Southwest A-List Challenge Offer – Targeted?

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member

Southwest delivered an interesting email to my inbox yesterday. It’s been years since I’ve flown a single segment with them – none since they’ve gone to a points/revenue based program from their prior segment-based system, in fact. However, yesterday Southwest targeted me with what amounts to a fairly easy A-List status challenge. The challenge offers A-List status for the rest of 2015 after flying 3 round trips, 6 one ways (flights, not total segments), or earning 8750 tier points with any combination of the above.


Southwest A-List Challenge Email


This is an interesting offer simply because I didn’t know Southwest was doing anything like this. Personally, if I were to go after Southwest status, I’d probably try for the companion pass. For others who maybe don’t have the desire or need to manufacture a companion pass, an offer like this is an easier way to get some perks like priority boarding and security.


Southwest A-List Benefits and Qualifying


Southwest A-List status normally requires 25 one way flights or 35,000 points. Since Southwest is already giving you free bags and doesn’t have change fees, the benefits are minimal compared to other elite programs. You’ll get the usual priority phone number, security, boarding and check-in, as well as a 25% bonus on point earning.

Now, I don’t currently fly Southwest for a number of reasons – first and foremost, they offer exactly one year-round non-stop flight from PWM, and it’s to BWI. Second, their fares aren’t particularly competitive when connecting from PWM to the places we travel. Third, the combination of a revenue-based rewards program without international routes/partners is a bit of a turnoff for me – I tend to use my mileage earned from domestic travel and credit card spend for European trips. Last, with a toddler, I’m not confident in my ability to always be there to board with the family group after the “A” group – for those that don’t know, Southwest doesn’t assign seats, so it’s first come first served. Should we arrive too late, it may mean we can’t get 3 seats together, and that’s a situation I’d like to avoid. For that reason in particular, I don’t really like Southwest for families traveling with smaller children. A-List status would help with a lot of that with all of the priority lines and best available boarding pass. I’ll certainly register for this promotion since it costs me nothing to do so, and if Southwest has decent fares for my upcoming trips, I may end up completing it – but I won’t be going out of my way for it. I’m no longer running for status in general.

I’m putting this out there for folks to check their inboxes. You may be targeted for this offer as well, so if traveling Southwest makes more sense for you, it’s a nice interim step on your way to a companion pass, should you choose to manufacture that.

Continue reading...
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
I'm not sure if this would work, since I don't have the offer... The Southwest Premier Card gets you 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10K Spend up to 15K Tier Points per year. You need to earn 8,750 Tier Qualifying Points which you would earn with $60K Spend. There is a 2 superscript notation there, so I'm not sure what terms are added. It's not worth MS just for this IMO, but if you were going to MS your way up to a companion pass (or part of a pass) may have some added value. I'm guessing those terms exclude this, but it might work...
 

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
The terms did state that credit card earnings didn't count after I registered. I thought about MS'ing my way just to try it out.

If Southwest happens to be the cheapest fare on a trip I already need to take, I'll fly them, but otherwise I'm trying to credit the ~25k I'll fly this year to Alaska.
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
The terms did state that credit card earnings didn't count after I registered. I thought about MS'ing my way just to try it out.

If Southwest happens to be the cheapest fare on a trip I already need to take, I'll fly them, but otherwise I'm trying to credit the ~25k I'll fly this year to Alaska.
Damn, they're catching on to our methods...
 

sriki

Level 2 Member
I wonder how they are going to classify TQPs from CC spend and flights taken. I suspect that they might end counting CC spend TQPs. But, I have no way of testing it. Damn you SW, where is my invite?
 

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
Try this link: https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/promotion?f=2p7i0p55&CLK=RRDHCTA3&firstName=&lastName=&accountNumber=&RMID=L_150122_RREU_TierChallenge_V3&RRID=YmVhY2hhbmdlbDEzQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ..&src=MAILRRDUPDTTRCHV3150122&RR_NUMBER=9f54a0672497c5df4bbafd1f602e0fcf069991b8&RSD=2618

GiddyForPoints posted that with her personal info removed (other than the hashed RR number). It should give you a blank form, but you might need to try the link more than once so that whatever session this link refers to can expire.
 

Kim @Savy.Traveler

Level 2 Member
I'm not sure if this would work, since I don't have the offer... The Southwest Premier Card gets you 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10K Spend up to 15K Tier Points per year. You need to earn 8,750 Tier Qualifying Points which you would earn with $60K Spend. There is a 2 superscript notation there, so I'm not sure what terms are added. It's not worth MS just for this IMO, but if you were going to MS your way up to a companion pass (or part of a pass) may have some added value. I'm guessing those terms exclude this, but it might work...
The superscript reads:
2 Tier Qualifying Points are earned from revenue flights or through select Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards and are exclusive of bonuses and promotions.
 

Kim @Savy.Traveler

Level 2 Member
Try this link: https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/promotion?f=2p7i0p55&CLK=RRDHCTA3&firstName=&lastName=&accountNumber=&RMID=L_150122_RREU_TierChallenge_V3&RRID=YmVhY2hhbmdlbDEzQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ..&src=MAILRRDUPDTTRCHV3150122&RR_NUMBER=9f54a0672497c5df4bbafd1f602e0fcf069991b8&RSD=2618

GiddyForPoints posted that with her personal info removed (other than the hashed RR number). It should give you a blank form, but you might need to try the link more than once so that whatever session this link refers to can expire.
I was able to register myself and husband for the promo using the link, but not my mom. To the best of my knowledge, neither my husband or I received the email invite yet.
 

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
I updated my post with a link that seems to not prefill or contain any personal info. I sent it over to GFP as well to see if she wants to modify hers since she also wrote about this.

Interesting that folks are able to register without having received the email. All the reason to give it a shot.
 

sriki

Level 2 Member
I could not register for it and tried contacting Southwest about getting me on that programs. I was rejected. :(
 
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