( CNN ) -- Southwest Airlines is taking its rewards program from what one industry expert calls `` anemic '' to competitive with the unveiling of an improved Rapid Rewards program . `` This is very big , '' Tim Winship , editor-at-large for SmarterTravel.com said of the changes , which are aimed at making it easier for members to earn and redeem points . `` This move by Southwest is going to prompt a lot of internal discussion at the major airlines about what it means to them , what their competitive response should be and then so on , '' Winship said . One of the key changes in Rapid Rewards is that members can now redeem points on every seat , every day and on every flight with no blackout dates or seat restrictions . As long as members fly or use a partner once every two years , their points will never expire . The changes , which will officially launch on March 1 , will improve on Southwest 's current rewards program , according to a press release on Southwest 's website . `` We took our award-winning program and made it even better by giving our members more flexibility and control over how and when they earn and redeem their points , '' Gary Kelly , Southwest 's chairman , president and CEO , said in the press release . `` We know our Customers are going to appreciate the fact that their points do n't expire and every seat on every flight is a reward seat . '' Work began on improving Southwest 's frequent-flier program several years ago , and Ryan Green , senior director of customer loyalty and partnerships for Southwest , called it the `` single biggest new product launch in our company 's history , '' in a blog post he wrote on the airline 's website . `` We conducted months of customer surveys , focus groups , and research to find out what travelers like about our current program , what they do n't like , and what they 'd like to see changed , '' Green wrote . Rapid Rewards members earn points based on the price of the flight and the type of fare purchased . For example , a one-way Anytime flight from San Francisco , California , to Denver , Colorado , would cost $ 257 and leave the passenger with 2,570 points , according to the point simulator on Southwest 's website . Flying Business Select on that same flight would give the member 3,324 points and flying Wan na Get Away would garner 948 points . Buying a roundtrip ticket doubles those points . To figure out when you 'll be able to redeem a free flight , take your total amount of points and divide by 120 , 100 or 60 , depending on which fare type you plan to purchase . Earn or use points at least once every 24 months , and you 'll keep your points forever ; a perk that Winship said is a huge improvement from Southwest 's current system , which erases any points not used within two years . `` You had to earn 16 credits in 24 months , or else there was really no point of participating in the program at all , '' he said . `` The credits would be falling off the back end as you 're earning them on the front end . '' By changing the way rewards are calculated -- by revenue rather than miles -- Southwest is going in a direction that other airlines will be hard-pressed to follow . Airlines ' frequent-flier programs are enormous , and tie in with other processes and services that the airlines offer , Winship said . They 'd have to redo reservations software and websites and retrain employees to go to a different system . `` It 's an enormous top-to-bottom undertaking , '' Winship said . `` I just do n't think that 's in the cards for other airlines right now . ''
Southwest has unveiled an improved Rapid Rewards program . Members can now redeem points on every seat , every day and on every flight . Earn or use points at least once every 24 months , and you 'll keep your points forever . Southwest 's rewards program is now more competitive with those of the legacy carriers .