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Do Southwest A-List Bonus Points Count Toward the Companion Pass?

Oct. 06, 2017
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3 min read
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Do Southwest A-List Bonus Points Count Toward the Companion Pass?
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"Reader Questions" are answered twice a week — Mondays and Fridays — by TPG Senior Writer Julian Mark Kheel.

There are fewer ways nowadays to earn the 110,000 points required to get a Southwest Companion Pass. But TPG reader Alex wondered if having Southwest elite status might make things a little bit easier?

[pullquote source="TPG Reader Alex"]Do the double points from A-List Preferred count toward Companion Pass?[/pullquote]

When you purchase a ticket on Southwest, you'll normally earn more points per dollar by buying more expensive fares. The cheapest Wanna Get Away fares earn 6 points per dollar, while the more pricey Anytime tickets get 10 points per dollar and Business Select fares earn the most at 12 points per dollar.

But if you have either A-List or A-List Preferred status on Southwest, you'll get extra bonus points on top of those base points. A-List members get a 25% bonus on points earned from flying, while A-List Preferred elites earn a full 100% bonus on each flight. So if you're A-List Preferred and earning double points on all your Southwest flights, you would think that'd mean you'd earn a Companion Pass in half the time, right?

Well, not quite. While Southwest Rapid Rewards is a single loyalty program, within that program are essentially three distinct types of points: redeemable points, Tier Qualifying Points and Companion Pass-qualifying points. And just because a particular activity counts as one type of point doesn't mean it always counts as the others as well.

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In this case, what we're interested in knowing is what types of points count as Companion Pass-qualifying. We can find out by taking a close look at the Southwest Companion Pass terms and conditions:



Companion Pass qualifying points are earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest®, points issued on Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards, and base points earned from Rapid Rewards Partners in a calendar year. Purchased points, points transferred between Members, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club, points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment, tier bonus points, flight bonus points, and Partner bonus points (excluding bonus points earned on the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase) do not qualify as Companion Pass qualifying points. [emphasis added]

And if there's any confusion about what constitutes tier bonus points, Southwest has clarified that in its community forum:

So unfortunately the answer is no — your A-List or A-List Preferred bonus points will not count toward the Companion Pass. As of now, the only points that do count are the base 6-12 points per dollar spent from flying, base points earned from Southwest partners like Rapid Rewards Dining and the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, and points earned from the Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards.

While you won't be able to get a Companion Pass any faster with your A-List Preferred status, Alex, in the meantime you can always use those extra bonus points you're earning to book award tickets for your companion. Thanks for the question, and if you're a TPG reader who'd like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, send us a message on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.