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Did You Know? 2 New (Novel) Ways to Earn Valuable Southwest Points!

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    Lyn writes about how to fly free on Southwest on her GotoTravelGal.com blog, and has written a free ebook that walks you step-by-step through how to earn the coveted Southwest Companion Pass.  If you can earn it, the Southwest Companion Pass lets 1 person fly nearly free with you for up to 2 years! 

    Lyn:   I will take Southwest points any way I can get them, because that is the primary way, combined with the Southwest Companion Pass, that my family flies free.  Recently, Southwest has added 2 surprising new ways to earn points, including pumping gas and buying coffee!

    I’ll fill you in :).

    There Are 2 New Ways to Earn Southwest Points – Including Filling Your Car With Gas!

    There are many different ways to earn Southwest points, from spending on Southwest credit cards to booking hotels through the SouthwestHotels.com website to renting cars through Southwest.  But they’ve added some nifty options for earning more points.

    2 New Ways to Earn Southwest Points

    While these techniques won’t earn you huge numbers of points like credit card sign-up bonuses, they can certainly be good strategies for topping off your points to get to the number you need to book a flight, or help toward the 110,000 qualifying Southwest points you need to earn Southwest Companion Pass status.

    1.   Pumping Gas at Marathon

    Now you can earn points when filling up your gas tank!  Southwest has partnered with a program called MakeItCount, which lets you connect your Southwest Rapid Rewards account to earn points when pumping gas at Marathon gas stations.

    Sign-Up for MakeItCount and Earn Southwest Points at Marathon Gas Stations

    While it’s no big stash of points, you will earn 1 point per gallon, and the program says you can earn points on select in-store purchases and other “specified achievements” (not sure what that means yet!).

    I always figure free Southwest points never hurt.  There have been many times where I have been just a few hundred points shy of what I needed to purchase a flight, and a program like this could have made the difference!

    Once you’ve registered through the program at MakeItCount.com, you just enter 11 plus your phone number you listed at registration before you begin pumping your gas.  Points should credit within 72 hours of your visit.

    The points are not described as “bonus” points, so they SHOULD qualify for the 110,000 Southwest points you need to earn your Southwest Companion Pass.

    If you join right now, you’ll also get a bonus 20 cents off per gallon on your first fill-up.

    2.   Buy Community Coffee

    This opportunity can earn you more points if you’re a coffee drinker or know one!  Through February 28, 2019, you can earn between 150 and 500 Southwest points on specially-marked single-serve packages of Community Coffee.  Your options include Community Signature Dark Roast or Community Breakfast Blend purchased in-store or online.

    Give Yourself and Your Southwest Points Balance a Boost When You Buy Community Coffee

    To get your points, you’ll need to save the product code from the inside of the package and enter it at CommunityCoffee.com/Rewards.  You’ll then get an email with a rewards “certificate” that you will enter into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account to get your points in 6 to 8 weeks.

    If you can find someone who drinks Community Coffee to save their packaging and send it to you, you’re in business!  You are limited to 30 rewards, though that could add up to 15,000 Southwest points.  Not bad at all…

    Please note the Community Coffee points are considered “bonus” points, meaning they DO NOT count toward the Southwest Companion Pass or toward earning elite status with Southwest.  But you CAN use them to book free travel on Southwest.

    Bottom Line:  New Ways to Earn Southwest Points

    Southwest has introduced 2 simple new ways to earn points.  You can earn:

    If you have Marathon gas stations near you, or would buy Community Coffee anyway, it’s a no-brainer to get in on these deals.  Because every point counts, and this might be just what you need to boost your account balance for your next award flight!

    Can you make use of these deals?  Please let me know in the comments!

    Want more ideas on how to earn the most miles and points for free travel?  Sign-up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter so you never miss another travel tip or trick!

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)