Southwest Airlines introduces their All-New Rapid Rewards frequent flier program

Need to fly from Sacramento to Boston for Christmas? How about a spring break trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles? Do other frequent flier programs have too many blackout dates and require too many miles to redeem?

With the new year brings new changes. Southwest Airlines has overhauled their Rapids Rewards program and is introducing a new program with some big changes. Starting March 1, the All-New Rapids Rewards program will go into effect for Southwest Airlines.

The big change for Southwest's frequent flier program is their move from a credits system to a points system. This means Southwest Airlines will have a frequent flier program similar to most other airlines. However, there are some differences and it seems like it may be a little more passenger friendly.

With these new changes coming March 1, here are the highlights of the All-New Rapid Rewards program.

1. All seats are rewards flights - No matter where you fly or when you fly, you can redeem your points for a reward seat on any seat. All seats are available.

2. No blackout dates - Now you can fly whenever you want, whatever day you want with your rewards points.

3. Points don't expire - Your points no longer have an expiration date. However, you do need activity on your account with Southwest or a parnter every 24 months.

4. Earn points for every dollar spent - Whether you fly with Southwest or earn points with Southwest partners, every dollar you spend means points. How many points you earn on flights depends on the amount of your airfare.

5. Redeem for cruises, hotels, car rentals, international flights, and more - You can use your points in a variety of ways which also include gifts and special events. Earn even more points with the Rapid Rewards credit card from Chase.

Have other questions? Southwest addresses those as well.

Existing credits - Your current credits will be converted to points. 1 credit = 1200 points. 16 credits gets you a reward flight. In the new program, 19,200 points gets you a free flight.

Existing awards - If you already have a Standard Award or Freedom Award, you can still redeem these for a free flight as the rules, regulations, and expiration dates on these do not change.

A-List or Companion Pass status - If your expiration date on your status expires between 3/1/2011 and 12/31/2011, this will expire in the new program on 12/31/2011. If the expiration date of your status is 1/1/2012 or later, these will expire 12/31/2012 in the new program.

New status of A-List Preferred - Now you can enjoy the A-List benefits of priority check-in and security lane status and earn points faster on every flight.

Earning points with your flights - With the new program, each status will earn a certain number of points based on your member status in the rewards program as well as what type of airfare you have. Here are the point values per dollar spent for flights:

Basic - 12 points per dollar on Business Select fares, 10 points per dollar on Anytime fares, 6 points per dollar on Wanna Get Away fares
A-List - 15 points per dollar on Business Select fares, 12.5 points per dollar on Anytime fares, 7.5 points per dollar on Wanna Get Away fares
A-List Preferred - 24 points per dollar on Business Select fares, 20 points per dollar on Anytime fares, 12 points per dollar on Wanna Get Away fares

Southwest partners - You can earn points with Southwest Rapid Rewards partners like Best Western, Hyatt, Marriott, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Teleflora, Dining partners, your Rapid Rewards credit card, and many more (these are just a few - you can get the full list of partners at the link below)!

Redeem your points for free flights - How many points you need in the new Rapid Rewards program varies based on the type of fare your purchase. The good news is that the points needed to earn a free flight are much less than most other programs and have no black out dates.

Business Select fare - 26,400 points for a free flight
Anytime fare - 20,000 points for a free flight
Wanna Get Away fare - 6,000 points for a free flight

For all the details, rewards, and FAQs, check out Southwest's new Rapid Rewards program.

If you are looking for cheap flights, Southwest is still one of the best budget airlines in the country. While their frequent flier program changes with the all-new Rapids Rewards program on March 1, you can still earn free flights quickly for any seat and with no blackout dates. "The essential to budget travel is to plan in advance. When it comes to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved vacations and/or going to see new destinations we have never been before, the reality of cost and budgeting is always in the back of our minds. Arranging and expending our travel budget wisely is a concern for most families. Minimizing consuming and costs, while still enjoying your vacation to its fullest, is the key to assured achievements and fiscal liability. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The thinking behind saving money while traveling is simple: Even if your personal funds is highly small, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or departing the homestead! Also thinking about that while traveling, no matter whether on a funds or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a large vacation or travel expenses!..". Is this a good change to the Rapid Rewards program for Southwest Airlines? We will find out March 1.

Follow me on Twitter at @budgettravelsac or on Facebook on my Examiner Budget Travel page.

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