How To Maximize Your Southwest Points With Car Rentals [2023]

If you are a frequent flyer of Southwest Airlines, you’ll want to know all the ways you can earn Rapid Rewards points! Earning points while doing something you have to do anyway is key to maximizing your earning potential!

Did you know you can earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points just for renting a car? We’ll show you how!

Table of contents

Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Benefits of Renting a Car Through Southwest
How To Rent a Car Through Southwest
Car Rental Partners
Standard Car Rental Offers Plus Bonuses
How Do Southwest Car Rental Prices Compare?
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Benefits of Renting a Car Through Southwest
How To Rent a Car Through Southwest
Car Rental Partners
Standard Car Rental Offers Plus Bonuses
How Do Southwest Car Rental Prices Compare?
Final Thoughts

Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

We love the Rapid Rewards loyalty program because it’s so easy to use. If Southwest has a flight available to book with cash, you can book that flight with points with no blackout dates!

There are lots of easy ways to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points without flying, and renting a car is one of them. Each rental through Southwest will earn 600 to 2,400 Rapid Rewards points.

Benefits of Renting a Car Through Southwest

In addition to having a simple-to-navigate interface, renting a car on Southwest comes with guaranteed low prices and no cancellation fees. Plus, you earn Rapid Rewards points with each rental.

How To Rent a Car Through Southwest

1. On Southwest’s home page, click on Car in the top search bar. Then select Book a Car in the drop-down menu.

How To Rent A Car On Southwest — Image Credit: Southwest

2. Enter your pick-up and drop-off locations, dates, and times. Click on the drop-down menu at the bottom of the search box to access advanced search options, including rental company and vehicle size. Then, click the yellow Search button to continue.

Southwest Car- Advanced Search — Click on the drop-down to show advanced search options like the type of vehicle and car rental agency. Image Credit: Southwest

3. Next, you will see a grid showing all of your options. Each car rental company is listed on the left side of the grid, and the types of cars available are listed across the top. The large number is the price per day, but you can also see the total price including taxes listed underneath.

Southwest Car Rentals — Southwest displays all of your car rental options in an easy-to-read grid. Image Credit: Southwest

4. Click on each box for more information about the rental, including how many Rapid Rewards points you’ll earn. Once you’re happy with your selection, click the yellow Continue button.

Renting a car through Southwest — Image Credit: Southwest

5. Now, you can review your selection and add extras like a car seat or ski rack.

6. Click the yellow Continue button, then enter your driver details. You will not have to enter payment details, as all car rentals booked through Southwest are paid once the car is returned. Finally, click the yellow Reserve button to complete your reservation.

Bottom Line: You won’t need to prepay for car rentals when booking through Southwest. Instead, you’ll pay when you return the car.

Car Rental Partners

Southwest partners with 8 different car rental agencies.

You can also rent from Fox and Enterprise through Southwest, but you won’t earn any Southwest points.

Southwest Car Rentals non partner — You can book a car with an agency that doesn’t partner with Southwest but you won’t earn points! The red box in the image above is where you’ll see how many points you’ll earn if you earn points with the rental. Image Credit: Southwest

Standard Car Rental Offers Plus Bonuses

You can earn 600 bonus Rapid Rewards points for each qualifying car rental booked through Southwest Airlines.

Your Rapid Rewards number must be tied to the reservation to earn points, and some partners have coupon codes or other requirements to earn points.

Hot Tip: Any points earned over 600 per rental are considered bonus points. That means those points do NOT count toward A-List or A-List Preferred status or Companion Pass qualification.

Alamo

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide (blackout dates may apply).

Your Rapid Rewards number must be provided at the time of booking or time of check-in and reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. If you happen to have multiple car rentals on the same or consecutive days in the same market, a flight within 24 hours of the rental is required to earn points.

Hot Tip: Booking your car rental with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will earn bonus Ultimate Rewards points! These points can be easily transferred to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.

Avis

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide (blackout dates may apply).

You’ll need to supply your Rapid Rewards number at the time of booking and a frequent flyer surcharge of up to $1 per day may apply.

Bonus Offer: Now through January 31, 2022, earn up to 2,400 points and save up to 35% on qualifying rentals by using coupon code MUAA042 and AWD (Avis Worldwide Discount) code K024798.

