter full but can't name companion yet - as I recall it takes 2-3 days for IT sweep to catch up, but if I need to fly I could call (had to do that 2 years ago).

There is a good thread with other tips on new companion pass users on flyer talk (like remind you to enter trusted travel number every time for companion, how to cancel or change flights)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...e-give-advice-new-companion-pass-holders.html

 

[Conan]

There is a good thread with other tips on new companion pass users on flyer talk (like remind you to enter trusted travel number every time for companion, how to cancel or change flights)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...e-give-advice-new-companion-pass-holders.html

Thanks for the above link. One of the replies there says that the Southwest smartphone app has better functionality than their web page. Good to know.

Meanwhile I've been looking at the Marriott Category 5 hotels. Slim pickings!
http://www.marriott.com/hotel-search/Category5.hotels/

You mentioned above that

You can always call later and have them upgrade [from Category 5] (and you just pay point different of package).

I guess I need to earn and apply additional Marriott points per
Hotel +Air Package 3
http://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi

So the step-up from Cat 5 to Tier 3 (for example) is 150,000 Marriott points or 21,430 points per night.
Does that seem to be a fair price?

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks for the above link. One of the replies there says that the Southwest smartphone app has better functionality than their web page. Good to know.

Meanwhile I've been looking at the Marriott Category 5 hotels. Slim pickings!
http://www.marriott.com/hotel-search/Category5.hotels/

You mentioned above that


I guess I need to earn and apply additional Marriott points per
Hotel +Air Package 3
http://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi

So the step-up from Cat 5 to Tier 3 (for example) is 150,000 Marriott points or 21,430 points per night.
Does that seem to be a fair price?

The Tier levels are for Ritz Carlton properties and the points are very high. better to just go to a cat 8 or 9 and stay at a Marriott.

 

[DEScottzz]

Just an FYI: You should start the process a couple weeks before you need to make a reservation.

I called the MRP people today to verify how many points I would need. They told me that after I made the request, it would take 3 days or so for Southwest to see the miles in my account. Then when I talked to the MVC people to do the conversion, they said it would take 5 business days to get the miles in to my MRP account.

I may try to call during business hours to see whether I can speed up the process.

 

[Conan]

The Tier levels are for Ritz Carlton properties and the points are very high. better to just go to a cat 8 or 9 and stay at a Marriott.

I've got my eye on JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa.
It's Category 8, so the upgrade would be 90,000 points or 12,860 points/night for one bedroom

[The JW Phuket property is also bookable for 200,000 points per week on the Marriott website. Comparing that to a 270,000 + 90,000 point investment in the program, you can say you get 120,000 Southwest Rewards + companion status for 270,000 + 90,000 - 200,000 = 160,000 Marriott points worth $1,280 at .8 cents per point.]

Meanwhile, the going rate on Redweek for a week at Phuket Beach Club is $1,500 to $2,000.
If 200,000 points are worth $1,800 that's in line with the Marriott pricing, except Redweek gives you a two bedroom unit.

 

[rthib]

So the step-up from Cat 5 to Tier 3 (for example) is 150,000 Marriott points or 21,430 points per night.
Does that seem to be a fair price?

Price for all the packages is the same (for 7 night). 6 night * rate (5th night free) + 120,000.
For Ritz unless you are staying at top top tier level of group (3 or 5) you are not getting as good a deal since the price for lower tiers are slightly cheaper. Same would apply if you were staying at a Marriott 1-4.

Personally, I have not found a Ritz to be worth the premium over a Cat 8 or 9, but that's me.

 

[dioxide45]

I've got my eye on JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa.
It's Category 8, so the upgrade would be 90,000 points or 12,860 points/night for one bedroom

[The JW Phuket property is also bookable for 200,000 points per week on the Marriott website. Comparing that to a 270,000 + 90,000 point investment in the program, you can say you get 120,000 Southwest Rewards + companion status for 270,000 + 90,000 - 200,000 = 160,000 Marriott points worth $1,280 at .8 cents per point.]

Meanwhile, the going rate on Redweek for a week at Phuket Beach Club is $1,500 to $2,000.
If 200,000 points are worth $1,800 that's in line with the Marriott pricing, except Redweek gives you a two bedroom unit.

Consider also that getting a 1BR over a standard room may results in an upgrade cert being needed at an additional 5,000 points per night on top of the hotel certificate.

 

[Conan]

Consider also that getting a 1BR over a standard room may results in an upgrade cert being needed at an additional 5,000 points per night on top of the hotel certificate.

Can you tell me how to find out if upgrade certifs are needed to book a one bedroom unit in a Marriott timeshare property using a Category 8 Hotel Package?

It would probably be Phuket Beach Club or, closer to home, Marriott Vacation Club Pulse on 37th Street, New York City.

 

[dioxide45]

I just did a points search at the Phuket Beach Club. Here is what I see under the listing for a 2BR unit after I click the See Rates button "eCertificate plus 2 upgrade certificates required per night". This is how you determine if there is more required for the redemption than simply the certificate that comes from the travel package.