Southwest Rapid Rewards is going through the biggest transformation in the airline’s history in 2026: open seating is gone in favor of assigned seats, and free checked bags — long Southwest’s signature perk — are no longer automatic for every passenger. The core loyalty math is still simple and generous compared to most competitors, but the experience around it has genuinely changed. This guide covers what’s actually different, exactly where the 2026 tier thresholds sit, and how to still get real value out of the program.
In This Guide
- What’s Actually Changed in 2026
- What Is Rapid Rewards?
- How to Sign Up for Rapid Rewards
- How to Earn Points
- A-List, A-List Preferred, and Companion Pass: 2026 Thresholds
- The Best Southwest Airports
- The Best Ways to Redeem Your Points
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards
- Frequently Asked Questions
What’s Actually Changed in 2026
Two of Southwest’s most defining features are going away for most passengers this year:
- Open seating is over. As of January 27, 2026, Southwest fully rolled out assigned seating. Where you sit now depends on your fare type, tier status, or credit card benefits — the “line up early to get a good seat” era is finished.
- Free bags are no longer universal. Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares now carry standard bag fees. Only Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members get two free checked bags; A-List members and Rapid Rewards credit cardholders get one.
The practical upshot: elite status and the right credit card now matter more for a Southwest traveler than they used to, since some of what used to be free for everyone is now a status or card perk instead.
What Is Rapid Rewards?
Rapid Rewards is Southwest’s loyalty program, and it remains structurally simpler than most competitors: there’s no separate elite-qualifying currency to track, no dynamic partner-award chart to decode, and points earned from flights are based on the fare price and fare class you book. Southwest isn’t part of a major global alliance, so its network is domestic-and-nearby-international focused rather than built around long-haul partner redemptions.
How to Sign Up for Rapid Rewards
Joining is free and takes about two minutes:
- Go to southwest.com or open the Southwest app and select “Join Rapid Rewards.”
- Enter your name, date of birth, and email address.
- Create a password — your Rapid Rewards number is issued immediately.
There’s no cost, no credit check, and no minimum age.
How to Earn Points
- Flying Southwest — points are earned based on the fare price and fare class booked, with higher fare tiers (like Choice Extra) earning meaningfully more points per dollar than Basic fares.
- A Rapid Rewards credit card — every dollar spent earns points, plus Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List and A-List Preferred status.
- Rapid Rewards partners — hotel stays, car rentals, dining, and online shopping through Southwest’s partner network all earn points.
The Companion Pass is still the single best value in the entire loyalty industry — earn it once, and a companion of your choosing flies free (minus taxes) for up to two calendar years. Nothing else in this guide series comes close to that value-to-effort ratio.
A-List, A-List Preferred, and Companion Pass: 2026 Thresholds
Southwest’s status system has three tiers, and — unlike every other program in this series — you can qualify with either points or a flat number of flights, whichever comes first:
| Tier | Points or Flights | Headline Perk |
|---|---|---|
| A-List | 35,000 pts or 20 flights | 25% points bonus, 1 free checked bag, priority boarding |
| A-List Preferred | 70,000 pts or 40 flights | 100% points bonus, 2 free checked bags, same-day standby |
| Companion Pass | 135,000 pts or 100 flights | A companion flies free (plus taxes) for up to 2 years |
Companion Pass is earned alongside your regular points and isn’t a separate elite tier — you can hold Companion Pass whether or not you’ve also qualified for A-List. It’s valid for the remainder of the year you earn it plus the entire following year.
A Credit Card Shortcut Worth Knowing
Every Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card gives an automatic annual boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points just for having the card open on January 1st — no spending required. That single bonus alone covers a real chunk of the 135,000-point Companion Pass target before you’ve booked a single flight.
The Best Southwest Airports
Unlike the other airlines in this series, Southwest runs a point-to-point network rather than a traditional hub-and-spoke system — these are its busiest focus cities, not exclusive hubs, so you’ll find strong direct routes from many mid-sized airports too.
The Best Ways to Redeem Your Points
- Short domestic hop (roundtrip): often in the 5,000–10,000 point range when booked well ahead.
- Cross-country flight (roundtrip): typically higher, often 15,000–25,000+ points depending on demand.
- Southwest points consistently value out around 1.3 cents each — a useful benchmark for deciding whether a given cash price is a better use of your money than points.
Booking Strategies Worth Using
- Points and cash prices move together. Southwest’s points pricing directly tracks its cash fares — there’s no separate award chart, so a fare sale means cheaper points redemptions too.
- No change fees, ever. Southwest famously never charges change or cancellation fees on any fare type, which makes points bookings genuinely lower-risk than with most competitors.
- Consider the Companion Pass math first. If you’re anywhere close to 135,000 points in a year, it’s often worth pushing to get there before booking a big redemption, since the Companion Pass value usually dwarfs any single flight redemption.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards
Southwest partners exclusively with Chase on a four-card lineup:
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Card is the entry-level option, a reasonable low-commitment way to start earning toward A-List and Companion Pass.
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card sits in the middle of the lineup with a modest step up in ongoing perks.
- The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Card is the top consumer card, adding benefits like an annual travel credit and upgraded boarding.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business and Performance Business Cards mirror the consumer lineup for business spending.
Every card in this lineup gives the cardholder (plus up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation) a free first checked bag — a meaningful perk now that free bags aren’t automatic for everyone. We’ll be publishing full individual reviews of this lineup as part of our ongoing Credit Cards coverage.
- Open seating ended January 27, 2026, and free bags are no longer automatic for every passenger — both are now tied to fare type, status, or a credit card.
- 2026 thresholds: 35,000 points or 20 flights (A-List), 70,000 or 40 flights (A-List Preferred), 135,000 or 100 flights (Companion Pass).
- The Companion Pass remains the single best value in loyalty travel — a free companion for up to two full calendar years.
- Every Rapid Rewards credit card gives an automatic 10,000-point Companion Pass boost each January, no spending required.
- Southwest never charges change or cancellation fees, on any fare, which lowers the risk of booking early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Southwest still have open seating?
No. As of January 27, 2026, Southwest fully transitioned to assigned seating for all flights — the decades-long open-seating boarding process is no longer in use.
Do I still get a free checked bag on Southwest?
Only if you have A-List or A-List Preferred status, a Rapid Rewards credit card, or book a Choice Extra fare. Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares now carry standard bag fees for passengers without one of those exceptions.
Is it free to join Rapid Rewards?
Yes, completely free, with no credit check or minimum age.
What exactly is the Companion Pass?
It lets you designate one companion who flies free (excluding taxes and fees) on every flight you take, for the remainder of the year you earn it plus the entire following year. You can change your designated companion up to three times per calendar year.
Does Southwest have airline alliance partners?
No — Southwest isn’t part of a global alliance like oneworld or Star Alliance, and its route network is entirely domestic plus nearby international destinations (Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America), rather than long-haul partner redemptions.