Southwest Rapid Rewards: How to earn and redeem points, elite status and more

Southwest Airlines once prided itself on its "transfarency" philosophy — low fares and no change fees, hidden fees or unexpected bag fees. Therefore, it was no surprise that some TPG staffers regarded Southwest as one of their top airline choices.

However, following several (mostly negative) changes, from new checked bag fees to lower points-earning rates, the airline implemented new policies, and, for some, it is no longer the beloved, quirky standout it once was.

The silver lining: Even with the most recent program changes, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are some of the most easily redeemable loyalty rewards. Here's how to earn, redeem and maximize Southwest Rapid Rewards points.

Southwest Rapid Rewards program overview

Like Southwest Airlines itself, the Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program has amassed a loyal following. Despite not having a standard award chart or being part of an airline alliance, its promise of no blackout dates and the ability to earn Southwest's famous Companion Pass make Rapid Rewards an excellent choice for couples, families and those with not-so-flexible schedules.

Last year, Southwest adjusted award prices to make them more "variable," as opposed to tying the award price to the cash value. In our testing, we've found that depending on the date of and demand for your flight, you can get as little as 1.1 cents or as much as 1.7 cents per point in value.

TPG values Rapid Rewards points at 1.3 cents per point in our March 2026 valuations, meaning 10,000 points should give you around $130 in value.

Southwest elite status

Southwest offers two elite status tiers: A-List and A-List Preferred.

Southwest A-List elite status

To qualify for A-List status, you must fly 20 qualifying one-way Southwest flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year.

Tier qualifying points include those earned from paid flights booked with Southwest or through qualifying purchases made with Rapid Rewards partners. Members now earn tier qualifying points on the cash portion of flights booked using Southwest's Cash + Points option.

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

Email address

Sign up

By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

You can also earn:

• 2,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent annually on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• 2,000 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent annually on the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent annually on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Purchased points, tier bonus points, flight bonus points, partner points, and points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment and credit card bonuses do not count toward A-List or A-List Preferred status.

With Southwest A-List status, you'll get the following:

• Complimentary Preferred or Standard seat at the time of booking; choose an extra-legroom seat within 48 hours of departure for no additional cost (if available)
• One free checked bag
• Priority boarding
• A 25% bonus on points earned from paid flights
• Free same-day standby, even on Basic fares (taxes and fees may apply)
• Priority check-in and security lane access
• Access to a dedicated A-List member phone line

Southwest A-List Preferred elite status

A-List Preferred status requires you to fly 40 qualifying one-way Southwest flights or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year. You'll receive all the benefits of A-List status, as well as:

• Complimentary seat selection at the time of booking, including extra-legroom seats
• Two free checked bags
• A 100% bonus on points earned from paid flights
• Two free premium drinks on select flights over 250 miles

Related: Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it

How to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points

There are a few ways to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points — and some don't even require flying. Here are some of the ways to earn points:

Earn points by flying: You can earn Rapid Rewards points every time you fly on a paid Southwest Airlines flight. The number of points you'll earn depends on the cost of your flight, your elite status, the type of ticket and your payment method.

Earn points with Southwest credit cards: Southwest Airlines has several cobranded credit cards issued by Chase.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees): Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card: Earn 55,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Southwest also offers the following business cards:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Additionally, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Points to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

Other ways to earn Rapid Rewards points include via Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining and Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping purchases, booking stays through Southwest Hotels and making purchases with other partners.

Check out our overall guide on the different ways you can earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points to learn more.

How to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points

There are several ways to redeem your points, but you'll almost always get the most value if you use them for travel on Southwest flights. Other redemption options, like gift cards and merchandise, yield much less value.

The process for redeeming Rapid Rewards points for flights is largely the same as booking a paid flight. Head to the Southwest homepage, enter your search criteria and select the "Points" option. Click the yellow search button to see your flight options.

You'll see award pricing to the right of each available flight. You can filter flights by the number of layovers and departure times using the buttons at the top of the page. Then, click on the ticket price of your desired flight and follow the on-screen prompts to book.

