Southwest Airlines will stop allowing many types of Rapid Rewards points to count toward its prized Companion Pass beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the carrier said as it announced a broader overhaul of its loyalty program. The change removes a common route by which frequent flyers and credit card users reached the pass’ qualifying threshold.
What is changing
Under the new rules, several categories of points will no longer help customers qualify for Companion Pass. Specifically, Southwest said the following will not count toward the pass:
- credit card welcome bonuses
- referral bonuses
- anniversary points
- promotional spending bonuses
- rewards earned through hotel or rental car partners
Customers will still be able to redeem those points for flights. But the airline said those points will not move travelers closer to qualifying for the Companion Pass, which allows a designated companion to fly on eligible Southwest flights without paying an additional base fare (taxes and fees still apply).
How to qualify now
Southwest said it is replacing its A-List and A-List Preferred tiers with Silver and Gold, and adding a new Platinum tier. The airline also described a simpler qualification structure based on Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs), saying purchases made with Southwest Rapid Rewards co‑brand credit cards will earn one TQP per $1 spent.
Until now, travelers could qualify for Companion Pass by earning 135,000 eligible points in a calendar year or by taking 100 qualifying one-way flights. Those eligible points historically included large credit card welcome bonuses, making it possible for some consumers to reach the threshold without extensive flying. Under the new rules, that pathway is curtailed.
“Southwest Rapid Rewards is becoming even more rewarding with perks and a simpler qualification structure for status and Companion Pass benefits.” — Southwest Airlines, press release
What this means for cardholders
Consumers who sign up for Southwest co‑brand cards primarily to capture large welcome bonuses may no longer be able to rely on those bonuses to secure Companion Pass status. Instead, earning the pass will depend more on card spending that generates TQPs or on flying enough paid or qualifying flights.
- The change could increase the amount of actual spending or travel needed to reach Companion Pass under the new TQP system.
- Points from sign-up, referral or promotional bonuses will retain redemption value for flights but will not count toward the qualifying total for the pass.
- Existing Companion Pass holders will not see immediate changes to their current benefit for the remainder of the period they have earned.
What Southwest says about the overhaul
Southwest framed the revisions as creating more opportunities and a simpler structure for status and Companion Pass benefits. The airline’s announcement emphasized tier simplification and tied card spending to Tier Qualifying Points, without offering detailed TQP thresholds for each tier in the materials cited by reporting outlets.
| Old qualification | New qualification elements (announced) |
|---|---|
| 135,000 eligible points or 100 one-way flights | Tier Qualifying Points earned via card spending (1 TQP per $1 on co‑brand cards); bonuses and partner points excluded for Companion Pass |
Travelers and cardholders who use Rapid Rewards as part of their credit card strategy will need to reassess how their welcome bonuses, referrals and partner points fit into Companion Pass planning. The airline said many points-earning channels will still permit flight redemptions; they simply will not accelerate qualification for the Companion Pass under the new rules effective Jan. 1, 2027.
