Rapid Rewards, Southwest Airlines’ loyalty program – which launched in 1996 based on a stamp-card system – is now entirely based on the amount spent. It is defined by three principles:
There is no fixed redemption chart: The number of points required depends directly on the ticket’s cash price. As the fare rises, the cost in points rises as well.
“Reward” seats are unlimited and free of blackout dates: Southwest itself highlights this – unlimited reward seats, no blackout dates, and points that never expire for any member.
Points are not tied to an alliance: Southwest does not belong to any global airline alliance. Partnerships with other carriers are recent and still limited.
The value of a point is estimated at approximately 1.3 cents.
How to sign up and become a member of the Rapid Rewards loyalty program
Registration is open to everyone, including those outside the United States. Only the Chase credit cards associated with the program are restricted to U.S. residents.
To get started:
Go to southwest.com or the Southwest app, then select “Rapid Rewards” and “Join.”
Enter your name exactly as it appears on your ID or passport, along with your date_of_birth, contact details, and a password.
You will receive a Rapid Rewards number. Add it to every booking, including those made through third parties.
If you forget, you can generally claim points for a flight retroactively within a limited timeframe (around 120 days). Check the current policy before relying on this option.
Rapid Rewards Status levels and benefits
Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards program is built around earning and redeeming points, with two elite status tiers, A-List and A-List Preferred, and a separate benefit, the Companion Pass, that lets a designated companion fly for the price of taxes and fees only. Elite members enjoy practical perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding and seat selection benefits, with A-List Preferred offering the most generous ones, including free Extra Legroom seats at booking.
A-List
To qualify, you must complete 20 eligible one-way flights in a year or earn 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP).
For your information:
– Rapid Rewards points: These can be redeemed for free or discounted flights.
– TQPs: These cannot be redeemed; they are used solely to reach a status level.
The program calculates points based on the ticket price (excluding government taxes) and the selected fare category:
• Basic fare: 2 points per $
• Choice fare: 6 points per $
• Choice Preferred fare: 10 points per $
• Choice Extra fare: 14 points per $.
You can use the online Rapid Rewards points calculator to estimate how many points and TQPs you will earn based on your flight booking fare.
A-List members receive:
- Choice of a Preferred or Standard seat at the time of booking, and an Extra Legroom seat at no extra cost within 48 hours of departure, subject to availability;
- Group 1 boarding;
- One free checked bag, with a second bag costing $35;
- 25% bonus points on every qualifying flight;
- Same-day standby, even on a Basic fare (taxes and fees may apply);
- Dedicated check-in and security lines;
- Priority telephone assistance.
A-List Preferred
The threshold doubles: 40 one-way flights or 70,000 TQP. Benefits include:
- Two free checked bags;
- The ability to book an Extra Legroom seat directly;
- Boarding before Group 1;
- A 100% point bonus (i.e., double points);
Companion Pass
The Companion Pass operates separately, with its own qualifying criteria: 100 one-way flights or 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points.
These points come from several sources:
- Paid flights;
- The Rapid Rewards credit card, with an annual bonus of 10,000 points;
- The Rapid Rewards debit card, with an annual bonus of 7,500 points;
- Purchases from partner online retailers and participating restaurants;
- Hotels and car rentals booked through partners;
- Certain everyday purchases.
The concept is simple: a person of your choice travels with you without paying for their ticket. You only need to cover taxes and fees, starting at $5.60 per flight. Your status-based seating and baggage benefits extend to your companion. One limitation to note: the Companion Pass does not apply to trips booked through Getaways by Southwest.
How to use your Companion Pass:
Designate your companion: Log in to your Rapid Rewards account, open the “Snapshot” tab, then select “Choose Your Companion” and “Enter Companion Info.” You can also call 1-800-435-9792.
Book your own flight first: You can only book the companion’s flight after your own flight has been booked.
Add the companion: Go to “My Trips,” open your flight details, click “Add Companion,” and follow the steps to complete the booking. To do this by phone, call 1-800-248-4377 and specify that you will be using a Companion Pass.
Keep in mind: the companion’s booking does not count as a purchased flight. Therefore, it cannot be used to qualify for another Companion Pass.
How do you earn Rapid Rewards points?
