Spirit Magazine - April 2013 - (Page 16)

Rapid Rewards Freedom Story Darren Hill C o - Fo u n d er a n d C eo, W eb L i n C ph i L a d e L ph ia , pen n s y Lva n ia Mr. SandMan darren brings a bit of Florida home to philly. 16 spirit april 2013 When Darren Hill, the co-founder and CEO of Philadelphia-based WebLinc, first considered applying for the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa from Chase for his business spending, he was skeptical. “I had other business credit cards, but I wasn’t earning anything from using them,” he says. “With the Rapid Rewards Visa, I figured I’d have to spend millions of dollars to get halfway to Denver, but I decided I might as well try it out.” A few years and hundreds of thousands of Rapid Rewards Points later, Darren is singing a different tune. What began as just another credit card has turned into a gold mine of sorts for this Frequent Flyer. Clients based in Florida? No problem. Darren used his points this past December to fly them to Philadelphia for the company holiday party. We’re sure they worked hard and played hard, in true Southwest fashion. But the LUV doesn’t stop there. Darren also uses points earned through his Rapid Rewards Visa to take an occasional, well-deserved break from the constant hustle and bustle of his booming e-commerce company. “My wife and I can jet down to Miami [via Ft. Lauderdale] for the night if we want to. I buy my ticket with points, and she flies for free on my Companion Pass,” he says. “It’s a pretty sweet deal.” But none of this would matter, Darren swears, if it weren’t for the Fun-LUVing Attitude of Southwest’s Employees. He’ll never forget when, on one of his first trips with the LUV airline, a Flight Attendant broke with tradition and sang the entire Safety briefing to the tune of “Hotel California.” He attributes this lighthearted, can’t-breathe-because-you’re-laughing-too-hard atmosphere to an Employee-centric Culture. “When your Employees are having fun, your Customers have fun. Business travel can be a drag, so a sense of humor can go a long way.” Well said, Darren. You keep flying, and we’ll keep you laughing. —Sarah Settele PhotograPhy By colin m. lenton

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - April 2013

Spirit Magazine - April 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
Almost Famous
Not So Fast
Your Adventure In...
Promotional Series: Destination Texas
Promotional Series: Spirit of Golf Reno Tahoe
Promotion: Spirit of Franchise Opportunities
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Terminal Maps
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - April 2013