Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Welcomes Wyndham Hotel Group Onboard

DALLAS, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines and Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with 11 brands and more than 7,000 hotels, announced a new association today between the companies' respective loyalty programs, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards and Wyndham Rewards(R). Rapid Rewards Members now have the option to earn a half (0.5) Rapid Rewards credit for each stay at any of more than 6,000 Wyndham Rewards properties worldwide.

To celebrate the new alliance, Rapid Rewards Members can receive TRIPLE credit after their second qualifying stay. Visit: www.southwest.com/wyndham for offer details, and visit: www.southwest.com or www.wyndhamrewards.com to book a hotel stay. Even if Customers are not traveling in 2009, Wyndham Hotel Group is inviting Rapid Rewards Members to enroll in Wyndham Rewards for a chance to win a FREE flight on Southwest Airlines. Twenty winners will be awarded one (1) FREE flight on Southwest Airlines, valid to more than 60 destinations Southwest serves, including three new markets, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Boston Logan and New York LaGuardia. Visit: www.wyndhamrewards.com/southwest to enroll and view complete details on the sweepstakes and official rules. No purchase is necessary to participate.

Additionally, Southwest is inviting Customers on a scavenger hunt in Boston on Aug. 16, 2009, to coincide with Southwest's launch of service to Boston Logan International Airport. Customers can visit Faneuil Hall, a historic site near the center of the city, in hopes of finding a 12-foot-high suitcase and a chance to win two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines and 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points that can be redeemed for a free night stay at most participating Wyndham Hotel Group properties.

"This association with the Wyndham Hotel Group brings tremendous value to the Rapid Rewards Program and our mutual Customers," said Ryan Green, Southwest Airlines' Director of Customer Loyalty.

Michael Mueller, Vice President of International Loyalty and Partnerships, Wyndham Hotel Group, added, "We're very pleased to be associated with Southwest's Rapid Rewards Program, as Members will now be rewarded whether they stay with our award-winning upscale Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand or in the many comfortable and familiar hotels of our midscale and economy chains including Ramada, Days Inn, and Super 8."

About Southwest Airlines

It is fast and easy to earn free travel through Rapid Rewards. Rapid Rewards Members earn credits by flying or using the program's Preferred Partners, like Wyndham Hotel Group. It takes just eight roundtrips, or 16 credits, to qualify for an Award. However, Members can accelerate their earnings by using the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase, doing business with any of the airline's other Preferred Partners, or by purchasing Southwest's Business Select fares when flying. Plus, once it's earned, Southwest Airlines allows the Member to transfer the Award to anyone. The Award is free but subject to the U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 roundtrip.

After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 66 cities (soon to be 67 with the addition of Boston Logan on Aug. 16, 2009) in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.

About Wyndham Hotel Group