Southwest Offers “A-Ticket” Status as Rapid Rewards Sweeps Prize

A hit in 2009, Southwest Airlines’ “Partnerpalooza” promotion is circling around for a second flight. And this year, in addition to a fistful of free tickets, entrants into the loyalty-based contest can win something many Southwest passengers cherish: automatic “A ticket” status for a full year.

That A-list designation actually comes with the sweepstakes’ second prize, along with two Rapid Rewards Award tickets. But runner-up or not, the ability to board a southwest plane in the first wave, before families are seated, may just be as attractive to loyalty members as the chance to do more free travel.

Grand prize in the sweepstakes, which runs through December 15 2010, is 12 Rapid Rewards Award tickets and a Rapid Rewards companion pass. A first-prize winner will also receive six tickets and a companion pass.

Players can enter the contest by signing up at southwest.com/partnerpalooza and then using their Rapid Rewards credit card from JPMChase to make a purchase at one of Southwest’s participating travel partners, including Hertz and Avis, and the Best Western and La Quinta Inns lodging chains.

Players who do not currently have a Chase Rapid Rewards credit card can still register for the Partnerpalooza promotion. Once their application has been accepted by Chase, they will receive four entries into the promotion.

Over the course of the contest, managed by agency ePrize, registered players can win extra sweepstakes entries by making purchases from those brands partners. If they use a Rapid Rewards credit card to do so, they’ll receive two entries for each purchase. Using another credit card but supplying their Rapid Rewards number will earn them one entry.

Players can also earn extra sweeps entries by volunteering the e-mail addresses of up to three friends or by buying a second time from a participating partner using their Rapid Rewards card. Entrants who buy from six different Rapid Rewards partners during the game period can earn four additional sweeps entries.

Rapid rewards members can also take part in a daily contest for 71 instant-win prizes by entering their Rapid Rewards number at the Partnerpalooza Web site.

Our members really responded well to Partnerpalooza last year, as it gives us a chance to increase engagement and highlight our Rapid Rewards partners,” Southwest senior director of customer loyalty and partnership marketing Ryan Green said in a release. “We’re giving away Rapid Rewards Awards tickets and our partners are sponsoring great deals, making it fun, easy and more affordable for our members to travel this season.”

Southwest rolled out the first Partnerpalooza promotion on June 15, 2009 and kept the game open until September 15 last year.

Brands that offer branded credit cards are going out of their way to entice holders to put that plastic to work. In June, Target restructured its branded debit- and credit-card programs to give shoppers using those cards everyday discounts rather than making them earns points toward a single day of 10%-off shopping.