Southwest Introduces Online Registration For Its Status Match Challenge
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."
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.