Southwest replaces A-List with three Rapid Rewards status tiers in 2027
Southwest will retire A-List on Jan. 1, 2027, adding Silver, Gold and Platinum levels with new paths to status and Companion Pass benefits.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Southwest Rapid Rewards changes 2027 will replace the airline’s A-List and A-List Preferred elite levels with Silver, Gold and a new Platinum tier on Jan. 1. The overhaul changes how members qualify for status, earn flight-point bonuses and access Companion Pass benefits, according to CNBC and The Points Guy.
Current A-List members will move to Silver, while A-List Preferred members will become Gold. Southwest said Platinum will be its top status level, and it will include unlimited Companion Pass trips.
What are Southwest’s new Rapid Rewards status requirements?
Members will be able to qualify through Tier Qualifying Points, or TQPs, or through qualifying flights. TQPs are the points Southwest uses to determine elite status.
Silver: 35,000 TQPs or 25 qualifying flights. The former A-List requirement was 35,000 points or 20 flights.
Gold: 65,000 TQPs or 50 qualifying flights. A-List Preferred previously required 70,000 points, according to CNBC.
Platinum: 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying flights.
The points bonus earned on qualifying flights will be 40% for Silver, 60% for Gold and 120% for Platinum. Silver’s bonus rises from 25%, while Gold’s changes from the 100% bonus available to A-List Preferred members, CNBC reported.
Boarding privileges will also follow the new tiers. Silver members will board in Group 1; Gold members will board before Group 1; and Platinum members will board ahead of Gold and Group 1.
Will Southwest credit-card spending count toward status?
Yes. Beginning in 2027, Southwest co-branded Chase cardholders will receive one TQP for every dollar spent, CNBC reported. The Points Guy said the policy will apply across Southwest-branded cards; currently, not every card earns TQPs and none awards one TQP per dollar.
That expands a route to elite status beyond flying, though travelers using the flight-count route will need 25 flights for the renamed entry tier rather than the previous 20-flight A-List threshold.
How will the Southwest Companion Pass change?
Companion Pass lets a designated person fly with an eligible traveler without paying airfare, apart from taxes and fees. Existing holders will keep the benefit through the end of their current term, according to CNBC.
For the 2027 earning year, Southwest will tie Companion Pass access to TQPs or qualifying flights, certain milestone rewards, or Platinum status. The old benchmark was 135,000 qualifying points or 100 one-way flights. Southwest has not presented a single replacement threshold in the reported details.
The airline is also adding rewards before members reach a full status tier. At 20,000 points or 15 qualifying flights, members can choose 2,000 Rapid Rewards points or two coupons for preferred seats. At 95,000 points or 75 qualifying flights, they will receive three Companion Pass trips, CNBC reported.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.