Cracking the Code of Southwest Airlines Points: Your Ultimate Guide to Rapid Rewards!
Ever dreamt of flying to your favorite destinations without shelling out a fortune? What if I told you that Southwest Airlines offers a fantastic loyalty program that can make those dreams a reality? Welcome to the world of Southwest Rapid Rewards, where every flight and even everyday spending can bring you closer to free travel! If you've ever wondered "how does Southwest Airlines points work?", you're in the right place. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to maximizing your travel perks!
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| How Does Southwest Airlines Points Work |
Step 1: Getting Started with Rapid Rewards – Your Gateway to Free Flights!
First things first, before you can start accumulating those valuable points, you need to be a Rapid Rewards Member. Already have an account? Fantastic! Skip ahead to Step 2. If not, no worries, it's super easy!
Sub-heading: Signing Up for Your Rapid Rewards Account
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Visit the Southwest Airlines Website: Head over to Southwest.com.
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Locate the "Rapid Rewards" Section: You'll typically find a prominent link or tab for "Rapid Rewards" in the top navigation bar or footer.
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Click "Enroll": Follow the prompts to create your free Rapid Rewards account. You'll need to provide some basic personal information.
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Confirm Your Enrollment: Once registered, you'll receive a Rapid Rewards account number. Keep this handy, as you'll use it to earn and redeem points.
Congratulations! You're now officially a Rapid Rewards Member and ready to start earning!
Step 2: Earning Rapid Rewards Points – Accumulating Your Travel Currency
This is where the fun begins! Southwest Rapid Rewards points are relatively easy to earn, with various avenues to boost your balance. The more points you earn, the closer you are to free flights!
Sub-heading: Earning Points by Flying Southwest
The most direct way to earn points is by flying with Southwest Airlines. The number of points you earn depends on two key factors:
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The Price of Your Ticket: Generally, the higher the fare, the more points you'll earn.
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Your Fare Type: Southwest offers different fare types, each with a different earning rate:
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Basic: Earns 2 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent. This is Southwest's most affordable fare.
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Wanna Get Away Plus: Earns 6 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent. This fare offers more flexibility, including transferable flight credits.
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Anytime: Earns 10 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent. This mid-tier fare provides greater flexibility, including refunds to the original form of payment.
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Business Select: Earns 14 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent. This is the highest fare with the most perks, like priority boarding (A1-A15) and a complimentary premium drink.
Remember: You earn points on the base fare of your ticket, excluding taxes and fees.
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Sub-heading: Boosting Your Earnings with Southwest Credit Cards
Southwest partners with Chase Bank to offer a suite of co-branded credit cards. These cards are incredibly powerful for accumulating Rapid Rewards points, often coming with generous sign-up bonuses and ongoing earning opportunities.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: A great entry-level card.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Offers enhanced earning rates and benefits.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: The top-tier consumer card with excellent travel credits and upgraded boardings.
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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
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Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Key Credit Card Benefits Often Include:
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Welcome Bonuses: Earn a large sum of points after meeting initial spending requirements. These bonuses often put you well on your way to a free flight or even the coveted Companion Pass!
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Bonus Points on Southwest Purchases: Earn additional points for Southwest flights and in-flight purchases.
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Anniversary Bonus Points: Receive bonus points each year you renew your card.
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Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs): Some cards allow you to earn TQPs through spending, helping you achieve A-List or A-List Preferred status (more on that later!).
Sub-heading: Earning Points with Rapid Rewards Partners
Tip: Every word counts — don’t skip too much.
Southwest has a network of partners where you can earn points on everyday activities and other travel:
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Rapid Rewards Shopping: Earn bonus points when you shop online with participating retailers through the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal. Always click through the portal before making your purchase to ensure you earn points!
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Rapid Rewards Dining: Link your credit cards to Rapid Rewards Dining and earn points when you dine at participating restaurants. Make sure to opt-in for email notifications to earn higher points per dollar spent!
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Hotel Partners: Earn points for qualifying stays at hotels like Marriott, MGM Hotels, and by booking through Rocketmiles.
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Rental Car Partners: Earn points when you rent cars from partners like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, and National.
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Home & Lifestyle Partners: Explore other partners for various services and purchases that can earn you points.
