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Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

chgoflyer
Aviator A

When you buy points, the fine print on the purchase page says "Purchased points are nonrefundable and nonreversible."

 

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In order to complete the purchase, you must select the box showing that you've read the Terms and Conditions, which repeats that points are nonrefundable.

 

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It's pretty clear that Southwest (and points.com) have done all they can to communicate to you that purchased points are nonrefundable and nonreversible.

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

dfwskier
Aviator A

@Carolj wrote:

I wish I had read this post before I got taken the same way. When you call Southwest to reserve airfare, you are advised that buying fares online may cost less. This is not the case when booking air fare online with points. When I entered the flights, the message popped up: you must buy points to complete this purchase. There was no advice stating that it may be cheaper to pay cash.

Even though I realized this mistake before I booked the flight, a Southwest Representative told me there is nothing that can be done. Chase has told me I cannot dispute it through the charge card dispute process. I am going to try again tomorrow after reading that Chase got you the refund. I can’t believe there hasn’t been a class action law suit regarding these deceptive practices, but there will be eventually.  The excuse for no refund is that a third party manages this so Southwest is not able to refund, which is ridiculous.  It is very disappointing because I have always thought of Southwest as a Consumer friendly company. Obviously, it is not.


The page where you buy points clearly states "Purchased points are nonrefundable and nonreversible. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms."

 

It is up to you to understand what you are buying/

 

You told SW you wanted to buy a points  flight. SW told you that you did not have enough points to do so, and told you a way to get enough points to do so. SW was trying to help you do what you told SW you wanted to do. It's was easy enough for you to see that bought points cost more than the value of those points used on you proposed points flight. Yet, apparently, you did not do so.

 

 

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

adamj1212
Explorer B

@chgoflyer, @dfwskier,


I agree that SWA and Points are doing all they can about stating that points purchases are non-refundable. Great job driving that one home. No disputes there. However, if people don't play around with bookings and know that different combinations of ticket purchases (i.e. one-way, round-trip, topping off with points, purchase with all points) may greatly vary in pricing there is an unfortunate trap people may fall into. This trap/scam/black-hole/whatever you want to call it should be allowed to be reversed if a cheaper ticket combination for the same trip is found. I think that would make a lot of this back and forth go away. @Carolj, I hope you are able to share all of this with Chase and hopefully they follow through for you. I clicked too early and tried to hit the back button and reverse the transaction, but it was too late. That was the whole basis for my claim. I told them it was an honest error and I think that is what helped me with the reversal. Good luck @Carolj!

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

Carolj
Explorer C

No luck for me with Chase. Maybe I presented it wrong but they said since Southwest actually gave me the points in my account and have not prevented me from using them, Chase cannot refund.

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

jksobonya
Aviator A

I must be one of the "top off points" users. For a recent flight, the dollar cost was $154 -- I wanted to book the flight for free with points, but I was a bit short. $60 worth of points (2,000 points) was what I needed to purchase the flight with points, so that is what I did. 

 

$60 < $154! I come out $94 ahead, thus, the points purchase was worth it to me.

 

In the OP's scenario ... I never would have purchased that many points in one go. As others have said, I would have booked at least one of the flights with your current points balance (maybe 2), then debated on what to do with the rest. 

 

--Jessica

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Sorry, I'm still not seeing this as any kind of "trap/scam/black-hole".

 

First, fares don't really "vary in pricing" at all. There's a fixed calculation for converting cash fares to points ones (it's 78 points per dollar of base fare). And, unlike some carriers, Southwest doesn't penalize you by charging more for two one way's than for the round trip.

 

Buying points has a cost, and that cost is displayed to you before you buy any points.

 

I'm not sure how you "clicked too early" when the final screen -- after you've entered all of your credit card info -- makes you first click a box acknowledging the terms and conditions and then click a box box that says, literally, "PAY NOW."

 

Sorry, just not seeing anything tricky here.

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

adamj1212
Explorer B

@chgoflyer

 

Please allow me paint a more clear picture. The issue I'm in disagreement over is paying for a trip (yes I know your stance) and then finding the same trip within minutes or hours for a cheaper price by simply changing up the payment method or one-way vs. round trip. Most customers don't know or think about the various combinations you can use to book a trip. It is like someone buying a refrigerator at Sears and then finding it cheaper at Home Depot a day after you buy it. You go back to Sears and say you are returning it, but instead of letting you return it they just price match and you walk away a happy customer. It is a win-win for both parties. That is all I'm trying to say here. Not every SWA customer is a frequent flyer and knows/understands all the ins and outs. If an SWA customer finds the same trip for a better or same price using a different combination of purchasing say within 24 hours I think there should be a so called "exception" to all the rules you've more than clearly pointed out. I hope this helps more clearly state the dilemma/issue some people have on this thread. 

 

 

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

dfwskier
Aviator A

@adamj1212 wrote:

@chgoflyer

 

Please allow me paint a more clear picture. The issue I'm in disagreement over is paying for a trip (yes I know your stance) and then finding the same trip within minutes or hours for a cheaper price by simply changing up the payment method or one-way vs. round trip. Most customers don't know or think about the various combinations you can use to book a trip. It is like someone buying a refrigerator at Sears and then finding it cheaper at Home Depot a day after you buy it. You go back to Sears and say you are returning it, but instead of letting you return it they just price match and you walk away a happy customer. It is a win-win for both parties. That is all I'm trying to say here. Not every SWA customer is a frequent flyer and knows/understands all the ins and outs. If an SWA customer finds the same trip for a better or same price using a different combination of purchasing say within 24 hours I think there should be a so called "exception" to all the rules you've more than clearly pointed out. I hope this helps more clearly state the dilemma/issue some people have on this thread. 

 

 


First of all, Southwest let's you change your flight any time you want. If you have a flight from A to B and you find a cheaper flight from A to B, you can change to it. If it's a point flight, SW returns points to your account. If it's a paid flight, SW gives you a travel credit. SW even lets you change to a flight from A to C with the same rules.

 

People need to read the rules. People need to accept responsibility for their own actions.

It's one thing to make a mistake. It's another to ignore the rules and later scream about it.

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Also, the comparison to buying a fridge isn't really valid. A better one would be to compare to other air carriers who, unlike Southwest, charge you a steep fee to change a flight once booked.

 

Southwest actually allows you to do exactly what you've stated. Most carriers do not (without paying an additional fee).

 

So, the problem really is just that points aren't refundable. Which is clearly noted before you buy them.

 

 

 

 

Re: WARNING: Rapid Rewards Points Are NON-REFUNDABLE!

adamj1212
Explorer B

@chgoflyer and @dfwskier ,

 

I am not disputing the wonderful flexibility that SWA offers when it comes to changing flights. The refrigerator comparison is accurate because it’s the same brand and making a deal/compromise with the same place of the original purchase. I’m not talking about other carriers. I understand SWA is leap years ahead of other carriers when it comes to fees for changes. I’ve explained my position and disappointment with this situation. I hope you guys quit restating the SWA rules and regulations and start thinking and listening to the exception to the rule some people are asking for. That’s all. Goodnight.