Southwest Gives Some, Takes Some Away in New FF Rules

At long last, Southwest Airlines is giving participants in its frequent flyer program 24 months instead of 12 to earn enough flight credits to collect a free ticket.  Doubling that time window is effective immediately.

The airline is also removing blackout dates for travel.  However, it is intoducing capacity controls on the number of free tickets that will be permitted on certain flights.  Previously, if there was a seat available on a plane, anyone holding a free ticket had as much right to that seat as a fare-paying passenger.  No more.  That means during peak travel times, you should book award seats as far ahead as possible as we've all been trained to do on other airlines.

Holders of free tickets before the new rules were announcced, howver, can still fly under the old rules.

For more information: http://www.southwest.com/jp/rapid_rewards.shtml?src=PR_RR_081005.