How To Use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal to Maximize Points [2017]
Earning extra points and miles for something you’re already planning to spend money on is a pretty great concept. Luckily for you, it’s also pretty easily done! This article will tell you what you need to know about using Southwest’s shopping portal.
Table of contents
How To Log in & Basics of Using Program
You can view the bonus points offered for spending at various retailers without logging in, but you will need to log in to actually earn them.
Logging in is simple; just use the same information you would use to log in to your regular Southwest frequent flyer account.
Once you are logged in to the Southwest airlines store, you simply need to search for your desired retailer to see the number of bonus points they’re offering for your purchases!
Let’s say you are interested in reward shopping at Gap.com. At the time of writing, we searched for Gap and found an offer of 2 extra Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent on Gap.com purchases.
To earn the bonus, just click “Shop Now” to be redirected to the retailer website to complete your transaction. Then complete your purchase from the window that opens. Beyond that, there’s nothing more you need to do in order to earn the bonus!
Special Shopping Offers
Southwest offers bonus points for spending different amounts of money through their store at various times throughout the year.
You should definitely keep an eye out for Southwest’s special shopping bonuses. Here are a few examples of past offers that might come up again throughout the year:
- Holiday 2016 Bonus: Spend $150, Earn 500 Bonus Points; Spend $500, Earn 1,000 Bonus Points; Spend $1,000, Earn 3,000 Bonus Points
- Back to School 2016 Bonus: Spend $150, Earn 250 Bonus Points; Spend $500, Earn 750 Bonus Points; Spend $1,000, Earn 2,500 Bonus Points
The holiday shopping season is a great time to earn lots of rewards for purchases you would be making already!
Example Retailers
The number of points earned for shopping at various retailers changes regularly. At the time of writing, here are some of the better deals offered through the Southwest Airlines store.
- Proactiv: 20 pts/$1
- 1-800-Flowers: 7 pts/$1
- eBags: 6 pts/$1
- JCPenney: 5 pts/$1
- Backcountry: 4 pts/$1
- …and many more!
Using Credit Cards To Earn Extra Points
Even though you’ll be earning extra points through the reward shopping portal, it makes sense to multiply this bonus by also using a card that will give you a good reward for the spending you’re doing.
If your sole focus is to earn Southwest points, you should choose cards that earn them directly or cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.
Also, consider whether the retailer you’re shopping with falls into a bonus category on any of your cards, and then choose your card accordingly.
Below we list the applicable credit cards to help you get the most rewards while using the online store!
Chase Ultimate Rewards Cards
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
| CREDIT CARD | CARD INFO |
|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Our #1 rewards card). |
|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve℠ Card |
|
| Chase Freedom® |
|
| Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ |
|
Recommended Chase Cards (Business)
| CREDIT CARD | CARD INFO |
|---|---|
| Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card |
|
| Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card |
|
Southwest Rapid Rewards Cards
| CREDIT CARD | CARD INFO |
|---|---|
| Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | Earn 2x Rapid Rewards points with Southwest and Southwest hotel and car rental partners Annual Fee: $99 Our Review |
| Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card | Earn 2x Rapid Rewards points with Southwest and Southwest hotel and car rental partners Annual Fee: $69 Our Review |
| Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Card | 2X points on Southwest® purchases Annual Fee: $99 |
Final Thoughts
Utilizing the Southwest shopping center is an easy way to earn an extra point or more per dollar spent on most of the shopping you’re going to do online anyway. You may also want to try using their dining program to really maximize the rewards.
Better yet, if you haven’t signed up for the shopping portal in the past, it is possible to earn bonus points simply for signing up at various times throughout the year. Gather up all your new rewards and use them for flights on Southwest!
