Southwest Airlines' frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, lets members earn points on flights, qualifying partner purchases and cobranded credit card spending, then redeem them for award flights with no blackout dates. Rather than a fixed award chart, the program uses dynamic pricing, so point costs shift based on demand and the fare you select. Its standout perk is the Companion Pass, which lets a designated companion fly on every Southwest flight with you for just the applicable taxes and fees for the remainder of the year it's earned, plus the full following calendar year.
TL;DR / Key takeaways
- What it is: Rapid Rewards is Southwest Airlines’ loyalty program. Members earn points on Southwest flights, everyday purchases through cobranded credit cards, the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, dining, hotel stays and rental cars. Points can be redeemed for Southwest award flights (no blackout dates), or exchanged for gift cards, hotel stays, car rentals and other rewards through the Southwest More Rewards program.
- Points value: TPG values Rapid Rewards points at 1.25 cents each as of June 2026. See TPG’s monthly points valuations for updates.
- Best use case: Redeeming points for Southwest flights during periods of high demand tends to yield solid value, since the program’s dynamic pricing means some dates offer better point-to-dollar ratios than others. Couples and families often get the most value by pairing flight redemptions with the Companion Pass.
- Worth considering if: You fly Southwest regularly or hold a Southwest cobranded credit card, since card spend counts toward both points and the Companion Pass threshold. Travelers who primarily fly internationally or favor legacy carrier alliances may find more value elsewhere.
- Key rule of thumb: Points never expire as long as your account is active.
How earning and redeeming Rapid Rewards points works
Rapid Rewards points accumulate through a variety of channels, with paid Southwest flights being the most direct. Earning rates vary by fare type, and you can supplement flight earnings through the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, the Rapid Rewards Dining program, hotel and car rental partners, and everyday spending on a Southwest cobranded credit card. Card spend counts toward both your point balance and the Companion Pass threshold, making it one of the fastest non-flying paths to program milestones.
Redemptions are straightforward. When booking a Southwest flight with points, the program’s dynamic pricing means the point cost reflects the demand and cash price of the flight, not a fixed chart. Depending on the date and route, TPG’s testing has found values ranging from around 1.1 to 1.7 cents per point. Cash + Points lets you mix points and cash on a single booking, and those combined bookings now earn Rapid Rewards points and tier qualifying points on the cash portion. Beyond flights, you can redeem points for gift cards, hotel stays, rental cars and merchandise through the Southwest More Rewards program, though flight redemptions typically deliver the best per-point value.
What the Companion Pass is and how to earn it
The Companion Pass is Rapid Rewards’ most coveted benefit. Once earned, it lets you designate one person to fly with you on every Southwest flight, paid or award, for just the taxes and fees (from $5.60 one-way) for the rest of the year you earn it, plus the entire following calendar year. To earn it, you need to accumulate 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or fly 100 one-way qualifying flight segments in a calendar year
Not all points count toward the Companion Pass threshold. Qualifying sources include points earned on Southwest flights, cobranded credit card spending (including welcome bonuses), the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, hotel stays and rental car bookings with Southwest partners, and the Rapid Rewards Dining program. Points transferred from other loyalty programs and purchased points do not count. Because qualifying points reset each January 1, earning the Companion Pass early in the year maximizes the time you can use it.
Southwest cobranded cardholders also receive an annual 10,000-point boost toward the Companion Pass threshold each calendar year, which can meaningfully close the gap. Read how to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass for a full strategy breakdown.
Rapid Rewards elite status: A-List and A-List Preferred
Southwest offers two elite status tiers: A-List and A-List Preferred. Both are earned by accumulating tier qualifying points (TQPs) or completing qualifying one-way flight segments within a calendar year. TQPs are tracked separately from the Rapid Rewards points you redeem and cannot themselves be redeemed for travel. The comparison table below reflects benefits as listed on https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/tiers/; benefits and qualification thresholds are subject to change.
| Benefit | A-List | A-List Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying flights (one-way) | 20 flights or 35,000 TQPs | 40 flights or 70,000 TQPs |
| Boarding position | Group 1 | Dedicated before Group 1 |
| Checked bags | 1 free checked bag | Two free checked bags |
| Points bonus on paid flights | 25% | 100% |
| Same-day standby | Yes | Yes |
| Priority lane and express lane access | Yes | Yes |
| Priority phone support | Yes | Yes |
| Premium drinks on select flights | No | Yes (Up to two) |
It’s worth setting honest expectations: Southwest elite status carries fewer headline perks than status at legacy carriers. There’s no business-class cabin to be upgraded into and no airport lounge access. That said, the practical benefits, particularly same-day standby, priority boarding and checked-bag waivers, have genuine value for frequent Southwest travelers. See our Southwest A-List status article for a full breakdown of what each tier is worth.
