Rapid Rewards
Rapid Rewards® 2027 Frequently Asked Questions
Rapid Rewards is becoming even more rewarding in 2027, and we’re here to help you understand every new enhancement. Beginning January 1, 2027, Rapid Rewards Members will see updates to status, earning, Companion Pass®, and other benefits, as well as the debut of all-new features, like Milestone Rewards. On this page, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about the evolution of our Rapid Rewards program.
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Rapid Rewards® 2027 overview
The updates coming to Rapid Rewards include:
- A simpler, unified path to tier status and Companion Pass® trips - both are earned via Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or qualifying one-way flights1
- A new Silver, Gold, and Platinum status structure that replaces A-List and A-List Preferred and includes enhanced benefits
- New Milestone Rewards that recognize your progress before reaching Silver and again between Gold and Platinum
- An accelerated path to status for Rapid Rewards Cardmembers - One TQP per $1 spent12
- More opportunities to earn Companion Pass trips, including a Milestone Reward and Platinum status
The new Rapid Rewards changes will take effect on January 1, 2027.
We've listened to what our Members value most - a simplified earning structure that is easier to understand and delivers more recognition throughout the Rapid Rewards journey.
Many of the most popular Rapid Rewards benefits are staying the same, including:
- Earn Rapid Rewards points1 on every qualifying fare you fly, from Basic to Choice Extra, then redeem for Southwest® flights
- Your Rapid Rewards points don't expire as long as your account remains open, so you can use them when you're ready
- Spend with participating partners to earn more Rapid Rewards points
- Stay connected with free inflight Wi-Fi thanks to T-Mobile®2, powered by Starlink, where available and subject to applicable terms
- Rapid Rewards Cardmembers still enjoy exclusive benefits, including first checked bag free3 and other flight enhancements
No, you're free to sit back and relax. Members don't need to take any action, but you might want to explore the new benefits we're adding in 2027.
Earning and Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs)
Tier Qualifying Points are the currency for earning Milestone Rewards and tier status in 2027 and beyond. Qualifying flights will continue to be another way to earn Milestone Rewards and tier status.
Starting January 1, 2027, Members earn TQPs by:
- Completing travel on qualifying flights operated by Southwest®
- Making purchases on Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards1,2
- Making qualifying purchases on the Rapid Rewards® Debit Card4
- Completing qualifying Getaways by Southwest® vacation bookings
- Completing travel on qualifying Southwest Groups bookings
No. Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) are not the same as Rapid Rewards points. TQPs are the qualifying currency used to earn tier status and Milestone Rewards. TQPs are not redeemable and reset at the end of each calendar year. Rapid Rewards points are a redeemable currency that does not expire.
Yes. You can qualify by earning Tier Qualifying Points, or by taking a certain number of qualifying flights.
Yes. Tier Qualifying Points reset on January 1 of each year.
Yes, but remember that Tier Qualifying Points will post to your account based on your statement closing date, which can be different for each Cardmember.
Silver, Gold, and Platinum status
Starting January 1, 2027 the Rapid Rewards tiers will be Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Current A-List benefits will continue until the end of 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, A-List will become Silver. Learn more about the new tier structure here.
Current A-List Preferred benefits will continue until the end of 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, A-List Preferred will become Gold. Learn more about the new tier structure here.
Silver is the first tier Members can earn in the new tier structure. Silver Members enjoy benefits that include Group 1 boarding5, one free checked bag3, and the ability to select a Standard or Preferred seat at booking6 at no additional cost, when available.
Qualify for Silver by earning 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or completing 25 qualifying one-way flights.
Gold is the second tier Members can earn in the new tier structure, building on Silver benefits with additional travel perks. Gold Members enjoy boarding before Group 15, two free checked bags3, Extra Legroom seat selection at booking7, and up to two premium drinks8 on select flights.
Qualify for Gold by earning 65,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or completing 50 qualifying one-way flights.
Platinum is an all-new Rapid Rewards tier designed to recognize Members with the program's highest level of benefits. Platinum Members will enjoy unlimited Companion Pass9 trips, three free checked bags3, Extra Legroom seat selection at booking7, and additional travel benefits.
Qualify for Platinum by earning 140,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or completing 100 qualifying one-way flights.
Yes. If you qualify for a higher tier status, your account status will change as soon as the changes post in our system.
Milestone Rewards
Milestone Rewards are new benefits Members can earn through the Rapid Rewards® program. With Milestone Rewards, Members can unlock benefits before reaching Silver and again between Gold and Platinum.
