#7 Among Airlines
Point Value
1.3 ¢
Program Score
7.4
Southwest Rapid Rewards is undergoing a major transformation, with even more changes coming in 2027
The quickest and most efficient way to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points is to fly on Southwest or open and spend on one of their co-branded credit cards. There are other ways to earn Southwest points, but they are not efficient ways of building points.
When you pay for flights on Southwest, you earn points based on the fare you book and whether you hold status with the airline.
Fare class (2026):
Starting January 1, 2027, earning rates for Choice Preferred and Choice Extra fares will drop from 10x to 8x and from 14x to 10x, respectively. Basic and Choice earning rates will remain unchanged.
Status (2026):
Starting January 1, 2027, Southwest will replace A-List and A-List Preferred with three new elite status tiers, each offering different earning bonuses:
Members who earned A-List Preferred status for 2027 based on their 2026 activity will retain their 100% earning bonus through December 31, 2027, even though the standard Gold bonus will be 60%.
Southwest offers five co-branded credit cards you can use to earn Rapid Rewards points. There are three personal cards and two business cards. Each card comes with different signup bonuses, perks, and annual fees.
Southwest has historically offered elevated welcome bonuses a few times per year, occasionally including a promotional Companion Pass (often in February or March). It's unclear whether these promotional offers will continue given the major changes coming to Companion Pass qualification in 2027.
Starting in 2027, credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward earning the Companion Pass, which will instead become a milestone and elite status benefit (see more details below in the "How to Redeem" section).
There is one important exception for those hoping to earn the Companion Pass for 2027. If you're approved for a new Southwest credit card by December 2, 2026, the welcome bonus can still count toward earning a Companion Pass under the 2026 rules, even if you don't meet the spending requirement until early 2027.
Southwest hasn't yet clarified the exact timing or requirements for this exception, but any Companion Pass earned this way will be valid through December 31, 2027. We'll update this section as more details become available.
Starting in 2027, all Southwest co-branded credit cards will also earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) per $1 spent toward elite status.
Southwest Airlines is not part of an airline alliance, but they have recently partnered with several international airlines. To earn points on partners, your booking must be issued on a single ticket through that partner's website, and you will only earn points based on the Southwest portion of the flight.
Beginning in spring 2027, Southwest plans to introduce reciprocal points earning and redemption with Icelandair, Etihad Airways, and China Airlines.
Southwest lets you transfer Rapid Rewards points to another member for $5 per 500 points, with a minimum transfer of 2,000 points.
Because Southwest points generally provide a relatively fixed redemption value, paying to transfer them rarely makes sense. Transfers are usually only worthwhile when someone needs a small number of additional points for a specific booking.
Note: Southwest is overhauling its elite status program on January 1, 2027. At that time, the tier-qualifying point spending bonuses listed below will be replaced by a new earning rate of 1 Tier Qualifying Point per $1 spent on all Southwest co-branded credit cards. The benefits below reflect the current program, and we'll update this section when the changes take effect.
The following bonuses are helpful for award flights or working toward status, but we don’t recommend putting significant extra spend on these cards for that purpose alone.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business
Special Offers Related to Southwest Rapid Rewards. Click the arrow to see more.
Southwest Airlines is dramatically changing how members earn one of the most popular perks in the points and miles hobby, the Companion Pass. Starting January 1, 2027, credit card signup bonuses will no longer count toward earning the Companion Pass. The current requirement of 135,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points or 100 one-way flights will be replaced with two options: earn 95,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or fly 75 qualifying flights to receive three Companion Pass trips, or earn 140,000 TQPs or fly 100 qualifying flights to unlock unlimited Companion Pass trips through the new Platinum status. In addition to credit card welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, category spending bonuses, and hotel or rental car partner points will no longer count toward qualification. Southwest credit cards will instead earn 1 TQP per $1 spent, with a special 10,000-TQP boost after reaching 130,000 TQPs in 2027. That means you'll need to spend $130,000 on Southwest credit cards to earn unlimited Companion Pass benefits through credit card spending alone. Existing Companion Pass holders will keep their benefits through their original expiration dates. Importantly, Southwest is grandfathering welcome bonuses for credit cards approved by December 2, 2026, allowing those points to count toward Companion Pass qualification even if the spending requirement is met in early 2027. That gives travelers one final opportunity to use the traditional credit card bonus strategy, although qualifying through this exception in early 2027 will only provide Companion Pass benefits through December 31, 2027. You can review the new rules and transition details on Southwest's website.
