Southwest Rapid Rewards is running a buy-points promotion through Thursday, October 29, offering up to a 50% discount that brings the cost down to just 1.5 cents per point. That sounds attractive on the surface, but because Southwest is a revenue-based frequent flyer program, points rarely redeem for more than 1.5 cents each - which means the "deal" is often break-even at best. There are a handful of narrow situations where buying makes sense, but for most people, this promotion is one to skip.
| Southwest buy-points promotion: key details and deadlines | |
The promotion runs through 11:59 PM CT on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Southwest structures the discount in tiers, and the offer you see may vary by account - so you'll need to log into your Rapid Rewards account to confirm your eligibility.
Here's how the best available version of the promotion breaks down:
Buy 2,000-6,000 points: no discount (3.0 cents per point)
Buy 7,000-11,000 points: 40% off (1.8 cents per point)
Buy 12,000-60,000 points: 50% off (1.5 cents per point)
Some members may be targeted with smaller discounts - 35% or 45% off - which translates to costs of 1.95 cents and 1.65 cents per point, respectively. Points are sold in increments of 1,000, with a minimum purchase of 2,000 and a daily cap of 60,000 points. There is no annual purchase limit beyond that daily maximum. Note that purchased points do not count toward Rapid Rewards elite status qualification.
| How much are 60,000 Southwest points worth at 1.5 cents each? | |
If you maxed out the promotion and bought 60,000 points, you'd pay $900 at the 50%-off rate. The key question is: what are those points actually worth when you go to redeem them?
Because Southwest uses revenue-based pricing, the redemption value of Rapid Rewards points fluctuates significantly depending on the flight and fare class. In practice, you can expect somewhere between 1.1 cents and 1.5 cents per point in redemption value - with 1.5 cents being the high end, not the norm. That means those 60,000 points are typically worth $660 to $900 in flights.
At worst, you're paying $900 for $660 in travel value - a 26% loss. At best, you break even. You can run the numbers for your specific situation using the Southwest Points Calculator to see what your target redemption is actually worth before committing.
| Who should consider buying Southwest Rapid Rewards points right now | |
There are two realistic scenarios where buying at 1.5 cents each could make some sense:
Topping off for a specific redemption: If you're only a few thousand points short of a flight you want to book - and that flight is available and priced right - buying a small number of points to close the gap is the most defensible use of this promotion. The key word is "small": buy only what you need for that one booking.
Holding points for booking flexibility: Southwest allows you to cancel any award booking and get your points back instantly, with no restrictions. If you frequently book speculatively - for yourself, friends, or family - having a stash of Rapid Rewards points gives you real flexibility that a travel credit from a paid ticket doesn't. Points go back to your account and can be reused for anyone; a cancelled paid ticket typically becomes a travel credit that's tied to the original passenger.
What about the Companion Pass? It might seem like buying points and doubling up with a Companion Pass companion would make the math work - and technically it does improve the math. But you'd be better off simply buying a paid ticket and having your companion fly for free on that, rather than using purchased points. There's no extra benefit from layering purchased points on top of a Companion Pass. For more on how the Companion Pass works with different points strategies, see our earlier piece on Southwest Companion Pass and Amex points.
| Better ways to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points | |
Before spending cash to buy points, it's worth exhausting your transfer options. Several major points currencies move to Rapid Rewards at a 1:1 ratio:
Chase Ultimate Rewards (from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred) transfer to Southwest Rapid Rewards at 1:1
Bilt Rewards points also transfer to Southwest at 1:1
If you have a balance of Chase or Bilt points sitting idle, transferring them is almost always a better move than buying. Chase points in particular are highly flexible and can be moved to Southwest when you have a specific redemption in mind. Use the Chase Points Calculator to compare what your Chase points are worth across different transfer partners before committing them to Southwest.
| What to watch out for with this Southwest points sale | |
The 50% discount is only available on purchases of 12,000 points or more. Buying fewer than 12,000 points means a smaller discount and a worse cost per point.
Purchased points are processed by points.com, not Southwest directly, so the transaction will not code as an airline or Southwest purchase on your credit card - even if you use a Southwest co-branded card.
Points do not count toward Rapid Rewards Companion Pass qualification or A-List elite status. If you're chasing either of those, bought points won't help.
The promotion is personalized, so your account may show a lower discount tier (35% or 40%) rather than the 50% maximum.
Southwest runs this type of promotion frequently - the 50% discount has appeared at least six times in 2026 alone - so there's no scarcity urgency here.
The daily cap of 60,000 points limits how many you can buy at once, though you can purchase again on subsequent days.
| Frequently asked questions | |
How much does it cost to buy Southwest Rapid Rewards points in 2026?
During this promotion (through October 29, 2026), you can buy points for as little as 1.5 cents each with the 50% discount tier, down from the standard price of 3.0 cents per point. The 1.5-cent rate requires a purchase of at least 12,000 points.
Is buying Southwest points worth it?
In most cases, no. Southwest points typically redeem for 1.1 to 1.5 cents each, which means paying 1.5 cents to buy them is a break-even scenario at best and a loss at worst. The clearest exception is topping off a balance for a specific, already-identified redemption.
Can I buy Southwest points and use them for the Companion Pass?
No - purchased Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not count toward Companion Pass qualification (which requires earning 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year). They also don't count toward A-List or A-List Preferred elite status.
What is the daily limit for buying Southwest Rapid Rewards points?
You can purchase a maximum of 60,000 Rapid Rewards points per calendar day. There is no annual cap, so you could technically buy 60,000 points on multiple consecutive days - though doing so would require a strong redemption plan to justify the expense.
| The bottom line on buying Southwest points at 50% off | |
Southwest's 50% buy-points promotion brings the cost down to 1.5 cents per point through Thursday, October 29 - but that's roughly the ceiling of what Rapid Rewards points are worth at redemption. The math is tight enough that purchasing only makes sense in a very specific scenario: you have an identified award booking, you're just short on points, and transferring from Chase or Bilt isn't an option. For everyone else, this is a promotion worth skipping or at most bookmarking for the next time it appears - which, given Southwest's track record, won't be long.
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