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Southwest Airlines is a go-to for many travelers, thanks to its exceptional customer service and perks like free checked bags. But what's even better than flying with an airline you love? Scoring a heavily discounted or even free flight using points earned from your everyday spending.
In this guide, we'll show you how to transfer your Chase rewards points into Southwest Rapid Rewards points in seven simple steps, so you can start enjoying flight perks right away.
1. Make sure your Chase card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points
There are three cards that earn transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel. They are:
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
100,000 bonus points
Welcome Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
Welcome Offer:
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 90,000 bonus points
Rewards Program:
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases
Rewards Program:
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards Program:
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories
Intro APR:
N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Regular APR:
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Regular APR:
20.24% - 26.24% Variable
Annual Fee:
$95
Annual Fee:
$550
Annual Fee:
N/A
$95
Highlights:
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) values each point at $0.015, while Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) each provide $0.0125 in value per point.
2. Create a Southwest Rapid Rewards account
If you don't already have one, you'll need to set up a Rapid Rewards account to transfer your Chase points.
Head to the Southwest Airlines website and click on "Create account." You'll be prompted to enter the following details:
Name
Date of birth
Street address
Email address
Next, create a username and password. Once you've completed these steps, your account is ready to go! Be sure to note your Rapid Rewards number -- you'll need that in a few steps.
From there, navigate to the Chase Travel Portal by selecting "Travel" in the navigation bar. Then, click on "Transfer points to partners" to get started.
Image source: Brooklyn Sprunger
4. Choose Southwest Airlines as your transfer partner
The airline options will be listed in alphabetical order. Select Southwest Airlines, and then "Transfer Points."
Image source: Brooklyn Sprunger
5. Enter your Southwest Rapid Rewards number
Here's where you'll need that number we found earlier. If prompted, confirm which card user you're entering the rewards number for, and then input the number.
If for whatever reason you got this far without a Rapid Rewards account, you can create one here by clicking "Join Southwest."
6. Determine how many points you want to transfer
You'll need a minimum of 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to transfer to Southwest, and transfers must be made in increments of 1,000 points.
Image source: Brooklyn Sprunger
7. Transfer those points!
Hit "Submit," and you're all set! Keep in mind that it can take up to 72 hours for the transfer to reflect in your Rapid Rewards account. To avoid delays, plan to complete your transfer a few days before you're ready to book your travel.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
1% - 5% Cashback
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending
$200 cash rewards
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
2% cash rewards
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Intro:
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
1.5-3 points per dollar
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers
may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
What to know before you transfer Chase points to Southwest
Keep in mind that there are times where you're better off paying for your Southwest flight with points through Chase's travel portal instead of transferring your points to Southwest and purchasing there.
We'll break it down with an example: Imagine you're planning a flight from Denver, CO, to Nashville, TN.
Image source: Brooklyn Sprunger
If you book through Southwest, the $244 Wanna Get Away fare would cost 17,618 Southwest Rapid Rewards points (so, rounded up to the highest 1,000 points, you'd need to transfer 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points).
WithChase Sapphire Preferred® CardorInk Business Preferred® Credit Card: 19,520 Ultimate Rewards points (at $0.0125 per point)
In this scenario:
If you have theChase Sapphire Reserve® card, it's more cost-effective to book through Chase Travel using your points.
If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you'd save more by transferring your points to Southwest and booking there.
Always evaluate your options when considering transferring Chase points to Southwest. The best strategy will vary depending on the card you use and the specific booking details.
It can take up to 72 hours for transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to appear in your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. Often it takes less time than that, but you should plan accordingly when you're booking travel.
Yes, it is free. There is no fee to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Airlines.
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Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Brendan Byrnes has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, JPMorgan Chase, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Southwest Airlines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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