Valentine’s Day Flowers and Points

Southwest Airlines is currently offering a 1,750 Rapid Rewards points bonus when you spend $29.99 or more at 1800Flowers.com.

This promotion typically comes around this time of year, and is a good opportunity to build your stash of Southwest Rapid Rewards points while sending someone special a Valentine’s Day surprise.

The offer is valid through February 15, 2016.

For holders of an American Express card, the likelihood is pretty good you can stack this Southwest points offer with an Amex Offer to save money on the deal.

Let’s take a look.

Amex Offers and 1800Flowers.com

There’s currently an Amex Offer that gives $15 back when $50 or more is spent at 1800Flowers.com.

 

 

 

 

 

What’s nice about the Amex Offer is that the $50 spend needed to trigger the $15 rebate doesn’t have to be spent in one order.

You could add the Amex Offer to your American Express card, make a $29.99 purchase with that Amex card, earn 1,750 Rapid Rewards points, go back later and make another $29.99 purchase with that same Amex card earning another 1,750 Rapid Rewards points, and since your two purchases totaled more than $50, you’d get the $15 credit on your American Express statement, effectively bringing your total purchase price to $44.98.

Obviously, you’ll likely have to pay a delivery fee, and possibly tax, but the premise still holds regardless of the total price…make two separate $29.99 purchases and earn 3,500 Rapid Rewards points and save $15.

Or, if you like to keep things simple, just make one $50+ 1800Flowers.com purchase on the Amex card and earn the $15 back and 1,750 Rapid Rewards points.

Another Double Dip Option

In my recent post, “Building Those Miles and Points Balances Faster,” I discussed how you can use a credit card that earns bonus points at specific retailers to buy gift cards, and then use those gift cards to make your purchase through an online shopping portal, earning even more points or miles.

A similar technique can be used for the Southwest promotion.

Some retailers sell 1-800-Flowers gift cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a credit card that gives extra points for purchases at grocery stores, drug stores, gas stations, or any establishment that sells gift cards, check out your local stores to see if they stock the 1-800-Flowers gift cards.

Or if you have a credit card that gives extra points for purchases made at office supply stores, check Staples.com.

If you’re lucky enough to have access to 1-800-Flowers gift cards at a retailer where you’ll earn extra points, make the purchase and earn those extra points!

Then take the gift card to 1800Flowers.com, choose your item(s), making sure your order total is more than $29.99, and that you use the Promo Code RR88, and earn the 1,750 Rapid Rewards points, too.

It’s important to note, you will not receive the Southwest points if you go through an online shopping portal to make the purchase.

You must go through the link on Southwest.com or directly to 1800flowers.com and use Promo Code RR88.

Not Just Flowers

This promo – and 1-800-Flowers gift cards – can be used not only at 1800Flowers.com, but also at 1800baskets.com, fruitbouquets.com, Cheryl’s Cookies, Fannie May, The Popcorn Factory, Wolferman’s and Harry and David. So if flowers aren’t your, or the gift recipient’s, thing, there’re plenty of other options to pick from when earning those Rapid Rewards points.

The Amex Offer does have restrictions on which retailers trigger the $15 rebate, so read the terms closely before making a purchase using it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the above listed retailers can be accessed via 1800Flowers.com, and likely need to be to ensure receipt of the Southwest points bonus.

Free Shipping Option

1800Flowers.com’s Celebrations Passport program provides free unlimited standard 2 business day shipping and no service charges on eligible orders for an annual fee of $29.99.

There is no minimum order size and you get unlimited deliveries during that year subscription period.

The free shipping applies to any purchases made at 1800Flowers Family of Brands which I listed above.

Depending on how much you plan on taking advantage of this Rapid Rewards points offer, the Celebrations Passport free shipping offer may make sense. You have to do the math for your personal plan of action.

How This Bonus Offer Could Be Used

 A few years ago, I used this Southwest/1800Flowers promotion to add Rapid Rewards points to my account to obtain the Companion Pass.

I received the two 50,000 point Southwest Airlines credit card bonuses, met the minimum spends on each and had a total of 104,000 Rapid Rewards points. I needed 110,000 – 6,000 more points – to get the Companion Pass.

I purchased four flower arrangements (using the free shipping option with the Celebrations Passport program) which added roughly 7,000 Rapid Rewards points to my Southwest account, more than enough to earn the Companion Pass for the next two years.

Important: If you want to use this promo to boost your points to meet Companion Pass requirements, DO NOT use Promo Code RR88 – it will not earn Companion Pass eligible points.

If adding Companion Pass eligible points is your goal, use code RR22 – which will get a reduced 1,000 Rapid Rewards points per $29.99+ order, but will boost your Companion Pass point totals.

It’s always nice to kill two birds with one stone. If you’re going to purchase a Valentine’s Day gift, might as well get some Southwest points in the process.

And who says the Valentine’s Day gift(s) has to be for someone else? I’m feeling a hankering for some Popcorn Factory popcorn, Cheryl’s Cookies and Wolferman’s English muffins coming on…and don’t you know those extra Southwest points would be a nice addition to my Rapid Rewards account!

Food/flowers and points, a combination that just can’t be beat.