There are many ways to earn points as a member of the Rapid Rewards loyalty program:
Earning points by flying with Southwest Airlines
Since the fare restructuring, four ticket classes exist:
| Rate | Points per dollar |
| Basic | 2 |
| Choice | 6 |
| Choice Preferred | 10 |
| Choice Extra | 14 |
Examples of the number of points awarded for a Southwest Airlines one-way flight:
| Fare | Calculation | Base points | With A-List (+25%) | With A-List Preferred (+100%) |
| Basic | 150 × 2 | 300 | 375 | 600 |
| Choice | 150 × 6 | 900 | 1 125 | 1 800 |
| Choice Preferred | 150 × 10 | 1 500 | 1 875 | 3 000 |
| Choice Extra | 150 × 14 | 2 100 | 2 625 | 4 200 |
Status bonuses also apply: A-List members receive a 25% bonus and A-List Preferred members receive 100%.
What counts and what doesn’t
Counts toward points and status: paid flights purchased through Southwest.
Does not count: reward flights, Companion Pass flights, charter flights, connecting flights involving stopovers, and tickets from online travel agencies that do not specify the carrier prior to purchase.
Getaways packages (flight + hotel via Southwest): these earn status-qualifying points, but not Companion Pass points.
Earning points with partner airlines
Southwest does not belong to an airline alliance, and its airline partnerships are limited: there were seven partners (Icelandair, China Airlines, EVA Air, Philippine Airlines, Condor, Turkish Airlines, and ANA), but only Icelandair allowed members to earn points.
The Icelandair case: you must book an itinerary that includes a Southwest segment – either on the Icelandair website or through a third party – and attach your Rapid Rewards number to the booking. The member then earns points, qualifying points, and Companion Pass points for that segment.
Earning points with credit cards
Southwest (Chase) cards
These co-branded cards – available only to U.S. residents – are the fastest way to earn points outside of flying; the lineup includes three personal cards and two business cards. Earnings range from approximately 1 to 4 points per dollar, depending on the card and the spending category. The most rewarding categories generally include Southwest purchases and spending with hotel and car rental partners.
Three key benefits:
- Card points count toward the Companion Pass: this includes points earned through spending as well as sign-up bonuses.
- Annual boost: 10,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points awarded once a year to cardholders whose accounts are open on the first business day of the year.
- Welcome offer: this often represents the largest single haul of points. One offer seen in 2025 provided 100,000 points after $4,000 in spending over five months.
Cards issued by other banks
Members can also fund their Rapid Rewards accounts via transfers from bank programs, opening up access to non-co-branded cards:
Chase Ultimate Rewards: 1:1 transfer, nearly immediate. 50,000 Chase points yield 50,000 Southwest points at no cost.
Bilt: 1:1 transfer, but not instant; unlike most Bilt partners, transfers to Southwest are not immediate. There is a minimum transfer amount for certain tiers: Bilt Blue members must convert at least 2,000 points.
Marriott Bonvoy: Bilt, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to Southwest. The rate is less favorable than that of Chase or Bilt.
Diners Club: Also listed as a transferable program.
Note: Transferred points do not count toward the Companion Pass, whereas points earned directly with a Southwest card do. Sign-up bonus points count; point transfers do not.
Earning Rapid Rewards points with the Southwest debit card
Southwest offers a Visa debit card – the Southwest Rapid Rewards Debit Card – that earns points on everyday spending without requiring a line of credit. It is also a source of points that count toward the Companion Pass.
Card earnings
Welcome bonus: 2,500 points, provided you set up two recurring deposits and spend $100 within the first 90 days.
- 1 point per dollar spent on eligible Southwest purchases, as well as on select dining and subscription purchases (cable, internet, phone, streaming, utilities, and insurance).
- 1 point per $2 spent on other eligible everyday purchases.
- Annual spending bonus: up to 7,500 points on the card anniversary, depending on your annual spending.
- Unlimited points: no cap on eligible purchases.
Companion Pass benefits:
- Dedicated annual bonus: 7,500 Companion Pass-qualifying points are added to your account each calendar year.
- All points count: including the welcome bonus and the annual spending bonus.
- The card directly helps you reach the required 135,000 points.
