As of October 4, 2026, Southwest prints a points booking path on its redeem-with-points page and a Cash + Points path inside the Dollars booking flow. This how-to walks those printed steps, the four fare names on the fare-types page, and what the Rapid Rewards terms require before you confirm.
Valuation and cents-per-point math stay on a separate page.
At a Glance
- Points booking: Per the Southwest redeem-with-points page, as of October 4, 2026, a points booking has four printed steps, from logging in to your Rapid Rewards account to purchasing the flight.
- Cash + Points: Per the Southwest Cash + Points page, members planning to pay with Cash + Points must select Dollars in the booking flow. Cash + Points is not available in the Points booking flow; it is applied in the Cash + Points and other forms of payment section on the Passenger and Payment Info page.
- Cash fare: Select Dollars in the booking flow when paying the cash fare.
- Fare names: The fare-types page prints Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.
- Taxes and fees: The Rapid Rewards terms say reward travel and Cash + Points bookings are subject to taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges from $5.60 per one-way trip, paid at booking.
Southwest fare names and booking flows change; re-check Southwest before you book.
Real-World Examples
- A member booking with points follows the four printed steps, from log in to your Rapid Rewards account on the Southwest homepage through input your information and purchase the flight.
- A member who wants to pay with Cash + Points selects Dollars in the booking flow, then uses the Cash + Points and other forms of payment section on the Passenger and Payment Info page, because Cash + Points is not available in the Points booking flow.
- A member who wants the cash fare selects Dollars in the booking flow.
- A passenger traveling on another member's points cannot change the itinerary and must contact the member who booked.
- A member who cancels a points booking has the points returned to the Rapid Rewards account holder who booked, per the fare-types page footnote.
The Booking Steps as the Southwest Pages Print Them
Per the Southwest redeem-with-points page, as of October 4, 2026, the printed steps for a points booking are:
- Log in to your Rapid Rewards account on the Southwest homepage.
- Enter your flight information and view fares in points.
- Select your flight and review the price and schedule.
- Input your information and purchase the flight.
- Per the Southwest Cash + Points page, members planning to pay with Cash + Points must select Dollars in the booking flow. Cash + Points is not available in the Points booking flow.
- Cash + Points can be applied as a form of payment using the Cash + Points and other forms of payment section on the Passenger and Payment Info page. It is a payment option inside the Dollars flow, not the Points booking path.
- The Cash + Points page lists Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.
Fare Types as Named, and Bags, Seats, and Boarding by Fare Type
- Per the Southwest fare-types page, as of October 4, 2026, the fare names printed are Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.
- The redeem-with-points page says the number of points needed for a reward flight depends on the fare, and that when fares go on sale, so do the points needed.
- The fare-types page lists bags, seats, and boarding by fare type.
- The fare-types page says Choice Preferred is refundable.
| Fare | Seat | Boarding | Checked bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Standard seat assigned at check-in | Last to board | Checked bag fees may apply |
| Choice | Choose a standard seat at booking | General boarding | Checked bag fees may apply |
| Choice Preferred | Choose a preferred seat or any standard seat at booking | Group 3-4 boarding | Checked bag fees may apply |
| Choice Extra | Choose an extra-legroom seat or any seat at booking | Group 1 boarding | Two free checked bags, plus the benefits of Choice Preferred |
Decision Rules, with No Cents-per-Point
- As of October 4, 2026, use the Points steps on the redeem-with-points page when the booking is a points booking.
- Select Dollars when the booking is a cash fare or when Cash + Points is the intended payment, because the Cash + Points page says Cash + Points is not available in the Points booking flow.
- Compare the points price shown in the Points flow with the dollar fare in the Dollars flow, and pay the taxes and fees the terms say are due at booking.
- Per the Rapid Rewards terms, the number of points required for a redemption will be disclosed on the Southwest website and may change until the booking is confirmed.
Related: Southwest Rapid Rewards points value.
What to Check Before You Confirm
- Per the Southwest Rapid Rewards terms, as of October 4, 2026, reward travel is subject to taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges from $5.60 per one-way trip, and those charges can vary by destination. Payment is the passenger's responsibility and must be paid at the time reward travel is booked.
- The terms also say Cash + Points bookings are subject to taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges from the same per-trip figure.
- A member can use points to purchase seats for themselves or others, and the member is solely responsible for making any changes to the itinerary after booking. A passenger traveling on a ticket using points from another member's account will not be allowed to make changes to the itinerary and must contact the member who booked.
- Per the fare-types page footnote on refundable travel, for travel booked with Rapid Rewards points, if canceled, points will be returned to the Rapid Rewards account holder who booked the reservation.
- Qualifying flights exclude reward flights. With a Cash + Points booking, points are earned only on the portion of the base fare paid with dollars, per the fare-types footnote.
Southwest fare names and booking flows change; re-check Southwest before you book.
TL;DR – Verdict
As of October 4, 2026, a points booking follows the four redeem-with-points steps, and a cash fare or any Cash + Points payment uses the Dollars booking flow, because Cash + Points is not available in the Points booking flow. Compare the points price in the Points flow with the dollar price in the Dollars flow before you confirm.
- The fare names printed are Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra, and bags, seats, and boarding are listed by fare type.
- Points required are disclosed on the Southwest website and may change until the booking is confirmed, and reward travel and Cash + Points bookings are subject to the taxes and fees the terms say are due at booking.
- For travel booked with Rapid Rewards points that is canceled, points are returned to the Rapid Rewards account holder who booked.
Southwest fare names and booking flows change; re-check Southwest before you book.
FAQ
How do I book a Southwest flight with points as the redeem-with-points page prints it?
As of October 4, 2026, log in to your Rapid Rewards account on the Southwest homepage, enter your flight information and view fares in points, select your flight and review the price and schedule, then input your information and purchase the flight.
Where does Cash + Points sit?
Members planning to pay with Cash + Points must select Dollars in the booking flow. Cash + Points is not available in the Points booking flow; it is applied in the Cash + Points and other forms of payment section on the Passenger and Payment Info page.
What are the four Southwest fare names?
As of October 4, 2026, the fare-types page prints Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.
Do bags, seats, and boarding differ between a points booking and a cash booking?
The fare-types page lists bags, seats, and boarding by fare type.
What taxes and fees apply to reward travel?
The Rapid Rewards terms say reward travel is subject to taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges from $5.60 per one-way trip, which can vary by destination, and payment must be made at the time reward travel is booked.
Where do points go if a points booking is canceled?
The fare-types page footnote says that for travel booked with Rapid Rewards points, if canceled, points will be returned to the Rapid Rewards account holder who booked the reservation.