Beginning January 1, 2027, Members can qualify for Milestone Rewards by earning Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or completing qualifying flights. The same TQPs and qualifying flights that count toward tier status also count toward Milestone Rewards.
Yes. There are two Milestone Rewards available during the calendar year: the first is earned at 20,000 TQPs or 15 qualifying one-way flights, and the second is earned at 95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying one-way flights. Each Milestone Reward can be earned once per calendar year.
At 20,000 TQPs or 15 qualifying flights, you'll earn your first Milestone Reward10 and have the opportunity to choose:
- 2,000 Rapid Rewards points, or
- Two Preferred Seat Certificates
Redeem your Preferred Seat Certificates through our Modify or Upgrade Seats function. These certificates cannot be redeemed when booking a flight.
At 95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying flights, you'll receive three Companion Pass® trips, each valid for a one-way or round-trip itinerary, subject to applicable terms.
Each Companion Pass9 trip is fully used when redeemed for either a one-way or round-trip itinerary. One-way trips do not retain partial or remaining trip value. For maximum value, redeem your Companion Pass trip on a round-trip itinerary.
Yes. Beginning January 1, 2027, eligible purchases on Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards will earn one Tier Qualifying Point for every eligible $1 spent, and those TQPs count toward both tier status and Milestone Rewards12.
Your progress toward Milestone Rewards, whether through Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or qualifying one-way flights, resets to zero on January 1 of each year. Milestone Rewards benefits remain valid through December 31 of the year after they were earned.
Companion Pass®
No, Companion Pass will continue to be a core benefit of Rapid Rewards® in 2027 and beyond. We're incorporating it into a new tier system and Milestone Rewards that give you more opportunities to qualify for Companion Pass benefits.
Starting January 1, 2027, you can earn Companion Pass benefits in one of three ways:
- Earn Platinum Tier status for unlimited Companion Pass trips
- Earn the second Milestone Reward and receive three Companion Pass trips
- Participate in limited-time Rapid Rewards promotions
There will be two opportunities to earn Companion Pass trips:
- Earn three Companion Pass trips through a new Milestone Reward between Gold and Platinum.
- Reach Platinum status and your Companion Pass trips will increase from three trips to unlimited trips.
In addition, Companion Pass trips can also be earned through promotions when available.
After receiving three Companion Pass trips from earning the second Milestone Reward, if you continue to earn and reach Platinum, your Companion Pass trips will increase from three to unlimited.
Companion Pass qualifying points, the currency for earning Companion Pass benefits in 2026 and earlier, will be discontinued in 2027.
Some activities that helped you qualify for a Companion Pass by earning Companion Pass Qualifying Points do not earn Tier Qualifying Points. Therefore, these activities, while still earning Rapid Rewards points, will not assist you in earning Companion Pass benefits. These include new Cardmember welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus points from spend (e.g., 2X on gas), as well as partner spend (e.g., hotel, car).
Yes! You'll still earn Rapid Rewards points on partner transactions, even if they no longer offer Companion Pass qualifying points.
If you're a current Companion Pass holder, you'll continue to enjoy the benefits of your existing Companion Pass until the end date listed in My Account.
If you're still working to earn Companion Pass based on your 2026 activity, you'll have until the end of December 31, 2026 to earn Companion Pass under the existing Companion Pass qualification rules. On January 1, 2027, Companion Pass will be integrated into the tier and Milestone Rewards earning track, which uses Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) and qualifying flights as their qualification requirements.
Yes, any Cardmembers who are approved for the Rapid Rewards Credit Card on or before Dec. 2, 2026 and meet the requirements for the new Cardmember welcome bonus will have the opportunity to have those points count as Companion Pass qualifying points, even if the spend threshold is met in early 2027.
If you're currently registered in a Companion Pass promotion, your participation will be honored. Once you meet the promotion's qualifying flight or spend requirements, you'll receive the Companion Pass benefits outlined in the offer for the specified benefit period. No action is needed beyond meeting your current offer requirements.
Yes, we'll continue to offer limited-time promotional opportunities to earn Companion Pass benefits.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards
Starting January 1, 2027, your Rapid Rewards Credit Card will help you earn tier status even faster. Here's how:
- Earn one Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) for every $1 you spend with your Rapid Rewards Credit Card12
- All Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards, including Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Cards, will become eligible to earn TQPs
- Tier Qualifying Points are now your path to earning Companion Pass®
Your Rapid Rewards Credit Card earnings rate through the end of 2026 depends on which Credit Card you have. See 2026 benefits for Rapid Rewards Credit Cards.