Step 3: Understanding the Value of Your Points – What Are They Worth?
Unlike some airline programs with fixed redemption charts, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are tied to the cash value of the ticket. This means:
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Dynamic Pricing: The number of points required for a flight will fluctuate with the cash price of that flight. The more expensive the flight in dollars, the more points it will cost.
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Consistent Value (Generally): While the exact value can vary slightly, Southwest Rapid Rewards points typically provide a value of around 1.3 to 1.7 cents per point when redeemed for flights. This is a pretty solid redemption rate compared to many other airline loyalty programs.
Pro Tip: Look for "Wanna Get Away" fares when redeeming points, as they often offer the best value per point!
Step 4: Redeeming Your Rapid Rewards Points – Flying for Free (Almost)!
Redeeming your points for Southwest flights is one of the easiest and most valuable ways to use them.
Sub-heading: Booking Flights with Points
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Log In to Your Rapid Rewards Account: Go to Southwest.com and log in.
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Search for Flights: Enter your desired origin, destination, dates, and number of passengers.
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Select "Points" Instead of "Dollars": On the search results page, or sometimes even on the initial search form, you'll see an option to view prices in "Points" or "Dollars." Toggle to "Points."
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Choose Your Flight: Browse the available flights and their point costs.
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Pay Taxes and Fees: While the airfare is covered by points, you'll still be responsible for the government-imposed taxes and fees, which are typically $5.60 per one-way flight within the U.S. These can be paid with a credit card, PayPal, or a Southwest travel voucher.
Sub-heading: Cash + Points Redemption
Southwest recently introduced a "Cash + Points" option, allowing you to pay for flights using a combination of cash and Rapid Rewards points. This can be useful if you're a bit short on points for a desired redemption.
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Minimum Points Required: You'll generally need a minimum of 1,000 points in your account to use Cash + Points.
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Points Earning on Cash Portion: You'll earn Rapid Rewards points on the cash portion of the base fare when using this option for bookings made on or after January 1, 2025.
Sub-heading: Other Redemption Options (and Why Flights Are Best)
While flights offer the best value, you can also redeem points for:
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Gift Cards: If you're a Rapid Rewards credit cardholder, you can access the "More Rewards" platform to redeem points for gift cards to various retailers and restaurants. The value here is generally much lower than flight redemptions.
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Other Travel (Hotels, Car Rentals): You can book hotels and car rentals through Southwest's "More Rewards" portal. Again, the value you get for your points is typically subpar compared to booking flights directly.
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Merchandise: Redeem points for physical products. This is usually the worst value for your points and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
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Charity: You can donate your points to a charitable cause.
For maximum value, always prioritize redeeming your Rapid Rewards points for Southwest Airlines flights.
Step 5: Achieving Elite Status – A-List and A-List Preferred
Southwest's Rapid Rewards program offers two elite tiers that come with some fantastic benefits: A-List and A-List Preferred.
QuickTip: Re-reading helps retention.
Sub-heading: A-List Status
To qualify for A-List status, you need to:
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Fly 20 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year OR
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Earn 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) in a calendar year.
A-List Benefits Include:
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Priority Boarding: You and everyone on your reservation get an earlier boarding position (automatically reserved 36 hours prior to flight).
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First Checked Bag Free: For bookings made on or after May 28, 2025.
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25% Earning Bonus: Earn an extra 25% points on paid flights.
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Same-Day Standby: Take advantage of same-day standby even with Basic fares.
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Priority Lane and Express Lane Access: Speed through check-in and security.
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Dedicated A-List Member Phone Line.
Sub-heading: A-List Preferred Status
To qualify for A-List Preferred status, you need to:
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Fly 40 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year OR
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Earn 70,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) in a calendar year.
A-List Preferred Benefits (all A-List benefits plus):
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Two Free Checked Bags: For bookings made on or after May 28, 2025.
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Free Inflight Internet: Surf the web or send emails at no charge.
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100% Earning Bonus: Earn a double points bonus on every qualifying flight.
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Up to Two Free Premium Drinks: On select flights over 250 miles.
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Dedicated A-List Preferred Member Phone Line.
Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) are earned from revenue flights and qualifying purchases with Rapid Rewards partners, including spending on eligible Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards (1,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent).
