But the fact is earning and having these points is great asset. I can't give a lot of details on my trip yet but I wanted to fly cross country next month. Keep in mind I usually book only one ways(probably another blog post in itself) Round trip total on short notice and fairly specific dates were running $450 & up.
I broke out my $300 United voucher to book one of the legs(earned off a bump). I went to Southwest for my other and was able to find a flight for 10,000 points. I paid the $5.60 in taxes and just like that I just saved at least $450 or $444.40 to be specific.
The breakdown on how I earned these:
If you like the travel vouchers some of it can be pure luck. My advice is to book flights that are more popular times & routes. Check before to see how full the flight is and arrive to the gate with plenty of time to spare. Always know how flexible you can be on when you want to get to your destination. They will start asking for volunteers. The compensation is usually based on how much longer it will take to get there and how desperate they are. Be the first one up to get your name on the list.
Southwest points are like gold to me and I love them. Most airlines require at least 12,500 miles for a one way on a good day and probably avg around 20,000 in reality. Southwest points require less because they are earned at a lesser rate. However methods such as credit cards, chase ultimate rewards, and shopping portals, you can earn lots of these without even flying.
Get a good points card and plan a trip! Travel for free somewhere and enjoy