- A 20% discount promo code sent every January.
- An annual $35 credit when you use the card for a Southwest purchase.
- No withdrawal fees at over 2 million ATMs in the Cirrus network worldwide.
- No credit check: opening the account does not impact your credit report.
Monthly fees
The card carries a monthly fee of $6.99. This fee is waived if you maintain an average monthly balance of at least $2,500. Without this balance, these fees amount to $83.88 per year.
Earn points with hotels and car rental agencies
It works on a per-stay or per-rental basis rather than a rate per dollar: 600 points per hotel stay and 600 points per car rental.
Hotels: Marriott, Choice, Best Western, Hyatt, MGM, and Radisson, among others. Go to southwesthotels.com to book.
Car rental agencies: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Payless, and Thrifty. Go to cars.southwest.com to book.
To earn points, provide your Rapid Rewards number when booking or at check-in.
Earn points on dining, online shopping, and cruises
Rapid Rewards Dining: Register your payment cards to automatically earn points whenever you pay at a participating restaurant. Rates reach up to approximately 3 points per dollar, plus a bonus for writing reviews. Rates vary by establishment and enrollment period.
Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal: Access over 800 retailers. Visit the portal before you shop and pay with a card that also earns points to double-dip on rewards for a single purchase.
Cruises: Earn one point for every dollar spent via the Southwest booking portal.
Earn Rapid Rewards points by signing up for an NRG Home offer
By subscribing to this energy service, you add points to your account every month based on your bills.
What you get:
- Sign-up bonus: After two months as an active NRG Home customer, you receive 10,000 points.
- Ongoing points: Earn 2 points for every dollar spent on the “energy supply” portion of your bill, with no time limit.
- No grid changes: Your local utility company continues to deliver the energy and handle power outages.
- No fees or commitments: There is no minimum contract term.
Who is eligible?
This offer is available to Rapid Rewards members residing in the following U.S. states: Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.
How to sign up
- Sign up online via the Southwest partner page or call NRG Home at 1-855-674-7697.
- Mention offer code SWA-7202-047.
- Have your Rapid Rewards account number and a recent energy bill handy.
Earn Rapid Rewards points with Reliant
By signing up for the Reliant Secure 24 plan, you receive:
– 15,000 bonus sign-up points after enrolling;
– 500 additional points per month for 24 months.
How to sign up:
– Sign up online via the Southwest partner page, or call Reliant at 1-866-222-7100.
– Mention offer code XW1193.
– Provide your Rapid Rewards account number. If you aren’t a member yet, sign up first.
Earn Rapid Rewards points with BILT
How it works: pay your rent via BILT, earn points, and then transfer them 1:1 into Rapid Rewards points.
How to do it:
– Set up your rent payment and link a credit or debit card.
– Earn points on your rent and neighborhood spending.
– Convert your BILT points into Rapid Rewards points.
The benefits:
– Earn points on every rent payment made with a linked debit or credit card, no matter where you live.
– Use your points to book flights to any of Southwest’s 100+ destinations, including Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and Hawaii.
– If you live within the Bilt Rewards Alliance network (over 4 million rental units), you gain access to exclusive bonus point offers.
– Earn points on neighborhood spending, too, at local restaurants, fitness classes, or with Lyft.
– On the 1st of each month, member benefits are offered: transfer bonuses, status matching, point accelerators, rent prize draws, etc.
Earn Rapid Rewards points by booking through Getaways by Southwest
Getaways by Southwest is the airline’s vacation package service. It allows you to book your flight and accommodation together, offering discounts for bundling the two.
Getaways packages come with significant limitations for those aiming for elite status:
– The Companion Pass does not apply to Getaways bookings, and a companion cannot be added to them.
– These bookings do not earn Companion Pass qualifying points.
Earn Rapid Rewards points by taking surveys
Rewards for Opinions:
Among Southwest’s “specialty” partners, Rewards for Opinions is the simplest: you earn points by taking online surveys without having to make a purchase.
- Sign-up is free.
- Participate whenever you like.
- Earn points for every completed survey.
The welcome bonus
Sign up and complete your first survey within three months of registration to receive a 500-point Rapid Rewards bonus.
