Southwest Airlines is making some of its biggest changes yet to Rapid Rewards, introducing a new elite status tier, overhauling Companion Pass qualification, and allowing members to redeem points for international flights on partner carriers.
The airline announced the slew of changes during its Media Day event in Dallas on Thursday, October 15. It also shared new details about its upcoming airport lounges and plans to bring Starlink Wi-Fi to its entire fleet.
Most of the changes will take effect in 2027. Some will give members more ways to use their points, while others will make familiar benefits harder to earn, particularly for those who have relied on credit card bonuses to qualify for Companion Pass.
Here’s what’s changing.
Southwest Is Introducing Three Elite Status Tiers
Beginning January 1, 2027, Southwest will replace its familiar A-List and A-List Preferred status levels with a new three-tier structure: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
The names are generic by design. Executives said the familiar terminology should make Rapid Rewards easier to understand for customers coming from other airlines.
Existing A-List members will transition to Silver, while A-List Preferred members will become Gold. Platinum is an entirely new tier above Gold, offering Southwest’s most frequent flyers (or biggest spenders) additional benefits, including unlimited Companion Pass trips.
Here’s how members will qualify for each tier beginning in 2027 and how the benefits compare:
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current equivalent | A-List | A-List Preferred | New |
| Tier Qualifying Points | 35,000 | 65,000 | 140,000 |
| Qualifying one-way flights | 25 | 50 | 100 |
| Flight points bonus | 40% | 60% | 120% |
| Free checked bags | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Seat selection | Standard or Preferred at booking; Extra Legroom within 48 hours | Any seat at booking | Any seat at booking |
| Boarding | Group 1 | Before Group 1 | Before Gold |
| Companion Pass | — | — | Unlimited trips |
Members who qualify for A-List or A-List Preferred status in 2026 will automatically transition to Silver or Gold, respectively, on January 1, 2027. Their status will remain valid through December 31, 2027.
There are a couple of differences worth pointing out.
Silver members will earn a 40% bonus on qualifying flights, up from the 25% currently offered to A-List members. Gold members, however, will earn a 60% bonus, down from the 100% currently offered to A-List Preferred members.
Southwest is grandfathering that benefit for existing A-List Preferred members who qualify for 2027 status through their 2026 activity. They’ll retain the 100% earning bonus through December 31, 2027.
Platinum is (obviously) the biggest addition. Along with unlimited Companion Pass trips, members will receive three free checked bags, a 120% flight points bonus, priority boarding ahead of Gold members, and complimentary Extra Legroom seat selection at booking.
Southwest is also introducing Milestone Rewards, which will allow members to choose benefits as they work toward higher status levels. Rewards include bonus Rapid Rewards points, seat selection certificates, and, between Gold and Platinum, three Companion Pass round trips.
Beginning January 1, 2027, all Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards issued by Chase will earn one Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, including the entry-level Plus card.
Members can also earn TQPs through qualifying Southwest flights, purchases on the Rapid Rewards debit card, Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings, and qualifying Southwest Groups bookings.
Companion Pass Is Changing, Too
Southwest is also overhauling Companion Pass.
Yep, finally. It’s a benefit the airline seemed reluctant to touch for somewhat obvious reasons, but the day has come.
Beginning January 1, 2027, Southwest will replace its separate Companion Pass qualification system with TQPs. These are the same points used to earn elite status.
Members will have two ways to unlock Companion Pass benefits:
- 95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying flights: Earn three Companion Pass round trips through a Milestone Reward.
- 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying flights: Reach Platinum status and unlock unlimited Companion Pass trips.
Currently, members can earn unlimited Companion Pass trips after accumulating 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or completing 100 qualifying flights in a calendar year.
The flight requirement for unlimited Companion Pass isn’t changing. However, the switch to TQPs will change how members qualify through credit cards and other activities.
And here’s how.
Beginning in 2027, credit card welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus points earned from spending will no longer count toward Companion Pass qualification. Points earned through participating hotel and rental car partners will also be excluded.
