Southwest Rapid Rewards
Rapid Rewards members earn and redeem points across Southwest, a growing set of airline partners, Chase cards, a debit card, hotel and car programs, Getaways, shopping, dining, home, and specialty partners.
A fare-linked airline loyalty program with two annual A-List tiers and a separate Companion Pass pathway earned through flights or qualifying points.
The owner, currency, and rules of entry. Administrative essentials, mercifully without the brochure.
- Parent organization
- Southwest Airlines
- Program currency
- Rapid Rewards points
- Program status
- Active
- Primary market
- United States
- Enrollment eligibility
- Individual membership subject to the program terms.
- Enrollment cost
- No enrollment fee is published.
- Official program links
- Award booking ↗Homepage ↗Program terms ↗
- Last updated
- Aug 7, 2026
The tier name is the easy part. Here is the bill for reaching it—and what the program owes you in return.
How to qualify
Member
Base tier
Enroll in the program
membership term
Counts: Enrollment
A-List
Qualifying flights
20 flights
Current published qualification year
Counts: Revenue Southwest one-way qualifying flight segments
Does not count: Charter and non-revenue travel · Companion Pass travel · Reward flights
Or · Tier qualifying points
35,000 TQP
Current published qualification year
Counts: Eligible revenue flights · Published eligible card TQP activity
Does not count: Bonus points unless designated · Most partner points · Reward flights
A-List Preferred
Qualifying flights
40 flights
Current published qualification year
Counts: Revenue Southwest one-way qualifying flight segments
Does not count: Charter and non-revenue travel · Companion Pass travel · Reward flights
Or · Tier qualifying points
70,000 TQP
Current published qualification year
Counts: Eligible revenue flights · Published eligible card TQP activity
Does not count: Bonus points unless designated · Most partner points · Reward flights
Companion Pass
Qualifying flights
100 flights
Current published qualification year
Counts: Eligible Southwest qualifying flights
Does not count: Reward and Companion Pass travel
Or · Companion Pass qualifying points
135,000 qualifying points
Current published qualification year
Counts: Eligible flights, cards, and designated partner activity
Does not count: Most converted hotel and car points · Purchased or transferred points · Reward travel
What each tier gets
A-List
Flight earning bonus
Earn a 25% bonus on qualifying Southwest flight points.
Seating benefits
Receives published preferred-seat access under the assigned-seating rules.
Group 1 boarding
Boards in Group 1 on eligible flights.
Checked baggage
First checked bag free; the second carries the published fee.
Same-day standby
Receives published same-day standby access.
A-List Preferred
Flight earning bonus
Earn a 100% bonus on qualifying Southwest flight points.
Dedicated pre-Group 1 boarding
Boards before Group 1 on eligible flights.
Checked baggage
First and second checked bags free on eligible itineraries.
Premium drinks
Receives the published premium-drink benefit on eligible service.
Priority airport and phone support
Receives published priority lanes and phone support.
Companion Pass
Designated Companion
ConditionalChoose one person to fly with the member free of airline charges on eligible Southwest travel.
Taxes and fees from the published minimum apply · Designation and change rules apply
Companion seating
The designated Companion can select an available seat under the published assigned-seating rules.
The headline rate is only half the story. What counts—and what quietly does not—is where the arithmetic gets interesting.
How earning works
Southwest Basic base fare
2 Rapid Rewards points per 1 USD
What counts: Eligible Southwest Basic fare
Does not count: Taxes and fees
Southwest Choice base fare
6 Rapid Rewards points per 1 USD
What counts: Eligible Southwest Choice fare
Does not count: Taxes and fees
Southwest Choice Preferred base fare
10 Rapid Rewards points per 1 USD
What counts: Eligible Southwest Choice Preferred fare
Does not count: Taxes and fees
Southwest Choice Extra base fare
14 Rapid Rewards points per 1 USD
What counts: Eligible Southwest Choice Extra fare
Does not count: Taxes and fees
Elite earning bonuses
A-List
Southwest Basic base fare
25% bonus on Rapid Rewards points
What counts: Eligible Southwest Basic fare
Does not count: Taxes and fees
A-List Preferred
Southwest Basic base fare
100% bonus on Rapid Rewards points
What counts: Eligible Southwest Basic fare
Does not count: Taxes and fees
Pricing rules matter more than the word “free,” which is doing heroic work in most loyalty brochures.
Ways to redeem
Southwest reward flights
Variable point price tied to destination, date, demand, fare type, and current redemption rate
Southwest does not publish one fixed award chart; point prices vary with the selected fare.
Search: southwest.com · Southwest app
Online: Available
Phone: Limited · Assistance availability depends on the selected redemption channel.
Cash + Points
Displayed combination of Rapid Rewards points and cash for an eligible flight
Search: southwest.com · Southwest app
Online: Available
Phone: Limited · Assistance availability depends on the selected redemption channel.
Cash and points: Cash + Points is available when displayed for an eligible itinerary.
Hotel stays
Property- and date-specific point price
Search: Southwest hotel redemption channel · More Rewards
Online: Available
Phone: Limited · Assistance availability depends on the selected redemption channel.
Merchandise
Item-specific point price
Search: More Rewards
Online: Available
Phone: Limited · Assistance availability depends on the selected redemption channel.
