Can I Use Southwest Points for Car Rental? A Guide for U.S. Travelers

1. How Southwest Points Work with Rental Cars

Many Southwest Airlines travelers ask: can I use Southwest points for car rental? The answer is yes—but with a twist. You can’t redeem Rapid Rewards points directly on Southwest’s website. Instead, Southwest partners with third-party travel portals where points can be used toward rental car bookings.
It works like this:
• You log into Southwest’s travel portal via Rapid Rewards.
• Search for rental cars—either at airport or city locations.
• Redeem points to book, paying the remaining cost if points are insufficient.

2. Redeeming Southwest Points: Step‑by‑Step

1. Log into your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com.
2. Navigate to “Hotels & Rental Cars” travel section.
3. Select pickup location, dates, and compare available rental car options.
4. Choose to redeem points—either fully or partially—to pay the rate.
5. Proceed with booking, and you’ll receive confirmation via email.

It feels straightforward, but remember your point value can vary based on date, location, and car class.

3. Maximizing Your Southwest Points Value

You might wonder what influences value. Here are effective strategies:

3.1 Watch for Deals and Partner Promotions

Southwest frequently features rental car promotions—like bonus points or discounted redemption rates—with brands like Hertz or Alamo.

3.2 Compare Offers in Portal

When booking, compare the “points + money” options. Some days offer better value per point.

3.3 Loyal vs. Flexible Booking

If you already have Gold or higher status with a rental agency, check both Southwest’s portal and the agency’s site to see which offers better perks or better redemption rates.

4. Real Traveler Story

Mark, a frequent family traveler, redeemed 20,000 Southwest points to reserve a midsize SUV via Rapid Rewards portal for a week’s vacation in Chicago. Though he could've paid about $400, using points saved him around $300—an average of 1.5 cents per point—above his typical valuation.

He shared: “I was skeptical, but Southwest’s portal offered a great price. And my family loved the vehicle upgrade when we arrived thanks to my Hertz Gold status.”

5. Benefits of Comparing with Carvel Car Rental

While using Southwest points is convenient, sometimes direct booking with Carvel Car Rental may yield better value or flexible options:

• Price Match and Flexible Cancelation: Carvel often offers price match guarantees and more flexible timelines than travel portals.
• Loyalty Perks: With direct booking, you may unlock tier status benefits like Wi‑Fi, roadside assistance, or automatic upgrades.
• Custom Add‑Ons: Need GPS, car seats, or specific vehicle types? Carvel lets you customize more easily than standard portal options.

So while using Southwest points for car rental is a great hack, it pays to compare both: points redemption vs. direct booking via Carvel Car Rental—especially for added perks or tailored needs.

6. Final Takeaway

To wrap up:
• Yes, you can use Southwest points for car rentals through the Rapid Rewards travel portal.
• Redemption value varies—monitor deals and compare “points + cash” options.
• For high flexibility, status perks, or add‑ons, also consider direct booking via Carvel Car Rental to ensure a worry‑free rental experience.

Next time someone asks “can I use Southwest points for car rental?”, you’ll know exactly how to advise—and when mixing points with a trusted car rental like Carvel is the smarter move.