Southwest Loyalty Program Updates
The old Southwest Airlines we all grew up with is changing rapidly…
The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is revamping its entire loyalty structure starting January 1, 2027 and will affect:
Airline status
Credit card spending
Milestone Rewards
Companion Pass® Requirements
Current A-List members will become Silver status and Current A-List Preferred members will become Gold status next year.
Brand-new Platinum status will also launch - and benefits vary for each status:
Status will be earned through Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or Qualifying Flights.
all Rapid Rewards Cardmembers will earn one Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) per every $1 spent on purchases.
Milestone Rewards is a fresh concept for the low-cost carrier used to track status and earn goodies along the way:
Silver Status: 35,000 TQPs or 25 flights
Gold Status: 65,000 TQPs or 50 flights
Platinum Status: 140,00 TQPs or 100 flights
Sandwiched in between are Milestone Rewards - for example, 20,000 TQPs or 15 flights will reward the option of 2,000 Rapid Rewards Points or 2 Preferred Seat Certificates.
Another option at 95,000 TQPs or 75 flights will earn 3 Companion Pass trips.
Which brings us to the most unfortunate news…
As we know it, the Southwest Companion Pass® is COOKED.
Southwest announced these changes as “More opportunities to earn Companion Pass benefits in 2027.”
Unfortunately though, that doesn't really look like the case for most people.
Before, cardholders could sign up for a Southwest personal card and a business card, earn high welcome offers, and then have enough points to get a Southwest Companion Pass® for nearly two full years when timed right.
The company is retiring Companion Pass qualifying points next year while Unlimited Companion Pass trips must be earned through Platinum status (140,000 TQPs or 100 flights).
For 2027, $130,000 of spending through Southwest cards is required:
1 TQP x $130,000 = 130,000 TQPs
Throw in a 10,000 TQP bonus for $130,000 spent and that gets you to the 140,000 TQPs necessary for Platinum status.
$130,000 of spending or two credit card applications? You tell us which is "more opportunities." 🤷♂️
There’s a lot to cover, so check out the Southwest website for everything you need to know regarding the loyalty program changes.