1-2 day rentals: Earn 600 points and save up to 35%
3-6 day rentals: Earn 1,200 points and save up to 35%
7+ day rentals: Earn 2,400 points and save up to 35%

Budget

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide (blackout dates may apply).

You’ll need to supply your Rapid Rewards number at the time of booking and a frequent flyer surcharge of up to $1 per day may apply.

Bonus Offer: For qualifying car rentals through January 31, 2022, earn up to 2,400 points and save up to 30%.

1-2 day rentals: Earn 600 points and save up to 30%
3-7 day rentals: Earn 1,200 points and save up to 30%
8+ day rentals: Earn 2,400 points and save up to 30%

Car rental through Southwest — It’s easy to earn bonus Rapid Rewards points when renting a car. Image Credit: Southwest

Dollar

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide (blackout dates may apply). You need to supply your Rapid Rewards number at the time of rental.

Bonus Offer: Now through January 31, 2022, earn up to 1,200 points and save up to 35% on qualifying rentals by using corporate discount code 3055251 and promotion code 101611.

1-2 day rentals: Earn 600 points
3+ rentals: Earn 1,200 points

Hertz

You’ll earn 600 points on each eligible car rental at participating locations worldwide (blackout dates may apply). Rentals using industry discount rates, tour rates, or complimentary rentals will not earn any Southwest points. You need to supply your Rapid Rewards number at the time of rental.

Bonus Offer: For qualifying car rentals through January 31, 2022, earn up to 2,400 points.

1-2 day rentals: Earn 600 points
3-6 day rentals: Earn 1,200 points
7+ day rentals: Earn 2,400 points

Hot Tip: When renting a car, be sure to pay with a credit card with car rental insurance coverage like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. This card provides primary rental insurance including up to $75,000 for theft or collision damage. Be sure to decline the rental company’s insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card to qualify. Plus, you will earn bonus Ultimate Rewards points when paying with this card!

National

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide by requesting Rapid Rewards points at the time of rental or reservation (blackout dates may apply). A flight may be required in order to rent if you’ve got more than 1 rental on the same day or on consecutive days in the same market.

Payless Car Rental

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide by requesting Rapid Rewards points at the time of rental or reservation (blackout dates may apply).

A frequent flyer surcharge of up to $1.50 per day (with a maximum of $7.50 per rental) may apply.

Bonus Offer: Now through January 31, 2022, earn up to 1,200 points and save up to 10% on qualifying rentals.

Thrifty

You’ll earn 600 points on each car rental at participating locations worldwide by requesting Rapid Rewards points at the time of check-in (blackout dates may apply). You can also earn an additional 600 Rapid Rewards points after 3 parking visits at a single Thrifty airport parking location within a 12 month period.

Bonus Offer: For qualifying car rentals through January 31, 2022, earn up to 1,200 points and save up to 10% on base rates.

1-2 day rentals: Earn 600 points and save up to 10%
3+ day rentals: Earn 1,200 points and save up to 10%

Bottom Line: View Southwest’s rental car page for the most up-to-date rental car points offers or to book a rental car through Southwest.

How Do Southwest Car Rental Prices Compare?

While all these bonus Rapid Rewards points are great, does it make sense to book your rental car through Southwest?

We made some price comparisons to see where Southwest stacked up to other car rental websites. Keep in mind, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are valued right around 1.3 cents per point. That makes the 600 to 2,400 bonus points you can earn valued between ~$8 to ~$31.

We searched for a week-long economy-class rental on Southwest.com, Priceline, and all of the car rental agencies’ websites, and here’s what we found:

Car Rental Agency	Southwest.com Standard Rate	Southwest.com Promo Rate	Priceline.com	Car Rental Agency’s Own Website – Pay Later	Car Rental Agency’s Own Website – Pay At Time Of Booking
Alamo	$555	N/A	$524	$524	$500
Avis	$684	$622	$640	$523	$428
Budget	$678	$616	$647	$518	$427
Dollar	$488	$488	$488	$488	N/A
Hertz	$555	$501	$555	$555	N/A
National	$684	N/A	$649	$649	N/A
Payless	$640	$582	$611	$640	$611
Thrifty	$482	$439	$482	$483	N/A

*The least expensive option for each company is in bold.

As you can see, prices are all over the map. In some instances, like for Dollar, Hertz, Payless, and Thrifty, the Southwest promo price was lower than other prices (or the same in the case of Dollar) so it would make sense to book through Southwest to earn the extra points and save some money.

