Airline Program Guide
Southwest Rapid Rewards Guide
Southwest Airlines' loyalty program with no blackout dates, no change fees, and revenue-based earning. Companion Pass available at 135,000 qualifying points or 100 flights.
Last updated March 2026
Program
Southwest Airlines
Alliance
None
Currency
points
Avg Value
1.4¢ per point
What You Need to Know
Southwest Rapid Rewards breaks every rule of traditional loyalty programs — and that's exactly why 60+ million members love it. No blackout dates, no change fees, no seat classes, no complicated award charts. Points are worth a flat ~1.3-1.5 cents each when redeemed for Wanna Get Away fares, and the Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in all of travel loyalty.
The Companion Pass lets a designated person fly with you for free (plus taxes) on every flight for the rest of the qualifying year and the following calendar year. Earn it by accumulating 135,000 qualifying points or taking 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. With strategic credit card sign-up bonuses, many travelers earn the Companion Pass within the first few months.
Southwest's A-List and A-List Preferred tiers offer meaningful benefits without the complexity of legacy carrier programs. A-List gets automatic check-in, priority boarding, and same-day standby. A-List Preferred adds a 100% point bonus and free WiFi. The simplicity is the point.
How Elite Qualification Really Works
Southwest uses Tier Qualifying Points (TQP) for A-List status: 20,000 TQP or 25 qualifying one-way flights for A-List, 40,000 TQP or 50 flights for A-List Preferred.
The Companion Pass requires 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. Credit card sign-up bonuses count: the Southwest Priority card bonus (typically 60,000-80,000 points) gets you halfway there. Some travelers open two Southwest cards to hit it from bonuses alone.
Points earned from Southwest credit cards, partner purchases, and the Southwest shopping portal all count toward the Companion Pass threshold.
The Companion Pass lasts from when you earn it through the end of the FOLLOWING calendar year. Earn it in January and you get nearly 2 full years. Earn it in December and you get just 13 months.
Elite Benefits by Tier
A-List
- •Automatic check-in (priority boarding position without manually checking in)
- •Priority boarding after Business Select
- •Same-day standby on earlier/later flights for free
- •Fly By priority lane (dedicated check-in and security lanes at select airports)
- •25% point bonus on flights
A-List Preferred
- •Everything in A-List
- •100% point bonus on flights (double earning)
- •Free WiFi on every flight
- •Priority over A-List for boarding position
- •Same-day confirmed changes to different flights (when available)
MileIntelTrack your Companion Pass progress and Southwest points in real time
MileIntel alerts you when booked flights drop in price so you can rebook and pocket the difference, recommends Wanna Get Away vs. Plus vs. Anytime fare value for each trip, and tracks your Companion Pass and A-List qualification progress automatically.
Upgrade Instruments
Business Select
Southwest doesn't have cabin upgrades, but Business Select fares guarantee A1-A15 boarding (first on the plane = best seats), a premium drink, and 12x earning. It's the closest thing to a premium cabin.
How to earn: Purchase at time of booking. Cannot be upgraded to after purchase.
EarlyBird Check-In
Automatic check-in before general boarding for $15-$25 per segment. Gets you a better boarding position without A-List status.
How to earn: Purchase as add-on when booking. A-List members get this automatically.
Redemption Sweet Spots
Domestic point-to-point
4,000-12,000 points one-wayWanna Get Away
Southwest's cheapest fares redeem at 1.3-1.5 cpp. Sale fares can push value even higher. No blackout dates means the pricing you see is the pricing you get.
Hawaii from West Coast
8,000-15,000 points one-wayWanna Get Away
Southwest flies to Honolulu, Maui, Kona, and Lihue from multiple West Coast cities. Points pricing on Hawaii routes is often better than legacy carriers.
Caribbean & Mexico
5,000-20,000 points one-wayWanna Get Away
Southwest serves 10+ Caribbean and Mexican destinations. With the Companion Pass, a couple flies round-trip to Cancun for under 20,000 points total.
Insider Tips
The Companion Pass is the single most valuable perk in travel loyalty. Time your credit card applications and spending to earn it in January for nearly 24 months of benefits.
Southwest points never expire. There's no inactivity expiration — your balance is safe indefinitely.
Change and cancellation fees don't exist. Rebook at lower fares and the difference is returned as a travel credit or points (depending on fare type). Set up price alerts on booked flights.
Wanna Get Away Plus fares earn 6x points and are transferable/refundable to travel funds — a significant upgrade over basic Wanna Get Away for a small price premium.
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to Southwest at 1:1. If you have a Sapphire card, you can use Chase points for Southwest flights and count them toward the Companion Pass.
Credit Card Strategy
Southwest Priority card ($149/year) offers 7,500 anniversary points, 4 upgraded boardings per year, and $75 Southwest travel credit. The anniversary points alone are worth ~$100.
Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve: transfer Chase UR points 1:1 to Southwest. Chase points transferred to Southwest count toward the Companion Pass threshold.
For Companion Pass strategy: apply for two Southwest personal cards (Priority + Plus or Premier) to stack sign-up bonuses. Timing this in Q4/Q1 is optimal.
When Southwest Rapid Rewards Is NOT the Right Fit
- ×Travelers who want premium cabins (lie-flat, business class) — Southwest is all-economy with open seating
- ×International travelers — Southwest flies only to the US, Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America
- ×Travelers who prefer assigned seats — Southwest's open boarding system is love-it-or-hate-it
- ×Those who need Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or OneWorld partner benefits — Southwest is independent
Expiration Policy
Points do not expire as long as the account is active and in good standing
Transfer Partners
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I earn points with Southwest Rapid Rewards?
Southwest Rapid Rewards offers Business Select 14 pts/$, Anytime 10 pts/$, Wanna Get Away Plus 6 pts/$, Wanna Get Away 2 pts/$. A-List +25% bonus, A-List Preferred +100% bonus. You can also earn through co-branded credit cards, shopping portals, dining programs, and partner purchases. Transfer partners include: Chase Ultimate Rewards (incoming only).
Do Southwest Rapid Rewards points expire?
Points do not expire as long as the account is active and in good standing
What are the Southwest Rapid Rewards elite tiers?
Southwest Rapid Rewards has 2 elite tiers: A-List (20 qualifying one-way flights or 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points), A-List Preferred (40 qualifying one-way flights or 70,000 Tier Qualifying Points).
Is Southwest Rapid Rewards worth it in 2026?
Southwest Rapid Rewards is best for budget-conscious domestic travelers who value flexibility, free checked bags, and no change fees. Southwest Airlines' loyalty program with no blackout dates, no change fees, and revenue-based earning. Companion Pass available at 135,000 qualifying points or 100 flights.
What credit cards earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points?
Southwest Rapid Rewards has co-branded credit cards plus transfer partner access from programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards (incoming only). Check the credit card strategy section above for the optimal card combination.