One of the big questions travelers have about an airline merger is: What happens to my miles?
An answer came today for AirTran Airways frequent fliers counting their credits since Southwest Airlines bought the carrier last year.
AirTran A+Rewards members can now convert their credits into Southwest credits to get free flights. For instance, a flier with 16 credits on AirTran, the minimum for one roundtrip award flight, could redeem them for one flight on Southwest instead.
Southwest recently shifted from a credit system like AirTran’s to a points system. But for purposes of conversion, AirTran credits will be redeemable for Southwest credits at an equivalent rate.
Southwest points and credits also can be converted into AirTran credits for flights on AirTran.
AirTran is the second-largest carrier in Atlanta, and since Southwest launched its own service in Atlanta in February, both carriers now fly out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
The frequent flier redemption move is the latest in the two carriers’ combination, and it also allows travelers who fly both airlines to combine credits for free flights on either airline.
The AirTran name will eventually disappear after its operations are folded into Southwest over the next couple of years, but Southwest is maintaining both frequent flier programs for now. It has not said when they will be merged into one.
Frequent flier points will still be accrued separately in the program of whichever carrier you fly.
More information: rewardsfarther.com .
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