# Southwest makes massive cuts to earnings in its frequent flyer program

- URL: https://travelguysradio.com/2025/03/07/southwest-makes-massive-cuts-earnings-its-frequent-flyer-program
- Image: https://travelguysradio.com/sites/default/files/2025/03/southwest-plane-landing-scaled-e1741410240297.jpg
- Audio (MP3): https://audio.travelguysradio.com/2025/03/travelguysshow030825.mp3

*On the Saturday, March 8th, 2025 edition of The Travel Guys…*

- In the **Travel News**, Southwest makes massive cuts to earnings in its frequent flyer program (more on that subject later in the program); and a United airlines employee is busted in a huge bribery and payola scheme at the Newark Airport.
- The **Smarter Traveler** segment of the program addresses the value of taking the "first flight out in the morning." There are ups and downs of getting up before the chickens, and the guys explain why rising early is probably a smart move.
- **Palm Springs** is a popular destination for travelers from our area, and Mark shares a host of opinions on restaurants and attractions, plus tells you one hotel you might want to place on your "do not stay" list.
- **Reward and loyalty programs** for hotel chains and airlines are big business. But recently, the changes in the number of points needed for rooms and air tickets has been changing, and not in the favor of the traveler. Now Southwest is cutting the number of points you earn in its Rapid Rewards program on its most popular tickets. We'll update you on the state of rewards programs.

## Highlights

- [Find warnings about foreign travel here](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email)
- [How to Travel the World on $75 a Day](https://www.amazon.com/How-Travel-World-75-Day/dp/1637746644?tag=googhydr-20&source=dsa&hvcampaign=books&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CTQxwXgrG_Eg0OB-D_61Mr4hgWR5_2HsngI7FjeuxW1wa6ajG10b0xoCUh0QAvD_BwE)
- [Amazon.com: New Apple AirTags](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=new+apple+air+tags&hvadid=694305169405&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9032537&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12990220475300111538&hvtargid=kwd-1301407839982&hydadcr=28188_14513108&mcid=4935161b60cf3d8abc5c4c50fa843c13&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_74tim0gfjx_e)
- [World-Famous Skunk Train](https://www.skunktrain.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA5eC9BhAuEiwA3CKwQqYAbabiphkOe2hXwSmxNmYGS0nX_pjinZHmMnsuWdYzvW92dSt33xoCHhAQAvD_BwE)
- [Kualoa Ranch | Hawaii’s Premier Adventure Destination](https://www.kualoa.com/)
- [Top Tips for Choosing a Cruise Ship Cabin](https://travelguysradio.com/sites/default/files/2025/02/ten-tips.pdf)
- [Know the TSA firearms travel rules for passengers on planes](https://www.travelersunited.org/tsa-firearms-travel-rules/?utm_source=newsletter)
- [Tourism Cares](https://www.tourismcares.org/)
- [Meaningful Map — Tourism Cares](https://www.tourismcares.org/meaningful-map)
- [100 Hotels of a Lifetime](https://www.amazon.com/100-Hotels-Lifetime-Ultimate-Retreats/dp/1426223153)
- [Beware of the baggage belt](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT21Y6t8R/)
- [Apply for REAL ID - California DMV](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/)
- [Southwest CEO talks about upcoming changes](https://www.southwest.com/customer-experience-enhancements/?clk=CB617250&RR_NUMBER=69914f5ecad0f38b1ce74727dd458a74306e15e8&src=MAILSECTP602892&RSD=5862&RMID=ac_sec_promo_20241216_news_prom&RRID=17b7c5d3aa7df0be942851b4faed23f5e002ceaf636ad857ffdeb7d9b57a4a46&mi_u=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000010f0b7b5&mi_ecmp=ac_sec_promo_20241216_news_prom)
- [How you can find on-time statistics on airline websites](https://www.travelersunited.org/how-to-find-on-time-statistics-on-airline-websites/)
- [Check parking lot availability at the Sacramento International Airport before leaving home](https://sacramento.aero/smf/to-and-from/parking)
- [Locate a cruise ship anywhere in the world](https://www.cruisemapper.com/)
- [Renew your US Passport online here](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html)
- [Elliott.org - Chris Elliott](https://www.elliott.org/)

Tags: [air travel](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/air-travel), [airports](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/airports), [frequent flyer](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/frequent-flyer), [hotels](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/hotels), [loyalty programs](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/loyalty-programs), [Palm Springs](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/palm-springs), [rewards programs](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/rewards-programs), [smarter traveler](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/smarter-traveler), [Southwest Airlines](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/southwest-airlines), [travel news](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/travel-news)

Previous Episode: [All Delta passengers survive crash in Toronto](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/02/28/all-delta-passengers-survive-crash-toronto) — March 1, 2025
Next Episode: [Southwest Airlines is changing its long time two bags free policy](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/03/14/southwest-airlines-changing-its-long-time-two-bags-free-policy) — March 15, 2025

## You Might Also Like…

- [Southwest Airlines is changing its long time two bags free policy](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/03/14/southwest-airlines-changing-its-long-time-two-bags-free-policy) — March 15, 2025
- [Southwest Airlines reaches settlement over last Christmas' melt down](https://travelguysradio.com/2023/12/23/southwest-airlines-reaches-settlement-over-last-christmas-melt-down) — December 23, 2023
- [The FAA has the results of the Southwest Airlines safety audit](https://travelguysradio.com/2024/12/27/faa-has-results-southwest-airlines-safety-audit) — December 28, 2024