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Chase considers major changes to Southwest Airlines credit cards amid seating overhaul

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Chase considers major changes to Southwest Airlines credit cards amid seating overhaul
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Chase is considering significant changes to its Southwest Airlines credit card portfolio, influenced by Southwest's planned move to assigned seating. These potential modifications include raising annual fees, eliminating anniversary points, and introducing a percentage discount on redemptions. Additionally, there may be new benefits related to early boarding or seat upgrades replacing the current Early Bird and Upgraded Boarding credits.

Higher annual fees align with a broader trend in rewards cards as co-brand deals become more costly. American Express has led this shift by increasing fees while adding benefits that are often too niche or cumbersome for many cardmembers to utilize effectively.

Eliminating anniversary points would reduce costs but might also lead to higher attrition rates since these points encourage consumers to retain their cards when annual fees are due. Offering such rewards helps prevent cancellations.

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Award discounts for cardmembers could take two forms: Delta’s model, which effectively raises prices for non-cardholders while maintaining the status quo for cardmembers, and United’s approach of providing additional inventory at lower prices without an immediate price increase.

Southwest Airlines' revenue-based redemption system offers a fixed value per point against paid fares. Any reduction in the value per point for non-cardmembers would be transparent as a devaluation rather than a benefit. However, given the Rapid Rewards program's recent devaluation of ~43% over 12 years, some restored value for cardmembers might be feasible.

Currently, premium Southwest cards offer statement credits for four Upgraded Boardings annually when available. If these go away or change with assigned seating, switching to credits for purchasing paid premium seats could be more logical. Under the new model, early boarding will primarily concern overhead bin space rather than seat choice since seating will no longer be first-come, first-served.

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