Beginning January 1, 2027, all Rapid Rewards Credit Cards, including Plus cards and Business cards, will offer the same earning rate for Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs): One TQP for every eligible $1 spent.
Yes, Beginning January 1, 2027, Rapid Rewards Plus Cardmembers will be eligible to earn Tier Qualifying Points on purchases.
No, there is no limit on the number of Tier Qualifying Points that a Cardmember can earn with credit card spend.
Yes, beginning 2027 every Rapid Rewards credit card will earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point per every $1 spent
In 2027, Rapid Rewards Cardmembers will receive 10,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) as a one-time bonus when they reach 130,000 Tier Qualifying Points. This bonus gift for Cardmembers helps you qualify for Platinum Tier status more quickly13.
Your existing benefits will continue. See all benefits of your Rapid Rewards Credit Card.
Yes, each Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card offers a different package of travel benefits to suit your needs. Find the perfect Rapid Rewards Credit Card for you.
Yes, the new Premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card will include access to the new Southwest Lounges. Stay tuned for more details!
Earning & redeeming Rapid Rewards® points
Yes. Members will continue to earn Rapid Rewards points on qualifying activities, including Southwest® flights.
As long as your Rapid Rewards Member account remains open, your Rapid Rewards points will not expire.
Yes, we'll continue to offer Rapid Rewards points on every Southwest fare.
Starting January 1, 2027, Rapid Rewards earning rates on Southwest fares will be:
- Basic: 2X fare
- Choice: 6X fare
- Choice Preferred: 8X fare
- Choice Extra: 10X fare
Starting in November 2026, you'll be able to redeem Rapid Rewards points for car rentals with our rental partner.
More Rapid Rewards® perks coming in 2027
We're planning to launch exclusive Southwest lounge experiences in select airports, starting in 2027. Learn more about Southwest lounges, including where they will be opening in 2027.
A new, premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card issued by Chase will be launching in 2027 and will provide access to the new Southwest lounge network.
Yes, starting in Spring 2027, you can redeem Rapid Rewards points with the following loyalty partners:
- Icelandair
- China Airlines
- Etihad Airways
Stay tuned for more loyalty partners announcements!
We'll roll out even more new enhancements for Rapid Rewards Members throughout 2027, including:
Purchase seat upgrades with Rapid Rewards points
Members will have the ability to purchase seat upgrades on Southwest flights using their Rapid Rewards points balance.
Important information
1. Rapid Rewards points: Rapid Rewards points can be earned from (a) Qualifying Flights (defined below) operated by Southwest®, or (b) through qualifying purchases with our Rapid Rewards partners. “Qualifying Flights” include flights operated by Southwest Airlines® and paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Vouchers, gift cards, or flight credits and those paid with Cash + Points. NOTE: With a Cash + Points booking, points are earned only on the portion of the base fare that is paid with dollars. Qualifying Flights exclude reward flights, charter flights, nonrevenue travel, and Companion Pass® travel. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.
2. Inflight WiFi: Where available. Available only on WiFi-enabled designated aircraft. Free WiFi is only for Rapid Rewards® Members. $8 WiFi access is available on select aircraft only, for $8 per device from takeoff to landing. Price is subject to change. May not be available for the full duration of flight. In order to provide a top-notch Internet experience, we prohibit access to certain high-bandwidth applications and websites. We also prohibit access to certain obscene or offensive content.
3. Checked Bag Free: Rapid Rewards® Platinum Members receive three free checked bags. Gold Members receive two free checked bags. Silver Members only receive their first checked bag for free. Checked bag benefits do not apply on flights booked with a partner carrier. Weight and size limits apply. Additional allowances, benefits, and/or exceptions may apply. Learn more.
4. Earn on Debit: Qualifying Purchases with your Rapid Rewards Debit Card can earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point for every $2 spent.
5. Boarding: Our Rapid Rewards® Silver, Gold, and Platinum receive a boarding benefit based on seat type and seat location. Platinum members board before Group 1 and Gold members. Gold members board before Group 1. Silver members board with Group 1.
