• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Personal FinanceAir Travel

Southwest Airlines is trying to win back its once-loyal passengers with free rewards points worth up to $300

Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 3, 2023, 4:35 PM ET
Canceled Southwest Airlines flights, as seen on a monitor at Los Angeles International Airport
To apologize for the cascade of flight cancellations last week, Southwest Airlines is offering affected passengers 25,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points.Christina House—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

To apologize for the cascade of flight cancellations last week that left hundreds of thousands of people stranded during the peak holiday travel days, Southwest Airlines is offering “significantly impacted” passengers—including this reporter—25,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points as a form of mea culpa.

This reward is equal to roughly $300, which can be redeemed for a future Southwest plane ticket, gift card, or merchandise, according to the email Southwest sent out detailing the offer. While the airline claims that the points have “no blackout dates, can be used on any available seat, and never expire,” how many points customers need to redeem for a roundtrip flight depend on the destination, day of travel, demand, and other factors.

The offer is being extended to those whose flights were canceled or delayed more than three hours between Dec. 24, 2022, and Jan. 2, 2023. It is being given in addition to reimbursements and refunds on flights and incidental expenses.

“Our Purpose has always been to connect our Customers to what’s important in their lives. And this holiday season, as you made plans with us to do just that, we fell short,” reads the email, which was sent in the name of Southwest CEO Robert Johnson. “For that, please accept my personal apology.”

Just like the refunds and reimbursements the airline has been promising customers for their canceled flights, the points aren’t being given out automatically. Passengers must redeem a unique code and be a Rapid Rewards member to receive them. Those who are not already signed up for the rewards program will need to do that before they can claim the offer and redeem the points.

Customers whose flights were canceled and were unable to rebook them can still request a refund directly on Southwest’s website. If you incurred expenses because of your delay or flight cancellation—say, you had to pay for additional days in a hotel, meals, or another form of transportation—between Dec. 24, 2022, and Jan. 2, 2023, you can email the company and submit receipts for reimbursement.

“We have a long and proud 51-year record of delivering on our customers’ expectations and connecting them to important moments in their lives,” Chris Mainz, a spokesman for Southwest, told Fortune. “But we aren’t perfect, and when we fall short, we aim to do the right thing.”

Though many airlines were affected by late December’s winter storms, Southwest’s troubles were unique and persistent; the carrier experienced a systemwide meltdown that lasted days longer than the disruptions at other airlines.

So many flights were canceled—around 45% from Dec. 21 to Dec. 29, according to FlightAware—and so many passengers impacted, in fact, that the federal government is investigating what happened. In total, the airline could lose hundreds of millions of dollars. An affected passenger has already filed a proposed class action lawsuit for the airline’s failure to refund stranded customers.

Our new weekly Impact Report newsletter examines how ESG news and trends are shaping the roles and responsibilities of today's executives. Subscribe here.

About the Author
Alicia Adamczyk
By Alicia AdamczykSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Alicia Adamczyk is a former New York City-based senior writer at Fortune, covering personal finance, investing, and retirement.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Current price of gold as of June 29, 2026
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of June 29, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 29, 2026
16 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks June 29, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on June 29, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
16 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for June 29, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for June 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
16 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for June 29, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for June 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
16 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 29, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of June 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
17 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 29, 2026
Personal Financesilver
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
17 hours ago

Most Popular

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
14 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
5 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
3 days ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
Success
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
Success
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
By Preston ForeJune 28, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.