Southwest Airlines has announced its biggest Rapid Rewards shake-up yet, and it lands in 2027. The familiar A-List and A-List Preferred tiers are out; in their place come Silver and Gold, plus a brand-new Platinum level that bundles in the airline's beloved Companion Pass. It's the latest step in a two-year transformation that has already killed open seating, added checked bag fees and put lounges on the roadmap.
The big win for everyday spenders: from 1 January 2027, every Southwest credit card will earn one tier qualifying point per dollar charged — even the entry-level Plus card, which currently earns none. That makes status much more reachable for people who put groceries and bills on a cobranded card.
The qualification thresholds shift too. Silver (formerly A-List) will require 25 qualifying flights or 35,000 TQPs, up five flights on the flight-count route. Gold (formerly A-List Preferred) needs 50 flights or 65,000 TQPs — ten more flights, but a lower TQP bar than today's 70,000. Platinum arrives at 100 flights or 140,000 TQPs, and cardholders who reach 130,000 TQPs get a 10,000-point boost.
Platinum is where the headline perk lives: unlimited Companion Pass access plus up to three free checked bags. But there's a catch for deal-hunters. Southwest is retiring its separate Companion Pass Qualifying Points metric, meaning credit card sign-up bonuses will no longer count toward earning the two-for-one pass — a favourite shortcut that's going away. The pass itself still requires 100 flights or 140,000 TQPs in 2027. There is a consolation prize, though: hit 75 flights or 95,000 TQPs and you unlock three one-off Companion Pass trips, while 15 flights or 20,000 TQPs gets you a choice of 2,000 bonus points or two preferred-seat coupons.
Earning on flights gets mixed news. Top-tier Choice Extra fares drop from 14 to 10 points per dollar, and Choice Preferred falls from 10 to 8. Basic economy stays at 2 and standard Choice at 6. Status bonuses also shuffle: Gold members will earn a 60% flight bonus (down from 100% today), while Silver improves to 40% and Platinum gets 120%.
Perhaps most interesting for holiday planners: starting in spring 2027, Rapid Rewards points will be redeemable on partner airlines for the first time — Icelandair (handy for Reykjavik and onward connections to Europe), Etihad out of Abu Dhabi, and Taiwan's China Airlines. More partners are expected to follow.
Also announced: the new airport clubs will be called "Icon Lounges," debuting in 2027 in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville with at least seven more to come, accessible via a planned premium Chase card. And Southwest says it'll be the first U.S. airline with Starlink Wi-Fi fleetwide by autumn 2027.
If you chase Southwest status or the Companion Pass, 2026 is worth playing carefully — the old shortcuts disappear when the new year rolls around. Details via The Points Guy.
