Southwest Airlines announced changes to its Rapid Rewards loyalty program that will begin Jan. 1, 2027.
Southwest will introduce three status tiers. A-List will become Silver, A-List Preferred will become Gold, and a new top-tier Platinum status will be added. Platinum members will receive unlimited Companion Pass trips.
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The airline also said Rapid Rewards credit cardholders will have a faster path to status. Beginning in January 2027, every cardholder will earn one Tier Qualifying Point for every $1 spent on purchases with a Rapid Rewards credit card.
For those traveling internationally, members will be able to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points for travel through new partnerships with Icelandair, China Airlines and Etihad Airways beginning in spring 2027. The partnerships will give members more options for international travel.
The airline also said that later in 2027, members will be able to redeem points for seat selection, including Extra Legroom and Preferred seats.
“Rapid Rewards was built on a simple idea: make it easy for customers to earn and use rewards,” Nandika Suri, vice president of Rapid Rewards at Southwest Airlines, said in a press release. “As our members engage more with Southwest, they’ve told us they want Rapid Rewards to reward them in more meaningful ways, whether they’re working toward status or using the points they’ve earned. These updates build on that feedback by rewarding Members throughout their Southwest experience, while keeping the simplicity and value that have always set our program apart.”
Last year, the airline implemented assigned seating and added premium seats with extra legroom. Travelers with premium seats are now able to board first.
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In 2024, the company announced it would eliminate its free checked bag policy “to drive revenue growth and reward its most loyal customers.” The move aligned Southwest with other major airlines, including Delta, United and American, which have charged for checked bags for years.