Southwest Airlines is completely overhauling its Rapid Rewards loyalty program starting January 1, 2027, with new elite status tiers, additional redemption options, and plans for airport lounges and a premium credit card. The current A-List and A-List Preferred tiers will be replaced by Silver (35,000 Tier Qualifying Points or 25 flights), Gold (65,000 TQPs or 50 flights), and Platinum (140,000 TQPs or 100 flights). Members can earn TQPs through qualifying Southwest flights and eligible vacation bookings. Following the lead of other major airlines like United, Southwest will also place greater emphasis on credit card spending, awarding 1 TQP per $1 spent on its credit cards. Southwest will introduce milestone rewards, including a choice of 2,000 Rapid Rewards points or two Preferred Seat Certificates at 20,000 TQPs or 15 flights. One of the few positive developments is the introduction of award redemptions on international airline partners, including China Airlines, Etihad Airways, and Icelandair, starting in spring 2027, along with the ability to redeem points for rental cars and seat selection. The airline also announced plans for Southwest Icon Lounges at select airports, with the first expected to open in Nashville in late 2027. A new premium Southwest credit card will offer lounge access, although additional details haven't been announced. These changes represent a major expansion of Rapid Rewards and Southwest's continued transition toward operating like every other major airline. While we're excited about the addition of international partner awards, we'll need to see redemption pricing before knowing how valuable those new options will be. You can review all the changes on Southwest's website.
October 7, 2026 update: Southwest has brought back its up-to-40%-off sale. Book by October 8 for select travel between October 26, 2026 and March 3, 2027. The discount applies automatically to both cash and award fares, with no promo code required. Blackout dates apply around Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and several holiday weekends. If you already have Southwest travel booked, it’s worth checking the current price and repricing or rebooking if the fare has dropped.
Southwest is offering up to 40% off select flights when you book by September 17, 2026, for travel between October 5, 2026 and March 3, 2027. The discount is applied automatically to both cash and points fares, with no promo code required. There are no clear parameters around which flights are on sale and which aren't, so you'll just have to search the route you're interested in. If you're planning a trip and may fly Southwest, it's certainly worth checking to see if your route is discounted. More importantly, if you already have an eligible Southwest flight booked, it's definitely worth checking the current price to see if it's cheaper than what you originally booked. If you booked Choice or above, those fares can be changed without a fee. Even if you booked a Basic fare, which cannot be changed, you can cancel and rebook if the new fare is cheaper.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping is offering 2,000 bonus points after spending $200 or more through the portal by October 12, 2026. The $200 requirement is based on cumulative purchases, so you can earn the bonus on multipled shopping trips. That's an extra 10 Rapid Rewards points per dollar if you spend exactly $200, on top of the normal points earned through the shopping portal. Returns, cancellations, taxes, shipping, and most gift card purchases don't count toward the $200 requirement. The 2,000 bonus points do not count toward A-List status or Companion Pass qualification.
The best way to redeem your Rapid Rewards points is to use them for Southwest flights. The process is simple. Enter your flight details and click “Show fare in points” to see redemption options. If you forget to click it on the search page, you can toggle between cash and points on the results page. You can also view results by week or by month.
Beginning in spring 2027, Southwest will also allow members to redeem Rapid Rewards points for flights on Icelandair, Etihad Airways, and China Airlines. These partner awards will be bookable directly through Southwest's website, opening up international redemption opportunities beyond Southwest's own route network. Partner itineraries must begin or end in the United States.
Fare classes:
Southwest has four different fare classes:
Basic:
Choice:
Choice Preferred:
Choice Extra:
Starting in 2027, Southwest will also allow members to redeem Rapid Rewards points for individual seat upgrades, rather than having to purchase a higher fare class to get a better seat.
A Note on Sweet Spots
Southwest is unique, and the nature of its rewards program makes it difficult to find traditional sweet spots like you can with other airlines. Southwest does not have an award chart, and Rapid Rewards redemptions on Southwest-operated flights are directly tied to the cash price of the ticket, which is dynamically priced. However, the addition of international partner redemptions beginning in spring 2027 could introduce new opportunities for getting outsized value from your points, but we'll have to wait and see how those are priced.
There are pros and cons to Southwest's current system. There are no classic sweet spot redemptions, but there is consistency. You can still find good-value redemptions regularly, generally getting between 1.1 and 1.5 cents per point on Southwest award bookings.
The Companion Pass is the most talked about perk of flying Southwest. If you earn the Companion Pass, one person can fly with you for free (they only pay taxes and fees) on all your Southwest flights.
Through 2026, you can earn the Companion Pass in one of two ways in a calendar year:
Once you complete either requirement, you earn the Companion Pass for the rest of that year and the entire following calendar year.
Historically, the easiest way to earn the Companion Pass has been by hitting the signup bonuses on one personal and one business Southwest credit card. However, this strategy is going away in 2027, when credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward Companion Pass qualification.
Starting January 1, 2027, Southwest is replacing the current Companion Pass qualification system with milestone rewards and elite status benefits:
There is one important exception for 2027.
If you're approved for a new Southwest credit card by December 2, 2026, welcome bonus points can still count toward earning a Companion Pass under the 2026 rules, even if you meet the spending requirements in early 2027.
Southwest hasn't yet clarified the exact timing or requirements for this exception, but any Companion Pass earned this way will be valid through December 31, 2027. We'll update this section as more details become available.
