Southwest Airlines announced on October 15 the biggest rework of Rapid Rewards in years. Starting January 1, 2027, A-List and A-List Preferred go away and are replaced by a three-tier ladder: Silver, Gold and a brand-new Platinum. The Companion Pass, long the program’s crown jewel, is being folded into that elite structure, and Southwest is adding international airline partners, points for seats and rental cars, and a lounge network built with Chase.
The headline perks sound generous. But for many leisure travelers, the most important change is quieter: the classic way of earning a Companion Pass with credit card welcome bonuses is ending.
The new tiers and what it takes to earn them
Current A-List members become Silver and A-List Preferred members become Gold. Southwest says your 2026 A-List benefits continue through the end of 2026. Under the 2027 rules, you qualify with Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or qualifying flights:
- Silver: 35,000 TQPs or 25 qualifying flights. 1 free checked bag, 40% earning bonus, Preferred or Standard seat selection at booking.
- Gold: 65,000 TQPs or 50 flights. 2 free bags, 60% bonus, any seat including Extra Legroom, and two complimentary premium drinks per flight.
- Platinum (new): 140,000 TQPs or 100 flights. 3 free bags, 120% bonus, the best boarding position, and unlimited Companion Pass trips.
All three tiers get priority lanes, priority member support and same-day standby, even on Basic fares. Southwest’s own 2027 page shows slightly inconsistent boarding details for Silver and Gold between its benefit table and its footnotes, so treat the exact boarding group as unconfirmed for now.
Milestone Rewards and the new Companion Pass
Southwest is also adding Milestone Rewards for members between tiers:
- 20,000 TQPs or 15 flights: choose 2,000 Rapid Rewards points or two Preferred Seat Certificates.
- 95,000 TQPs or 75 flights: three Companion Pass trips.
So in 2027 there are two ways to get Companion Pass benefits: three trips at the 95,000 TQP milestone, or unlimited trips at Platinum. Southwest says the old Companion Pass qualifying points retire on December 31, 2026, and anyone already holding a pass keeps it for its full term. Each trip still excludes taxes and fees (from $5.60 one-way), and companions aren’t valid on Getaways, group travel or interline itineraries.
On the credit card side, every Rapid Rewards cardholder from Chase will earn 1 TQP per $1 spent on purchases starting January 1, 2027. Multiple outlets, including Doctor of Credit, report that welcome bonus points, bonus category multipliers above 1x, referrals and anniversary points will not count toward the new Companion Pass path. That is the end of the well-known strategy of opening one or two Southwest cards and hitting the old threshold mostly with sign-up bonuses. Some reports describe a transition window for cards approved on or before December 2, 2026, but the details have been reported inconsistently, so confirm directly with Chase and Southwest before you rely on it.
New ways to use points
- Rental cars (November 2026): redeem points with participating partners through Southwest’s car booking site.
- Airline partners (spring 2027): earn and redeem with Icelandair, China Airlines and Etihad Airways.
- Seats (later in 2027): use points for Extra Legroom and Preferred seats after ticketing but before check-in. You can’t do this at the airport or gate, and prices vary by flight.
- Icon Lounges (late 2027): a lounge network built with Chase, accessed through a new premium Southwest card launching in 2027. Pricing and annual fee haven’t been announced.
- Starlink Wi-Fi (fall 2027 target): free for Rapid Rewards members on equipped aircraft, sponsored by T-Mobile.
Who this affects and what to do now
- Companion Pass hunters: 2026 is your last year under the old rules. If you’re close, finishing in 2026 can lock in a pass that runs for the rest of this year and all of next year, under Southwest’s usual validity rules.
- Current A-List members: you’ll roll into Silver or Gold. Note that the flight-count path for each tier is moving up, so check where your 2026 activity puts you.
- Heavy flyers and big card spenders: Platinum with unlimited companion trips is a strong new target, especially with card spend now counting 1:1 toward status.
- Occasional flyers: the 20,000 TQP milestone is a small but real new perk.
How we got A-List without flying for it: the Sapphire Reserve shortcut
We hold Southwest A-List status ourselves, and we didn’t earn it by flying. We earned it by putting $75,000 of spending on the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Chase’s card page says that once you spend $75,000 in purchases on the Sapphire Reserve in a calendar year, you unlock Southwest A-List status for the rest of that year and the following calendar year. You have to link your Rapid Rewards account to activate it, which Chase says can take 10 to 15 business days, and the status lasts only while the card stays open.
The same $75,000 threshold also unlocks IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite, World of Hyatt Explorist status, a $500 Southwest Airlines credit through Chase Travel and a $250 Shops at Chase credit, according to Chase (as of October 2026). Balance transfers, cash-like transactions and fees don’t count toward the spend.
What A-List gets you today. Southwest’s A-List page lists these 2026 benefits:
- Group 1 boarding
- Preferred or Standard seat selection at booking, plus a free Extra Legroom seat within 48 hours of departure when one is available
- Your first checked bag free
- A 25% bonus on points earned from flights
- Same-day standby, even on Basic fares (taxes and fees may apply)
- Priority check-in and security lanes where available, and priority phone support
Under the 2027 changes above, A-List members move to the new Silver tier. Chase’s page still describes this perk as A-List, and we haven’t seen Chase say how it will map to Southwest’s new tiers in 2027. We’ll update this post when it does. If you were planning to chase status through the Reserve, confirm the details with Chase before you count on it.
Sources: Chase Sapphire Reserve; Southwest A-List benefits.
Thinking about the Chase Sapphire Reserve? It’s the card we used to earn our Southwest status. You can apply for the Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred with our Chase referral link.
Disclosure: This is our personal Chase referral link. If you’re approved through it, we may earn a referral bonus, at no extra cost to you. You can always apply directly on Chase’s website. See our Advertising & Referral Disclosure.
Our take
This is a mixed bag that leans toward frequent travelers and high spenders. Platinum is a real upgrade for road warriors, partner airlines finally give Southwest points a use beyond its own network, and letting everyday card spend count toward status is useful. Points still don’t expire and there are still no blackout dates.
The loss is for the family traveler who earned a Companion Pass through credit card bonuses and modest flying. Getting three companion trips now takes 95,000 TQPs or 75 flights, a much bigger lift for most households. Southwest is also looking more and more like the legacy carriers, with lounges and top perks tied to a premium card whose fee we don’t know yet. If the Companion Pass is why you’re loyal, plan your next 10 weeks carefully, and confirm any credit card timing with the issuer before applying.
Source: Southwest Airlines press release (Oct. 15, 2026); Southwest Rapid Rewards 2027 program page; additional reporting from Skift and Doctor of Credit.
