My Southwest Rapid Rewards account was hacked: How I got my points back

"Which credit card should I get next?" It's easily one of the most common questions we at TPG get from readers, friends and family members. It's also one of the most common questions we ask ourselves. Most of us are constantly chasing our next sign-up bonus and trying to optimize the travel perks we hold in our wallets with our changing spending habits and travel needs each year.

It isn't often that opportunities to earn a large number of points in one transaction arise. That's why I was ecstatic when I looked at Rakuten's Cash Back Unwrap calendar for 2024 and saw it aligned with a TV purchase I had planned. On Nov. 20, 2024, Rakuten offered a bonus of 20% cash back (or 20 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent) on LG purchases.

Last March, my daughter and I were headed from Berlin, where she was studying, to Italy for her spring break. Our 8:50 p.m. Ryanair flight to Rome was delayed for several hours and eventually postponed to the next morning at 6 a.m. We were given the address of a hotel and told we would be reimbursed for it, as well as transportation and meals, according to European air passenger protections. The hotel was full, so we found an alternative nearby for 61 euros. As a backup plan in case our flight was canceled, I reserved a second “Flexi Plus” Ryanair flight for the next evening, for $908 total, that would allow us to postpone for a future date as long as we rescheduled up to 2.5 hours before departure. Our original flight did take off at around 9 a.m., so when we finally got to Rome, we tried and tried for two hours to rebook the backup flight for another trip in May on the Ryanair app, but the “confirm changes” button just wouldn’t work. So I got in line for customer service chat — I was number 200 — but the app eventually quit on me. I then called Ryanair, but the agent told me that to reschedule the flight by phone would cost 180 euros. I declined and decided take it up with the airline again — and file for expenses — when I got home. Neither went well. I got what appeared to be an automated (nonsensical) response about the app fiasco. And the reimbursement form Ryanair has online required I submit my bank account information with an IBAN code — which American banks don’t have. When I wrote in to ask about alternatives, what also must have been an automated response ignored what I wrote and directed me back to the same form, twice. I believe Ryanair owes me about 100 euros for the hotel, taxi and meal, plus a flight for two from Berlin to Rome. Can you help?

British Airways is overhauling its loyalty program this year, switching to a revenue-based system and moving away from allowing travelers to earn points based on the route and fare class.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Business are the issuer's two premium travel rewards cards with lounge access. Unfortunately, starting March 1, cardholders will lose access to Plaza Premium lounges, a network of over 250 independently owned lounges worldwide. It's not all doom and gloom, though — most Plaza Premium lounges will still be accessible to cardholders via Priority Pass.

Dec 21, 2024 • 7 min read

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Echeverria, 31, who moved from New York to Portugal in 2019. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Southwest just revealed more details for its highly-anticipated assigned seating and extra legroom options.

Southwest Airlines is set to expand its domestic network next year, having just added eight new routes to its U.S. service map. The Points Guy first noticed the alterations in Cirium schedules and afterward confirmed them with a Southwest spokesperson. 

Southwest Airlines has expanded its booking calendar through next fall and plans to introduce several new and returning domestic routes.

With plummeting temperatures and shorter days, winter can sometimes feel a little doom and gloom. But that doesn't mean you can't find beauty in the season — you just have to know where to look.

Check your email for a holiday gift: You can easily earn 4,000 Virgin points for just a few minutes of work by linking your Virgin Red account to your Flying Club account.