Key terms and conditions:
- The 500-point bonus is awarded only to new Rewards for Opinions members who complete their first survey within the three-month timeframe.
- Please allow up to six weeks for the points to appear in your Rapid Rewards account.
- You must be a Rapid Rewards member; if you aren’t one yet, you can sign up first.
- General Rapid Rewards program rules apply.
e-Rewards and Emergency Assistance Plus (EA+):
The concept is simple: you participate in market research studies tailored to your interests and earn e-Rewards points, which you then convert into Rapid Rewards points.
|
e-Rewards Points |
Rapid Rewards Points |
| 15 |
300 |
|
25 |
600 |
| 50 |
1,200 |
|
100 |
2,400 |
Limited-time promotions and bonuses
Southwest regularly launches offers that change the math:
– Bonuses based on flight volume: for example, 20,000 bonus points for four round-trip flights or eight one-way flights.
– Double points on flights booked by a specific date: double points on eligible flights booked before June 15, 2026.
– Targeted card bonuses: +30% on purchases made between July 1 and September 30, 2026, for select cardholders.
Buy Rapid Rewards points
You can purchase points directly from Southwest if you need to reach a specific balance for a ticket:
– Log in to your Southwest Airlines account.
– Select “Buy points” to open the purchase interface.
– Choose the number of points:
• Minimum initial purchase: 2,000 points
• Purchase increments: in blocks of 500 or 1,000 points
• Daily maximum: up to 60,000 points per member.
– Enter your payment information and confirm the transaction. Points are generally deposited into your account within approximately 72 hours.
Standard point pricing:
• 2,000 to 4,500 points: 3 cents per point.
• 5,000 to 60,000 points: 2.75 cents per point.
Using Rapid Rewards points
Rapid Rewards points aren’t just for buying flight tickets. You can redeem them for flights, car rentals, hotel stays, gift cards, or merchandise. Each option requires a vastly different number of points, and the value of each point varies significantly depending on how it is used.
Booking a Southwest flight
This offers the best value. The number of points required depends primarily on the ticket price; expect to use about 70 to 80 points per dollar.
Paying with a mix of points and cash (Cash + Points)
A minimum balance of 1,000 points is required. Points cover part of the ticket cost, while a credit card pays the remainder.
Renting a car
Each point is worth between 0.5 and 0.85 cents. A $100 rental requires approximately 11,800 to 20,000 points.
Booking a hotel
Each point is valued at 0.37 cents. Consequently, around 27,000 points are needed to book a $100 room.
Buying a gift card
It takes about 9,400 points to get a $50 gift card.
Buying merchandise
The value per point is generally less than one cent. More than 10,000 points are required for a $100 merchandise purchase.
Transferring Rapid Rewards points
Have you accumulated Southwest Airlines points that you’d like to send to a loved one, or do you want to top up your account with points from elsewhere? The Rapid Rewards program allows these transfers, but within a fairly strict framework:
Sending points to another Rapid Rewards member
You can transfer or gift points to another member via the “Points Center” in your account. You will need their Rapid Rewards account number, email address, and name.
Key rules to know:
– Minimum points: 2,000 points per transaction.
– Maximum points: 60,000 points per day (combined total for purchases, gifts, and transfers).
– No small increments: points are sent in blocks of 500 (or 1,000 during promotions).
– Only one recipient per transaction, though you can perform multiple transfers within the daily limit.
– Processing time: Allow up to 72 hours for the points to arrive.
– Payment method: A valid credit or debit card is required, as there is a fee for the transaction.
Transfer fees
Each point transfer incurs a fee of approximately $5 per 500 point block, roughly 1 cent per point. However, a point is worth an average of 1.2 to 1.4 cents when redeemed for a flight.
The exact cost is displayed before you confirm the transaction and is subject to change, so always check the current rate. What is not permitted for members:
– Transferring points to another loyalty program
– Pooling points with family members
– In the event of death, points do not pass to the estate and are forfeited
Please note that purchased, gifted, or transferred points do not count towards A-List or Companion Pass qualification. If you are aiming for elite status, this method will not help you achieve it.
Claiming missing points
If you forgot to provide your number, you can generally request the points retroactively within a limited timeframe of around 4 months (120 days). Keep your boarding pass or confirmation.