Members will still earn redeemable Rapid Rewards points from those activities, but they won’t count toward Companion Pass.
Instead, Southwest credit cardholders will earn one TQP for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, regardless of which Southwest Chase card (or cards) they carry.
That means someone who previously earned Companion Pass through a combination of credit card welcome bonuses and spending won’t be able to follow the same strategy in the future.
Members will still be able to designate one companion at a time and change that person up to three times annually.
Already have Companion Pass? Members who earn it under the existing rules in 2026 will keep their unlimited Companion Pass trips through December 31, 2027.
Southwest will also honor existing Companion Pass promotions. Members who meet the requirements of their current offer will receive the benefits promised for that promotion’s specified period.
Southwest Points Will Soon Be Redeemable for International Partner Tickets
One of the more interesting announcements from Thursday’s event is that Rapid Rewards points will soon be useful for flights well beyond Southwest’s own network.
Beginning in spring 2027, members will be able to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points through partnerships with Icelandair, China Airlines, and Etihad Airways.
Etihad is the newest addition to Southwest’s growing list of international airline partners.
Southwest confirmed that members will be able to redeem points for economy and premium cabin flights on these airlines. Reservations will be available through Southwest’s website, though pricing has yet to be announced.
We also heard from multiple members of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards team that more airline partners will become available for redemptions (and potentially fairly quickly).
Until now, Rapid Rewards redemptions have largely been limited to Southwest’s own flights, aside from international flights available through the More Rewards portal.
But there are still some big unknowns.
Southwest hasn’t announced how it will price partner redemptions or whether members will be able to combine Southwest flights and partner-operated flights on a single reservation.
Southwest Is Adding More Ways to Spend Points
International flights aren’t the only new redemption option coming to Rapid Rewards.
Beginning in November 2026, members will be able to redeem points for rental cars through participating partners at cars.southwest.com.
Later in 2027, Southwest will also allow members to use Rapid Rewards points to pay for seat selection, including Preferred and Extra Legroom seats.
That option will be available after booking and before check-in. Pricing will vary by flight and seat type.
Southwest Shares More About Its New Airport Lounges
Southwest also shared more details about its plans to enter the airport lounge business.
The new network will be called Southwest Icon Lounges, and the first location expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Chatter at the event suggested Nashville (BNA) is a leading candidate for the first location, although Southwest hasn’t officially confirmed which lounge will open first.
Each Southwest Icon Lounge will incorporate design elements inspired by its location. Southwest says the spaces will emphasize comfort, hospitality, and local character while retaining elements of the airline’s identity.
The lounge network is being developed in partnership with Chase, which already operates its own Sapphire Lounge network.
Southwest also confirmed plans to introduce a new premium Rapid Rewards credit card issued by Chase in 2027. The card will provide access to Southwest Icon Lounges.
However, the airline hasn’t announced the card’s annual fee, additional benefits, or launch date.
Another unanswered question is whether existing Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholders will receive lounge access when flying Southwest.
It seems plausible, but when Points Insider asked representatives from both Southwest and Chase about that possibility during Media Day, neither company offered any details that would indicate which direction it’ll go.
For now, the new Southwest premium card is the only confirmed credit card access option.
Starlink Is Coming to Southwest’s Entire Fleet
Southwest is also moving ahead with plans to install Starlink, the fast (and popular) satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, across its entire fleet.
The airline expects to complete the rollout by fall 2027, which executives touted would make Southwest the first major U.S. airline to offer complimentary Starlink on every aircraft.
During Thursday’s presentation, Tony Roach, Southwest’s chief customer and brand officer, said 47 aircraft were already equipped with Starlink.
Installation is expected to accelerate in the first quarter of 2027. Southwest’s forthcoming Boeing 737 MAX 7 aircraft will also enter service with Starlink already installed.
The rollout is part of Southwest’s broader cabin modernization effort, which includes new seats, larger overhead bins, and in-seat power. Southwest expects essentially its entire fleet to have in-seat power by around October 2027.
Leave a Reply