Step 6: The Coveted Companion Pass – Fly Two for the Price of One!
The Southwest Companion Pass is arguably one of the best travel perks available. It allows you to designate one person to fly with you for free (you only pay taxes and fees, typically $5.60 one-way) on any Southwest flight you take, whether you pay with cash or points!
Sub-heading: How to Earn the Companion Pass
To qualify for the Companion Pass, you need to:
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Fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year OR
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Earn 135,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points in a calendar year.
Crucial Information about Companion Pass Qualifying Points:
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Points earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest count.
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Points earned on Rapid Rewards Credit Cards (including welcome bonuses and regular spending) count! This is a major advantage and often the easiest way to earn the Companion Pass.
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Base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners also count.
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As a Southwest Rapid Rewards Cardmember, you will also receive a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year, making it even easier to achieve!
Sub-heading: Using Your Companion Pass
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Qualify: Meet the flight or point requirements within a single calendar year.
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Designate Your Companion: Once qualified, log in to your Rapid Rewards account and choose your designated companion. You can change your companion up to three times per calendar year.
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Book Your Flight First: Always book your own flight (either with points or cash) before adding your companion.
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Add Your Companion: After booking your flight, go to your "My Trips" section, find your upcoming flight, and click the "Add Companion" link. Follow the instructions to book their free (plus taxes/fees) ticket.
The Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which you earn it, plus the entire next calendar year. This means if you earn it early in the year, you can enjoy almost two full years of this amazing benefit!
Tip: Be mindful — one idea at a time.
Step 7: Managing Your Points – Keep Track and Stay Savvy!
Sub-heading: Points Expiration
Excellent news! Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as your account remains open. This provides immense flexibility and peace of mind, allowing you to save up for those bigger trips without worrying about losing your hard-earned points.
Sub-heading: Checking Your Point Balance
You can easily check your Rapid Rewards point balance by logging into your account on Southwest.com or through the Southwest mobile app.
Sub-heading: Buying and Transferring Points
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Buying Points: You can purchase Rapid Rewards points directly from Southwest. However, the cost per point is usually much higher than the value you'd get when redeeming for flights. It's generally not recommended unless you need a small top-up for a specific redemption.
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Transferring Points to Others: You can transfer points to another Rapid Rewards Member, but a fee is typically involved, making it less ideal for casual transfers.
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Transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards: If you have a Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®), you can transfer points to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. This is a highly valuable option as it allows you to combine points from different sources and transfer them instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Rapid Rewards Points:
Here are 10 common "How to" questions with quick answers to help you navigate the world of Southwest points:
How to earn Southwest points quickly?
The fastest ways to earn Southwest points are through the welcome bonuses on Southwest co-branded credit cards and by focusing your everyday spending on those cards in their bonus categories.
How to redeem Southwest points for the best value?
Redeem your Southwest points for Wanna Get Away fares on Southwest Airlines flights. These fares typically offer the highest cents-per-point value.
How to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass?
Tip: Look out for transitions like ‘however’ or ‘but’.
You can qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass by flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points in a calendar year, with credit card spending being a major contributor.
How to check my Southwest Rapid Rewards point balance?
Log in to your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com or through the Southwest mobile app to view your current point balance.
How to prevent Southwest points from expiring?
Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as your account remains open, so there's no need to worry about activity requirements.
How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest?
Log in to your Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, select Southwest Airlines as a transfer partner, enter your Rapid Rewards number, and choose the amount of points to transfer. Transfers are typically instant and at a 1:1 ratio.
How to change my Southwest Companion Pass designee?
Log in to your Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com and follow the prompts in the Companion Pass section to change your designated companion. You can typically do this up to three times per calendar year.
How to use Southwest points for international flights?
You can use Southwest points for international flights to destinations served by Southwest Airlines, just like you would for domestic flights. The process is the same as booking any other flight with points on their website.
How to earn Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) for A-List status?
Earn TQPs by flying qualifying revenue flights with Southwest or by spending on eligible Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards (1,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent).
How to book a flight with a combination of cash and Southwest points?
When searching for flights on Southwest.com or the app, after selecting your desired flight, you'll see a "Cash + Points" payment option. Select this, and you can choose how to split the payment between cash and points.
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