Hot Tip: Not sure what credit card to use? Check out this list of the best credit cards for Southwest Airlines flyers.

Final Thoughts

Earning points through activities other than flying is key to really maximizing your earning potential.

Southwest offers bonus points for each qualified car rental you make with its 8 partners. Each booking you make through Southwest will earn 600 to 2,400 bonus Rapid Rewards points.

If you are looking for a rental with free cancellation, Southwest’s prices are on par with OTAs like Priceline and even the car rental agency’s own websites, making car rentals through Southwest a smart choice for anyone looking to earn lots of Southwest Rapid Rewards points!

Featured Image Credit: Soloviova Liudmyla via Shutterstock

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a Southwest gift card to pay for a car rental?

No, Southwest gift cards and Southwest LUV vouchers can’t be used to pay for rental cars.

Can I use Rapid Rewards points to pay for my car rental?

Yes, you can as long as you hold a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. Go to Southwest.com and click on Rapid Rewards > Redeem Points for Gift Cards & More. However, the value you’ll get isn’t great, so it’s not a recommended way to use your Rapid Rewards points.

Which car rental agencies can I use when I book through Southwest?

Southwest has 8 car rental partners: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar Car Rental, Hertz, National, Payless Car Rental, and Thrifty Car Rental.

How do I book a rental car through Southwest?

To book a rental car through Southwest, go to its website and click on Car > Book a Car in the upper right-hand menu.

Do points earned from car rentals count towards A-List status or Companion Pass?

The first 600 points earned from each car rental booked through Southwest will count towards A-List and A-List Preferred status and Companion Pass qualification. Any points earned over 600 are considered bonus points and will not count towards any status.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie fell in love with travel during a semester abroad in college spent in Nottingham, England. During that time, she got to see Scotland, Ireland, London, and Amsterdam and knew she wanted to see more of the world. Fast forward to 2015 when Katie discovered the world of points and miles. She jumped in full force and hasn’t looked back. After starting her own blog, Zen Life and Travel, in 2016, she began freelance writing in 2017. In addition to being a contributor to Upgraded Points since 2018, she also writes for Forbes Advisor and has previously written for Million Mile Secrets.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

31 comments

Chris July 17, 2018

A word of caution: I have been renting cars through Southwest regularly (20X per year) for 4 years. I used to love the Alamo promos but last year the points stopped posting automatically (you have to email them), so I switched to Dollar. No issues with points posting, usually within 48 hours.

Reply
JW May 24, 2019

Do I understand correctly that you can only get Chase Sapphire Reserve 3x travel points on rental cars if you book directly with the rental car companies? So, if I booked a car through SW, even with a CSR card, that rental would not qualify for 3x bonus points, correct?

Reply
- Stephen Au May 24, 2019
  
  Hey JW,
  
  Yes, you must pay with your Chase Sapphire Reserve to get 3x travel points. Thanks for reading.
  
  Reply
Nick Kostik August 25, 2019

Read the fine print on SW vendor terms when you have selected a vehicle. Budget’s terms: Additional Fees: A frequent flyer surcharge of up to $1.00 per day applies to all rentals earning frequent flyer miles, points or credits.

Reply
Jonathan Lloyd September 12, 2019

You state to go through SouthWest’s web page yet on the Budget section you state it must be done through the link. Which is it?

Reply
- Katie Seemann September 12, 2019
  
  Hi Jonathan,
  
  The link in the Budget section of the post just takes you to the correct page on the Southwest website. Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Kendra Parris September 21, 2019

You state in this article that you can’t redeem Rapid Reward points for car rentals. This is wrong. You most certainly can redeem them for cars. Maybe this is a new thing, but the article should be updated.

Reply
- Katie Seemann September 23, 2019
  
  Hi Kendra,
  Can you specify which article you are referring to? This post doesn’t say anything about using Rapid Rewards points for car rentals. Please let us know so we can make sure everything is up to date. Thanks!
  
  Reply
  - Ashley October 20, 2019
    
    I see the same thing located under the FAQ section, as stated:
    
    “Can I use Rapid Rewards points to pay for my car rental?
    
    No, you can’t pay for your rental car using Southwest Rapid Rewards points.”
    
    Reply
    - Stephen Au October 21, 2019
      
      Hi Ashley,
      
      Yes, you can’t use Rapid Rewards points to pay for car rentals, per Southwest’s terms and conditions.
      