Which fare type should I choose?

You can redeem points for flights in any of the four Southwest fare types. The least expensive option, Basic, is a good value for many travelers, though it's restrictive. Although these tickets are nonrefundable, you'll get a flight credit if you cancel. If you booked a flight with points, you'll get your points and fees refunded. With a Basic fare, you can't pick a seat during the booking process. Instead, you'll be assigned a seat when checking in for your flight.

Choice fares are slightly more flexible, with free same-day confirmed changes and standby (taxes and fees may apply). Additionally, if you need to cancel your flight, flight credits can be transferred to another person. But the real benefit is that you'll be able to pick a Standard seat when booking your flight.

Choice Preferred fares have the same benefits as Choice fares, but with the added bonus of Preferred seats, early boarding and expedited security at select airports. And, if an extra-legroom seat is available 48-hours prior to departure, you're able to pick that seat without paying a premium. Additionally, these fares are fully refundable, which means you won't have to worry about a flight credit in case you need to cancel your flight.

Choice Extra fares are the most expensive, offering two main added benefits: complimentary extra-legroom seats at the time of booking and two free checked bags. You'll also receive a free alcoholic drink on board (on select flights over 250 miles).

Flight credits now expire based on your fare class. (Note that flight credits issued on or before May 27, 2025, do not expire.) Basic fare credits will expire within six months (and are nontransferable and nonextendable), while Choice fare credits will expire within 12 months.

Southwest cardholders get their first checked bag free on each of the airline's cards. This benefit applies to the primary cardholder and up to eight travelers flying on the same reservation. All cardholders can also select a seat in some capacity, even if they're flying on a Basic fare.

Can I change Southwest award tickets for free?

You can cancel Southwest award tickets for free. If you opt to change a ticket, you're only liable for paying the new ticket's fare difference if it's more expensive. On the other hand, if you switch to a cheaper flight, Southwest will refund the difference in points. With this in mind, we highly recommend keeping an eye on award pricing after you book a flight — if the fare decreases, you'll be refunded the points difference.

Canceling a Southwest award ticket is just as simple. When you cancel your ticket, the points you used to book will be refunded to your Rapid Rewards account with no cancellation fees.

Do I have to pay taxes and fees on award tickets?

You must pay certain taxes and fees when booking Southwest award tickets, starting at $5.60 one-way. If you cancel your award flight, the fee will be refunded to your payment method.

For more details, check out our guide on how to redeem your Southwest points.

Maximize your points with the Southwest Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass is undoubtedly one of the most valuable perks of the Rapid Rewards program. After earning the pass, you can choose a companion to travel with you for just the cost of taxes and fees on any Southwest flight you book. You can use the Companion Pass on as many flights as you'd like, effectively doubling the value of your Rapid Rewards points.

You can earn a Companion Pass by flying 100 one-way flight segments with Southwest or earning 135,000 qualifying points. Qualifying points include Rapid Rewards points earned from flying, credit card welcome bonuses, spending on credit cards and purchases made via Rapid Rewards Dining and/or Rapid Rewards Shopping.

Related: I've earned the Southwest Companion Pass for over a decade — here's how I maximize its value

Unfortunately, point transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt do not count toward the Companion Pass.

You can only designate one companion at a time, but you can change your companion three times per year. You can change your companion through your Southwest account; according to the airline, allow up to 48 hours for the change to process, but in our experience, it happens immediately. Remember that your companion will not earn Rapid Rewards points on their flight, but you will still earn points if you fly on a paid ticket.

Your Companion Pass will be valid for the remainder of the year in which it's earned and the entirety of the following year (unless you earn the pass through a special promotion).

Related: How to earn and use the Southwest Companion Pass

Bottom line

Southwest Rapid Rewards points are easy to earn and redeem, and the incredibly valuable Companion Pass sets Southwest apart from other airlines. Don't miss your fast track to a Companion Pass with the right cobranded credit card.

However, the airline has recently restructured a lot of its program, which has been met with confusion, frustration and dismay by its most loyal customers. Still, the program remains popular with all kinds of travelers, especially families.