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Rapid Rewards: Great for Frequent Southwest Travelers
Since it’s free to join and relatively fast to earn enough points for a free flight, anyone who flies Southwest Airlines should sign up for the Rapid Rewards® program. You don’t need their credit cards to earn miles, but you can earn them faster if you do.
With affordable fares, two free checked bags and no change or cancellation fees, Southwest Airlines is still one of the cheapest airlines to fly in the U.S. But with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, cheap isn't a bad thing. Rapid Rewards points are among the most valuable airline rewards, and you can often score round-trip flights for around 4,000 points. But the airline's domestic focus makes it a better fit for people who mostly travel within the U.S., the Caribbean and Central America.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Program Overview
Unlike many airline rewards programs, Southwest calls its currency points instead of miles. The rewards program has no blackout dates or award restrictions, so you don't have to worry about finding the right flight for your next trip. Also, Rapid Rewards points never expire, so you can take your time to build up your rewards balance.
Pros and Cons of Rapids Rewards
Pros
- Low fares and few fees
- No blackout dates
- The Southwest Companion Pass® is unmatched
- Points don't expire
Cons
- International flights are limited
- No first-class cabin
- Business Select and Anytime fares are usually unaffordable
No Blackout Dates
Having no blackout dates is one less thing to worry about when booking flights or redeeming points. You can decide when you want to fly, without being held to a certain schedule.
Points Don’t Expire
Your points remain intact unless you terminate your account. You must also have flight-earning or partner-earning points once every 24 months to remain active. There are several ways you can earn and redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points, which we'll cover in this review.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Status Tiers
Southwest has two status tiers for its rewards program members: A-List and A-List Preferred.
A-List Status
You can earn A-List status when you earn 35,000 tier-qualifying points or take 25 one-way qualifying flights in a calendar year. Note that the latter requirement drops to just 20 flights beginning in January 2024.
Once you achieve A-List status, you'll receive:
- Priority boarding
- 25% more points on qualifying flights
- Same-day standby
- Priority check-in and security lane access
- Dedicated A-List member phone line
A-List Preferred Status
A-List Preferred status requires 70,000 tier-qualifying points or 50 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. Even better, the flights requirement is decreasing to just 40 starting in 2024, too.
With A-List Preferred Status, you get:
- Priority boarding
- 100% more points on qualifying flights
- Same-day standby
- Priority check-in and security lane access
- Dedicated A-List Preferred member phone line
- Free in-flight WiFi
- 2 free in-flight drinks beginning November 6, 2023
For both status tiers, tier-qualifying points include points earned on flights you pay for with cash, as well as points you earn with one of the airline's co-branded credit cards.
Related Article
Southwest Just Made It Easier to Earn A-List Status
How Much Are Southwest Rapid Rewards Points Worth?
Most airline miles have a dynamic pricing structure, which means that the value of your rewards can vary based on several factors. Southwest Rapid Rewards points are similar, but their value is tied more directly to the cash price of the fare than other airlines.
This means that if there's a fare sale, you'll see drops in how much a flight costs with both cash and points. According to our points and miles valuation guide, Rapid Rewards points are worth 1.4 cents apiece on average, which is more than what many other popular airlines offer, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways.
Redeeming Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
The best way to redeem your Southwest points is for award flights with the airline. You can maximize your points by taking advantage of Southwest Click ‘N Save fare deals. Sign up to get emails from the airline whenever tickets go on sale.
The only drawback is that you need enough points to cover the full cost of the flight—some other airlines allow you to purchase tickets with a mix of rewards and cash.
Other ways to redeem your points include:
- Gift cards from popular brands
- Merchandise
- International flights
- Hotel stays
- Rental cars
- Experiences (must have a Southwest credit card)
One thing to note with international flights is that Southwest Airlines only services flights within the U.S. and to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. If you want to book a flight to somewhere else, you can use your points to book with one of the airline’s partners, but you typically won’t get as much value as you would booking directly with Southwest.
Rapid Rewards Point Redemption Tips
Your points will go further when booking Business Select flight over Wanna Get Away flights, though.
When it comes time to redeem your points, do some quick math to ensure you're getting a great deal. For example, if you see a Wanna Get Away flight for $75 or 7,500 points, then you're only redeeming your points for one cent per mile—not the best deal.
How to Earn Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
The primary way you can earn Rapid Rewards points is to fly with the airline. You'll earn 12 points per dollar on Business Select tickets, 10 points per dollar on Anytime tickets and 6 points per dollar on Wanna Get Away tickets.
Other ways to earn points with the airline include:
- Using a Southwest Airlines credit card
- Booking travel with one of the airline's partners, which include hotels, rental cars and ground transportation
- Shopping online through Rapid Rewards shopping portal
- Dining at participating restaurants with Rapid Rewards Dining
- Taking surveys
- Spending with the airline's home, lifestyle and specialty partners
Southwest Credit Cards That Earn Rapid Rewards Points
Not only are Southwest credit cards co-branded with Chase, it's among the card issuers' multiple travel transfer partners. Points earned from Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred can be transferred directly to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account to pay for flights.
However, if you're a Southwest loyalist who enjoys benefits like upgraded boardings, discounts on in-flight services and other airline perks, then opening one of Southwest's consumer or business credit cards to earn Rapid Rewards points for everyday spending may be a compelling value for you.
Compare Southwest Consumer Credit Cards
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Intro Bonus | Perks | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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$69 |
50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base) |
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Apply Now |
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card |
$99 |
50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base) |
|
This product is currently not available via Slickdeals. All information about this product was collected by Slickdeals and has not been reviewed by the issuer. |
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$149 |
50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base) |
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Apply Now |
Compare Southwest Business Credit Cards
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Intro Bonus | Perks | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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$99 |
60,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $840 (60,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base) |
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Apply Now |
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$199 |
80,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,120 (80,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base) |
|
Apply Now |
Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass® is one of the best benefits you can receive from a frequent flyer program. If you have it, you can choose one person to fly with you almost for free—you will have to pay taxes and fees, which typically cost just $5.60 each way. You can change your companion up to three times per calendar year, so you don't have to worry if you don't have a consistent travel companion.
To qualify, you need to earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. Once you earn it, you'll have the pass through the end of the next calendar year.
Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Program Worth It?
Rapid Rewards is often worth it for people who already prefer to fly Southwest or hope to fly with the airline more frequently. It's free to sign up and you can start earning points right away.
However, if you really want to get the most out of Southwest Rapid Rewards, you'll want to aim to earn the highest tier of the program—the Southwest Companion Pass. Once you can bring a partner or friend on your flight for free, the savings really start adding up.
Ben Luthi
Ben Luthi is a personal finance and travel writer and credit card expert. He has a degree in finance from Brigham Young University and worked in financial planning, banking and auto finance before writing full-time for NerdWallet and Student Loan Hero. Ben is now a full-time freelance writer and enjoys traveling and spending time with his two kids. His work has appeared in several publications, including U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Money, Success and Slickdeals.