      Reply
      - Concerned Citizen November 6, 2019
        
        You can though.
        
        It costs 13k to 25k (depending on the car rental company) for a full size car, for example.
        
        Maybe you need to have the Southwest Credit Card, but you can use the points to book.
        
        Log-in to your account. On the upper right click Rapid Rewards -> Redeem points for Car Rental.
      - Katie Seemann November 11, 2019
        
        Hi,
        The post has been updated to reflect this change. Thanks for noticing!
- Kelly September 29, 2020
  
  Where can you redeem points for cars? I spent a good amount of time trying to figure this out. Can someone help me out?
  
  Reply
  - Katie Seemann September 30, 2020
    
    Hi Kelly,
    
    You can use Southwest points for car rentals by going to Southwest More Rewards and clicking on Explore Rewards. You’ll then be able to see the rental car options. Hope that helps!
    
    Reply
KAREN B November 10, 2019

Can I earn Rapid rewards points for a car rental in Aruba? What is the point conversion? Will i receive the additional 600 points with certain car rental agencies? Most indicate it is US locations. thanks Karen

Reply
- Katie Seemann November 11, 2019
  
  Hi Karen.
  Whether or not you’ll earn Rapid Rewards points on a car rental in Aruba and whether you’ll earn the 600 points is based on which car rental agency you use, so you’ll need to refer to the terms for your specific rental agency.
  
  Reply
TY December 21, 2019

Katie,
How soon do the Southwest rapid rewards get posted to my account after a car rental. I am currently 500 points short for my companion pass ( I have 109,550 points). Since it’s already December 21, I was planning to rent a car through one of the Southwest partners. The first comment above from Chris suggested that with Dollar points are posted with 48 hours to the Southwest account. Is this correct or do I have to fly before 12/31. Thank you for your response. TY

Reply
- TY December 21, 2019
  
  Any other suggestions for earning 500 rapid rewards points that will post by 12/31/19.
  
  Thanks
  
  Reply
  - Jarrod West December 23, 2019
    
    Hi TY,
    
    Check out our post on the best ways to earn Southwest Rapid Reward points! There are plenty of great options there to earn 500 points.
    
    Reply
- Jarrod West December 23, 2019
  
  Hi TY,
  
  You’re correct that other data points have shown people receiving the points within 48 hours of booking the rental car. However, you may want to contact Southwest to verify this, as it may not be guaranteed.
  
  Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Jennifer March 4, 2021

How does a car rental booked through Southwest post on your credit card statement? Does it post as a Southwest charge, the rental car company charge, or something else?

Reply
- Jarrod West March 8, 2021
  
  Hi Jennifer,
  
  It should post as a rental company charge.
  
  Reply
Angie September 18, 2021

Can you use Rapid Rewards points to book and pay for car rental in the United Kingdom using the Southwest partner agencies?

Reply
- Jarrod West September 22, 2021
  
  Hi Angie,
  
  Southwest allows you to earn its points when renting a car, but they do not appear to allow you to redeem your points towards a rental car.
  
  Reply
Nikki Carter January 3, 2022

Heads up – per Southwest, car rentals DO NOT count towards A-List status. I just fought with them for 3 days about this.

Reply
- Jarrod West January 3, 2022
  
  Hi Nikki,
  
  Thanks for pointing that out! I’ve corrected the post.
  
  Reply
Tanya August 28, 2022

Can I use my Southwest credit card to pay for a rental car? Or do I need another form of payment once I get there?

Reply
- Katie Seemann August 29, 2022
  
  Hi Tanya,
  Yes, you can use your Southwest credit card to pay for a rental car.
  
  Reply
Stacey Sutherland January 4, 2023

Can I use my southwest rapid rewards credit card for rental car at the airport if I did not book one when booking my flight?
Also If I reserved a car with one of southwest partners through my government discount program can I still pay for it and gain points with my RR CC?

Reply
- Jarrod West January 11, 2023
  
  Hi Stacey,
  
  Yes, you can pay for your rental car with whatever credit card you’d like.
  
  Reply
Nicole January 13, 2023

I have a Chase Southwest Credit Card, but I am having trouble renting a car with my rapid rewards points. I have done this in the past, but something seems to have changed.

Reply

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How To Maximize Your Southwest Rapid Rewards Points Through Car Rentals

Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

Benefits of Renting a Car Through Southwest

How To Rent a Car Through Southwest

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