Like most airlines, Southwest has its own hotel booking engine, and like most, this is not the best use of your points. You’ll get much better value by using Rapid Rewards to book flights. The same advice applies to car rentals. You can book them through Southwest with points, but the value is not great.
Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.
Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar lets you compare cash and points prices across a full month. Use it first when your dates are flexible.
With assigned seating and paid checked bags, your fare, Southwest card, and status benefits now matter much more. Compare what is included before booking, especially if you need seat selection, checked bags, or same-day flexibility.
Southwest releases flights in batches and usually does not open its schedule as far out as most major airlines. If your dates are not available yet, check the next schedule extension before assuming the route is not operating.
We have historically ranked Southwest as one of the top airline loyalty programs because it's very user-friendly. Points are relatively straightforward to earn and redeem, with award flights tied to cash prices. While you won't get the same sweet-spot, outsized-value redemptions as with other airlines, there's something to be said for consistency, which Southwest offers. There are no blackout dates or complicated award charts, and cancellations and changes are generally easy to make without extra fees, although flexibility is more limited than it once was.
The flying experience is where Southwest has changed the most. Open seating and free checked bags for everyone are gone, and the new fare bundles make seat selection, boarding position, baggage benefits, and elite status more important than they used to be. Southwest has also announced plans for airport lounges, more premium seating options, and a new premium credit card. Combined with the overhaul of its loyalty program and the elimination of the traditional path to earning the Companion Pass through credit card welcome bonuses in 2027, these changes have made Southwest less appealing to many points-and-miles enthusiasts.
Southwest's international footprint is also expanding. Beginning in spring 2027, members will be able to redeem Rapid Rewards points for flights on Icelandair, Etihad Airways, and China Airlines, potentially opening up new opportunities for international travel and more valuable redemptions. We don't yet know how partner awards will be priced, so it's too early to say whether these opportunities will deliver the kind of value available through other airline programs. Overall, Southwest still has something to offer the right traveler, but the airline is increasingly moving toward the traditional airline model without yet offering many of the benefits that come with it. That leaves Rapid Rewards in an uncertain position as these changes roll out.
Southwest offers two tiers of elite status: A-List and A-List Preferred. The Companion Pass can feel like another level of status, but the Pass is the only benefit you receive (a big one, though).
Starting January 1, 2027, Southwest will replace A-List and A-List Preferred with three new elite tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Members who earn A-List status in 2026 will receive Silver status in 2027, while A-List Preferred members will receive Gold status.
2027 Elite Status Requirements
Members can qualify by meeting either the points or flight requirement. Platinum will launch during 2027 rather than necessarily being available on January 1.
2027 Tier Qualifying Points and Milestone Rewards
Beginning in 2027, all Southwest co-branded credit cards will earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) per $1 spent. Members can also earn TQPs through qualifying Southwest flights.
Southwest is introducing milestone rewards, including:
2026 Elite Status Qualification
Southwest currently has an easy-to-understand path to elite status. Points can be earned from Qualifying Flights, which are flights operated by Southwest Airlines and paid for entirely with cash, Southwest vouchers, gift cards, flight credits, or cash+points (only the cash portion counts when you use cash+points). The following are excluded from earning:
Tier qualifying points are earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest and from spending on a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card:
Here are the two elite status levels, what it takes to reach each, and the benefits you'll receive.
Starting January 1, 2027, A-List Preferred will be replaced by Gold status. Members who earn A-List Preferred in 2026 will automatically receive Gold status in 2027. Starging in 2027, Gold will require 65,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or 50 qualifying flights.
As long as your Rapid Rewards loyalty account remains open, your points are safe. Any points you earn from a credit card go directly into your Rapid Rewards account, so canceling a card won’t affect your points balance. Since there’s no fee to be a Rapid Rewards member, there’s no reason to ever close your account.
You can. It’s actually better to book a flight for someone else with your points than to transfer them. Southwest charges a fee to transfer points, and it can add up quickly. Booking an award ticket for another passenger costs nothing extra and avoids those fees.
You can sometimes find Southwest award flights for as little as 3,000–4,000 points, especially during one of their frequent sales. These are usually short-haul routes in off-peak seasons, like St. Louis to Chicago, but when you find them, they can be an incredible deal.
Yes. You can easily add your Rapid Rewards number after booking. Just go to “Manage Reservations” in the Southwest app or website and add your number to the traveler details. You can also call customer service and have them add it for you.
Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members get two free checked bags. A-List members and Southwest credit cardholders get their first checked bag free. All other travelers must pay for checked bags. Starting January 1, 2027, the new Platinum, Gold, and Silver status tiers will receive three, two, and one free checked bags, respectively.
Not in the traditional sense. With the elimination of open seating, Southwest reconfigured its planes to offer Extra Legroom Seats, which have more space in the front of the plane. However, these are more comparable to premium economy than business or first class. Southwest has announced plans to expand its premium offerings but not details or timeline, and it doesn't currently offer a traditional first- or business-class cabin.
Tracking Points & Transfer Options
