Rapid Rewards: Request an upgrade using accumulated Miles

Southwest Airlines passengers have access to upgrade service for flights. You can request an upgrade to Business class using your miles. In the first case, the procedure is carried out at the offices of the air carrier, as well as at international representative offices.

To change the booking of an Economy Class ticket to a ticket with a higher level of service, simply call the company’s call center. If there is no cost difference between classes, the ticket will be reissued automatically without any additional steps. A message about the success of the operation will be sent to the e-mail specified during registration. If there is a difference in taxes, the employee of the call center will make a reservation in business class, after which, before departure, the client must personally report to the representative office or the office of the company to reissue the ticket.

Rebooking to a higher class seat is also possible when traveling on Southwest Airlines partner flights.

Before upgrading any service for air travel, you should familiarize yourself with the nuances, and this involves the following features:

– There are empty seats in the cabin;

– The class rides on plane tickets in one direction and in both directions;

– The passenger’s account must have a number of miles corresponding to the award rate for round-trip tickets in economy class.

When traveling by air, the rules for free baggage carriage are subject to the regulations of the class originally purchased. If there is no difference in the cost of airport taxes, the class is upgraded using the support center by simultaneously reissuing the purchased ticket.

In the event of a fare difference, the passenger must make an additional payment of the appropriate amount and then issue a ticket at a Southwest office or outlet. To do this, the customer must present the original or a copy of the loyalty system user card and passport.

Airline conditions must be met for premium upgrade. Among them:

– The flight is operated by Southwest. If it is a joint flight, the service is allowed only if the flight is organized by American airline and the ticket is reserved for the carrier’s seats.

– At the counter, an upgrade in miles is available only for passengers who have paid in advance for an air ticket.

– There are enough miles in the account to upgrade the level of service on the requested flight.

The technical possibility provides for the provision of a service. The nuances of upgrading at the reception:

– The class increases only in one direction, on the return flight you need to contact the staff at the intermediate counter at the airport;

– The passenger can increase the service level of miles after the start of check-in, as in the case of cash payment;

– If the premium upgrade is made at the counter, 50% of the return upgrade fare will be deducted from the bonus account (depending on the class);

– During registration, the rewards are debited from the account, then a ticket is issued for an Economy or Comfort seat corresponding to the ticket purchased, the ticket is replaced on boarding;

– If there is no opportunity to provide the service, the rewards are returned to the bonus account;

– The upgrade can be applied to all passengers who have booked tickets with a loyalty program member.

The number of pieces of baggage that the buyer is entitled to carry free of charge depends on the initial fare. You can level up without applying restrictions. If a passenger transfers miles to another program member who has booked a ticket separately, the upgrade is only made when the second member’s number is included in the booking.

Upgrades with participation in the reservation of several people are carried out for the holder of the bonus account or for all passengers at the same time. For this, the participation of all customers in the program is not required.

Since air hubs are characterized by infrastructural features, restrictions may apply in advance.

Use miles to request an upgrade with a partner airline

You must pre-book an upgrade at one of Southwest’s service points. In addition, it is recommended to clarify the availability of a seat of increased comfort, book tickets and find out about the possibility of carrying out the procedure in advance with the operators of the contact center.

Registration of an increase in premium units is carried out:

– On roads in any direction;

– Passengers with tickets paid at the standard rate of the partner company;

– Exclusively for flights of partner air carriers, including one or more alliance organizations, the offer does not apply to codeshare flights with other companies;

– If there are places in the requested class;

– Customers who have made at least 1 flight to foreign countries when booking;

– Availability of the required number of miles equal to the established premium rate;

– If the upgrade is applied for a one-way flight, the procedure requests 50% of the number of miles for a round-trip upgrade;

– On the way back, you can upgrade your class by deducting miles under another privilege program.