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Southwest Introduces Online Registration For Its Status Match Challenge

June 08, 2018
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3 min read
Southwest Airlines jet shown landing at LAX
Southwest Introduces Online Registration For Its Status Match Challenge
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If you have status with another airline, Southwest is no longer making a secret of the fact that it wants you to test out its A-List status and see how you like it.

On Friday, Southwest detailed its status match challenge on its website for the first time, allowing flyers with status on another airline to register and try out its A-List status. The airline's status match program isn't new, but it previously wasn't advertised — you had to call and find an agent who was familiar with the rules and knew how to enroll you in it.

But now, if you want to match your existing airline status to Southwest A-List, you can register on Southwest's site or send an email to southwest.statusmatch@wnco.com with your name, Rapid Rewards number and proof of your current airline elite status with a domestic airline other than Southwest. Once Southwest verifies you and your status, you'll get promotional A-List status for 90 days. Then during that 90-day period, if you fly three qualifying round-trip or six qualifying one-way flights, you'll maintain your A-List status for an additional 12 months.

According to the terms and conditions, qualifying flights are defined only as revenue flights, not award redemptions, and current A-List members whose status is expiring are not eligible for a status match. Additionally, only new reservations booked within the 90-day period are eligible — existing reservations don't count. However, since Southwest makes it easy to cancel and rebook flights without penalty, you should be able to turn existing bookings into new ones without too much trouble so long as the fare hasn’t increased since you originally booked.

In our most recent elite status analysis, TPG values Southwest A-List status at $685. With it, you'll get priority boarding, a 25% point bonus, free same-day standby, priority check-in and security and a priority phone line. Earning A-List normally requires 25 qualifying one-way flights or 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points in a calendar year, so this is a great shortcut if you're planning to take a half-dozen or more Southwest flights in an upcoming 90-day period.

For more information on the various airline elite match and challenge options available at many major airlines, check out our in-depth guide on "Airline Elite Status Match and Challenge Options for 2018."

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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  • $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.
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  • $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.
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