Gift cards
Merchant- and denomination-specific point price
Search: More Rewards
Online: Available
Phone: Limited · Assistance availability depends on the selected redemption channel.
Experiences and Rapid Rewards Access Events
Experience-specific point price or access requirement
Search: More Rewards · Rapid Rewards Access Events
Online: Available
Phone: Limited · Assistance availability depends on the selected redemption channel.
Rules and reversals
Southwest reward flights
Taxes and fees: Taxes, fees, fare, schedule, and availability rules apply.
Validity: The issued ticket, booking, product, or experience terms control validity.
For someone else: Recipient eligibility depends on the selected redemption.
Changes: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control changes.
Cancellation: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control cancellation.
Refund timing: Point return, when permitted, follows the provider's processing rules.
Cash + Points
Taxes and fees: The cash-paid portion follows the published earning and fare rules.
Validity: The issued ticket, booking, product, or experience terms control validity.
For someone else: Recipient eligibility depends on the selected redemption.
Changes: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control changes.
Cancellation: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control cancellation.
Refund timing: Point return, when permitted, follows the provider's processing rules.
Hotel stays
Taxes and fees: Property, taxes, fees, cancellation, and occupancy rules apply.
Validity: The issued ticket, booking, product, or experience terms control validity.
For someone else: Recipient eligibility depends on the selected redemption.
Changes: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control changes.
Cancellation: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control cancellation.
Refund timing: Point return, when permitted, follows the provider's processing rules.
Merchandise
Taxes and fees: Inventory, shipping, returns, and supplier rules apply.
Validity: The issued ticket, booking, product, or experience terms control validity.
For someone else: Recipient eligibility depends on the selected redemption.
Changes: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control changes.
Cancellation: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control cancellation.
Refund timing: Point return, when permitted, follows the provider's processing rules.
Gift cards
Taxes and fees: Market, delivery, merchant, and gift-card terms apply.
Validity: The issued ticket, booking, product, or experience terms control validity.
For someone else: Recipient eligibility depends on the selected redemption.
Changes: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control changes.
Cancellation: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control cancellation.
Refund timing: Point return, when permitted, follows the provider's processing rules.
Experiences and Rapid Rewards Access Events
Taxes and fees: Inventory, member, cardmember, event, and provider rules apply.
Validity: The issued ticket, booking, product, or experience terms control validity.
For someone else: Recipient eligibility depends on the selected redemption.
Changes: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control changes.
Cancellation: The fare, provider, and product rules shown before redemption control cancellation.
Refund timing: Point return, when permitted, follows the provider's processing rules.
The useful question is not whether a partnership exists. It is where you can earn, where you can transfer, and which footnote is waiting to spoil the headline.
Partner directory
Airline partnerships
Bilateral and other carrier partnerships outside the global alliance.
- China Airlines
- EVA Air
- Icelandair
Credit cards
Card products directly associated with this loyalty program.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Debit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Business Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Hotels
Hotel loyalty programs with a governed relationship to this program.
- Best Western Rewards
- Choice Privileges
- Marriott Bonvoy
- MGM Rewards
- Radisson Rewards
- World of Hyatt
Earn with partners
Online and browser-extension shopping at 1,100-plus stores
Rapid Rewards Shopping
Merchant-specific points per dollar or fixed-point offers.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Eligible tracked purchases
Does not count: Taxes, shipping, returns, unshipped items, and merchant exclusions
Use through: Rapid Rewards Shopping · Rapid Rewards Shopping button
Posts: Allow 6 to 8 weeks after purchase
Dining at participating restaurants with a registered card
Rapid Rewards Dining
Membership-level and promotional points published by Rapid Rewards Dining.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Eligible dining paid with a linked card
Does not count: Restaurant caps, excluded days, and returned charges
Use through: Rapid Rewards Dining
Eligible stays or hotel-point conversions with published hotel partners
Rapid Rewards hotel partners
Hotel-, rate-, and election-specific Rapid Rewards earning or conversion.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Eligible completed stays · Published hotel-point conversions
Does not count: Award stays, ineligible rates, taxes, fees, and brand exclusions
Use through: Participating hotel direct channels
Eligible rentals with eight published rental partners
Rapid Rewards car rental partners
Rental-company and offer-specific points.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Qualifying rentals with a Rapid Rewards number
Does not count: Ineligible rates, taxes, fees, and supplier exclusions
Use through: Southwest car partner channels
Eligible vacation bookings
Getaways by Southwest
Package-specific points displayed before booking.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Eligible completed Getaways bookings
Does not count: Taxes, fees, cancellations, and package exclusions
Use through: Getaways by Southwest
Eligible utility, energy, and home-service activity
Rapid Rewards home and energy partners
Provider-, market-, and offer-specific points.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Eligible enrolled partner activity
Does not count: Market and provider exclusions
Use through: Participating home and energy partner channels
Eligible purchases plus published tier and Companion Pass qualification benefits
Rapid Rewards credit and debit cards
Product- and category-specific points; selected cards award TQPs and Companion Pass qualifying boosts.
Currency: Rapid Rewards points
Counts: Eligible purchases on the specific card
Does not count: Fees, cash-like transactions, returns, and account-agreement exclusions
Use through: Chase or Southwest debit card account