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Southwest Launches New Carbon Offset Program

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From airplanes utilizing sustainable aviation fuels to engines like google exhibiting carbon emissions in flight search outcomes, the aviation business is taking steps to turn out to be extra inexperienced. In January 2022, Southwest grew to become the newest airline to launch a inexperienced initiative — a brand new carbon offset program.

Southwest is placing cash — and factors — behind this new initiative. For each greenback that Southwest members spend on carbon emissions offsets, Southwest will match the donation dollar-for-dollar and provides members bonus Speedy Rewards factors.

Here is what you must find out about Southwest’s carbon offset program and earn Speedy Rewards factors by collaborating.

Methods to buy carbon offsets and earn bonus Southwest factors

Southwest has made it simple and simple to calculate your carbon emissions and donate to offset your influence. Begin on Southwest’s carbon offset web page and enter your origin airport, vacation spot airport, variety of passengers and both one-way or round-trip.

Then click on “estimate” to see the estimated carbon emissions and value to offset these emissions by way of certainly one of Southwest’s accomplice packages.

For instance, I entered a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles. The Southwest carbon emissions calculator estimates 542 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions for this one-way flight. And the value to offset it by way of Southwest’s carbon offset program is $3.18:

To offset this flight, click on “add to cart.” You possibly can then return to calculate and add extra flights to your cart. When you end including flights, go to your cart to take a look at.

This carbon offset value contains 40 cents in charges per passenger per leg. Meaning the online donation is $2.78 for an offset from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Enter your Speedy Rewards quantity to earn 10 factors per greenback for this donation, for a complete of 28 Speedy Rewards factors. Observe that every member can earn a most of 500 bonus Speedy Rewards factors per thirty days — which you may attain with a complete of $50 in donations (excluding charges).

After finishing your donation, you may get an electronic mail confirming your donation. On this electronic mail, you may see that it might take “as much as 8 weeks for bonus factors to look in your Speedy Rewards account.”

The bonus factors posted to my account six days after donation and weren’t eligible for qualification towards the Southwest Companion Cross.

The carbon offset calculator is not linked to your Southwest flight historical past. So, you may offset your emissions for any airport mixture you enter. Simply observe that the origin and vacation spot airports appear to be restricted to present Southwest airports. Meaning you should purchase offsets for home flights on different airways — however not abroad flights on different airways.

How a lot are the bonus Southwest factors price?

Southwest rewards Speedy Rewards members with 10 factors per greenback donated by way of its new offset program — excluding any taxes and charges. So, chances are you’ll be questioning how a lot worth you are coming back from this donation.

Not like different airline loyalty packages, you may’t get far more worth in your Southwest Speedy Rewards factors. That is as a result of Southwest makes use of a flat redemption charge of 81-83 Speedy Rewards factors per greenback of the bottom fare for that flight. Due to this, you may’t ever get a awful redemption charge on Southwest flights — nor are you able to get a very good redemption charge.

Meaning the factors you get for offsetting flights shall be round 13-15 cents in worth per greenback you donate. That is a pleasant little bonus for donating, however it is not sufficient to justify donating only for the purpose earnings.

Which bank card must you use to buy Southwest carbon offset?

We discovered that contributions to Southwest’s carbon offset program code as “pc software program gross sales” purchases within the check donations that we made.

A couple of bank cards provide bonus factors for software program purchases, however purchases of carbon offsets might not qualify for these bonuses. For instance, The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific earns 1.5x level earnings on “digital items retailers and software program & cloud system suppliers,” as much as $2 million in purchases per calendar 12 months. Nevertheless, solely purchases made within the U.S. qualify for this new bonus class, and CHOOOSE donations mirror a world tackle. Phrases apply.

Meaning you may need to use an on a regular basis spending card to make Southwest carbon offset donations. Although my purchases seemed to be worldwide transactions, I used to be not charged a international transaction price on my card.

Carbon offset packages you may assist assist

One of the vital vital elements of buying carbon offsets is how the cash is utilized. For its carbon offset program, Southwest is partnering with Norway-based group CHOOOSE. Whereas the tasks might change sooner or later, Southwest and CHOOOSE are at present supporting three packages:

  1. The Guatemalan Conservation Coast: establishing new nature reserves in at-risk forests on the Caribbean Coast of Guatemala.

  2. Los Santos Wind Energy in Costa Rica: constructing wind energy generators in rural Costa Rica to keep away from the necessity to construct new diesel energy turbines.

  3. Kootznoowoo Improved Forest Administration Undertaking in Alaska: helps conserving over 20,000 acres of at-risk forests on Prince of Wales Island.

When you’re contemplating donating by way of Southwest carbon offsets

Southwest’s new carbon offset program affords bonus factors and matching funds for all donations made by Speedy Rewards members. Any donation you make by way of this program will earn you 10 Speedy Rewards factors per greenback (after charges).

On the present worth of Speedy Rewards factors, that is a return of round 14 cents per greenback donated. Plus, you may earn factors or miles by way of your bank card. Whereas that is not sufficient to justify donating only for the factors, it’s yet another incentive to be an environmentally aware flyer.

Photograph courtesy of Southwest Airways.

Methods to maximize your rewards

You desire a journey bank card that prioritizes what’s vital to you. Listed below are our picks for the greatest journey bank cards of 2022, together with these greatest for:

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