6. Preferred Seat Selection at Booking: When available, Silver Members will be able to select a Preferred or a Standard seat at the time of booking, or up to 60 minutes prior to a flight's scheduled local departure time. If no Preferred or Standard seat is available, Silver Members will be assigned a seat in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. When available, Silver Members will be able to select Preferred or Standard seats for up to 8 additional Passengers on the same reservation as the Silver Member, allowing for a total of 9 Preferred or Standard seats. If the Silver Member is removed from the reservation and there is no tier Rapid Rewards® Member or primary Cardmember with the same or greater seatings benefits, all seating selections for that reservation will be released and seats will be assigned in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. Benefits may not apply on itineraries booked with partner airlines. Silver Members should allow up to 14 days for tier status to be updated in their Rapid Rewards account to be eligible for this benefit. Rapid Rewards account and Silver status must be open and in good standing when selecting a Preferred or Standard seat. If your Rapid Rewards account is voluntarily closed or tier status expires before travel, any existing seat selection will be maintained. However, any modification to the reservation made after the account closure/status expiration will result in the loss of the seat assignment. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.
7. Extra Legroom Seat Selection at Booking: When available, Gold and Platinum Members will be able to select an Extra Legroom, Preferred or a Standard seat at the time of booking, or up to 60 minutes prior to a flight's scheduled local departure time. If no Extra Legroom, Preferred or Standard seat is available, Gold and Platinum Members will be assigned a seat in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. When available, Gold and Platinum Members will be able to select Extra Legroom, Preferred or Standard seats for up to 8 additional Passengers on the same reservation as the Gold Member, allowing for a total of 9 Extra Legroom, Preferred or Standard seats. If the Gold or Platinum Member is removed from the reservation and there is no Rapid Rewards® Tier Member or primary Cardmember with the same or greater seatings benefits, all seating selections for that reservation will be released and seats will be assigned in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. Benefits may not apply on itineraries booked with partner airlines. Gold and Platinum Members should allow up to 14 days for card status to be updated in their Rapid Rewards account to be eligible for this benefit. If your Rapid Rewards account is voluntarily closed or tier status expires before travel, any existing seat selection will be maintained. However, any modification to the reservation made after the account closure/status expiration will result in the loss of the seat assignment. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.
8. Complimentary premium drink: Customers in Extra Legroom seats will be offered a complimentary premium snack (on select flights traveling 301 miles or more) and complimentary premium drinks (on select flights traveling 251 miles or more). Platinum and Gold Members seated in Preferred or Standard seats receive up to two complimentary premium drinks per leg. Service may be modified or limited at Southwest's® discretion. Must be 21 or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Alcohol served onboard must be consumed onboard the aircraft. Excluding Hawaii interisland flights, complimentary snacks are served on select flights 251 miles or more. If you're flying between Hawaii and the continental U.S., you'll have more snacks to choose from. Service may also be limited at Southwest's discretion. Alcohol purchased onboard must be consumed onboard. You must be 21 years or older to drink alcoholic beverages. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not drink alcoholic beverages because of the risk of birth defects. Images of the alcoholic beverage product do not reflect how it is actually served. In accordance with FAA regulations, Customers are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages onboard that are not served by Southwest Airlines®. Customers will not receive a beverage with a cap.
9. Companion Pass®: Companion Pass benefits allow a Member to designate one Companion to fly with the Member on Southwest®-operated flights. A Companion's reservation must be booked through Southwest. A Companion's reservation is not a purchased flight and cannot be used to book another Companion Pass reservation. A Companion Pass cannot be added to travel booked through Getaways by Southwest®, Group Travel, charter flights, Interline Itineraries, or nonrevenue travel. Member must first book and purchase their own flight before booking the Companion's flight through Southwest by choosing the Rapid Rewards® Companion Pass booking option on Southwest.com®, or by calling our toll-free reservations number at 1-800-248-4377, and notifying the Customer Representative that Rapid Rewards Companion Pass benefits will be used. The Member and the Companion must be booked on the same flights and dates. If the Member cancels, changes, or does not travel on the reservation, the Companion's reservation will be canceled. The Member and the Companion must check in together and may be required to present Companion Pass documentation at the Southwest Ticket Counter, Skycap podium (where available), or departure gate for the Companion to travel. Valid photo identification for both Member and the Companion is required. The Member and Companion must board with their assigned boarding group(s). An ancillary purchase applies only to the Passenger for whom it is purchased.
The Member is limited to one Companion at any time. After designating a Companion, the Member may receive notification of such designation. The Companion Pass benefit is not transferable. The Member may change their designated Companion up to three (3) times each calendar year. Any reservation with the current designated Companion must be cancelled before changing the designated Companion. Companion changes can be made on Southwest.com, the Southwest app, or by calling 1-800-435-9792. Allow 21 business days for processing the change of Companion. The Member's designated Companion must be an individual. An individual may not travel as both a Member and a Companion on the same flight. Corporations and other entities cannot be designated as Companions.
