Southwest Airlines Overhauls Rapid Rewards With New Status Tiers and Companion Pass Rules
Southwest Airlines is overhauling its Rapid Rewards program starting Jan. 1, 2027, locking its unlimited Companion Pass behind a brand-new Platinum elite tier requiring 140,000 Tier Qualifying Points or 100 qualifying flights.
The carrier’s Oct. 15, 2026, announcement details the largest restructuring of the loyalty program in years. The old A-List tier will become Silver, requiring 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points or 25 qualifying flights. Nandika Suri, vice president of Rapid Rewards, stated that the airline renamed the tiers for clarity rather than to mimic competitors, noting that precious metals move in an understandable progression.
Changes to Companion Pass Qualification and Credit Card Earning Rules
Under the new rules, credit card welcome offers on Southwest-branded cards will no longer count toward earning a Companion Pass. Currently, flyers can earn the pass by taking 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points. Starting in 2027, the perk becomes an exclusive benefit of the new Platinum elite tier.
To offset the stricter qualification requirements, Southwest is adjusting its credit card earning structures. Every Rapid Rewards credit card, including the $99-annual-fee Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, will earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point per $1 spent starting Jan. 1, 2027. Currently, the Plus card earns no Tier Qualifying Points at all, while higher-tier consumer cards earn between 1,500 and 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points per $5,000 spent.
Current A-List and A-List Preferred members will automatically transfer to their corresponding new tiers on Jan. 1, 2027. Flyers who already hold a Companion Pass retain their benefits until the pass expires.
Milestone Rewards and Fleet-Wide Starlink Deployment
Southwest is introducing Milestone Rewards to give perks between status tiers. Reaching 20,000 Tier Qualifying Points or 15 qualifying flights grants a choice of 2,000 Rapid Rewards points or two Preferred Seat Certificates. Reaching 95,000 Tier Qualifying Points or 75 qualifying flights delivers three Companion Pass trips.
Redemption options will also expand. Members can redeem points for rental cars starting November 2026, international partner airlines including Icelandair, China Airlines, and Etihad Airways in spring 2027, and seat selections in late 2027. Southwest expects to finish equipping its entire fleet with Starlink Wi-Fi by fall 2027, providing free connectivity to Rapid Rewards members.
Southwest makes changes to its Rapid Rewards programSouthwest Airlines announced: Southwest Airlines announced on October 15, 2026 the next evolution of its award-winning Rapid Rewards® program, making the loyalty program more rewarding for Customers throughout the travel…