Companion Pass travel has no blackout dates but is subject to availability. While there are no seat restrictions, a seat must be available on a flight for a Companion. For more information regarding Companion Pass benefits, please visit southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027/companion-pass-changes/.
Each Companion Pass trip is good for a one-way or round trip. Does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way.
10. Milestone Rewards: Eligible Rapid Rewards® Members who achieve a Milestone may select from available Milestone Rewards depending on the applicable Milestone level. Benefit selections are final. Benefits are subject to eligibility requirements, expiration dates, usage restrictions, and additional terms and conditions. Visit southwest.com/rapid-rewards/guides/milestone-rewards-explained/ for complete details.
11. Redeem points for seat selection: Rapid Rewards® Members may redeem points for available eligible seat selections on Southwest Airlines-operated flights after booking and ticketing and prior to check-in. Available seat types and the number of points required vary by flight and are subject to change until the seat selection is completed. Points may not be used to purchase seat selections at the airport, including at kiosks or the gate. The Member must have sufficient points in their Rapid Rewards account at the time of redemption, and points will be deducted when the seat selection is confirmed. Seat selections are subject to availability. Southwest reserves the right to change, reassign, suspend, modify, or discontinue seat selections or this benefit at any time for operational, safety, security, or other business reasons. Seat selections purchased with points are non-transferable and valid only for the flight for which they were purchased. Points redeemed for a seat selection will be refunded to the Member's Rapid Rewards account if the associated flight is canceled or changed. If a Member changes to a different seat selection, the points used for the original seat selection will be refunded and the applicable point price for the new seat selection will be charged. Seat selections canceled without a corresponding flight change or cancellation are non-refundable. Only one form of payment and one Rapid Rewards account may be used per seat selection transaction. Points may not be combined with another form of payment in the same transaction. This benefit is not available on Southwest-operated flights that are part of an interline itinerary. Rapid Rewards terms and conditions apply.
12. Tier Qualifying Points: Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) are earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest Airlines®. Starting January 1, 2027, you will also earn 1 TQP for each $1 spent on purchases made with your Rapid Rewards Credit Card. Purchases of products and services, minus returns and refunds, are made by using a card by you or an authorized user of the account; however, the following types of transactions won’t count as purchases: balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like transactions including, but not limited to: travelers checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, other similar digital or virtual currency and other similar transactions; lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers, or similar offline and online betting transactions; person-to-person money transfers and account funding transactions that transfer currency, any checks that access your account, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, and fees of any kind, including an annual fee, if applicable. TQPs earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s Rapid Rewards® account after your credit card billing cycle closes. TQPs are accrued on an annual basis. The first year runs from your account open date through your December statement cycle date of that same year. After that, each annual period consists of the 12 billing cycles starting after your December statement cycle date and ending with the following December statement cycle date. Only TQPs posted to your Rapid Rewards account will qualify for loyalty tiers as described in Southwest.com/rrterms.
13. Tier qualifying points (TQPs) 10k boost at 130k TQPs: You, as a Southwest Rapid Rewards primary Cardmember, will receive one boost of 10,000 TQPs when your TQPs balance in your Rapid Rewards account is 130,000 by 12/31/2027. The TQP boost will be deposited into your Rapid Rewards account within 30 days after you reach 130,000 TQPs posted to your Rapid Rewards account. The TQP boost will count towards Rapid Rewards tier qualification in 2027 for the remainder of 2027 and through 2028. To receive the TQP boost your credit card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Only one credit card account per Southwest Rapid Rewards Member is eligible for one boost of 10,000 TQPs in the year 2027. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services.
SOUTHWEST RAPID REWARDS® PROGRAM INFORMATION The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card is brought to you by Southwest Airlines® and Chase. Southwest Airlines is responsible for the redemption of Rapid Rewards® points toward benefits and services. The number of points needed for a particular Southwest flight is set by Southwest and will vary depending on destination, time, day of travel, demand, point redemption rate, and other factors and is subject to change. Rapid Rewards points can only be transferred to the primary Cardmember’s Rapid Rewards account. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms. Southwest reserves the right to amend, suspend, or change the program and/or program rules at any time without notice. Rapid Rewards Members do not acquire property rights in accrued points. The Contactless Symbol and Contactless Indicator are trademarks owned by and used with the permission of EMVCo, LLC.
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