Complete Guide to Southwest Rapid Rewards

Southwest Rapid Rewards is Southwest Airlines' frequent flyer program. It’s popular among families as it makes flying with this affordable carrier more rewarding. Rapid Rewards points yield the best value when redeemed for flights, and points can be earned by flying Southwest, using a Southwest co-branded card or spending on partner merchants.

Southwest is known for its customer-friendly features, which is also reflected in the Rapid Rewards. Its simplicity makes it a great loyalty program, but the lack of transfer partners means you need to fly Southwest. You won’t be able to transfer your points to other airline loyalty programs.

Earning Rapid Rewards points with Southwest Airlines is straightforward. After signing up, you can accumulate points by flying with Southwest, using a Southwest credit card and participating in partner programs.

It’s free to sign up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. You can complete the sign-up process online through the Southwest Airlines website. Once you join, you can start earning points on your flights and everyday purchases. New members also gain access to promotions and offers, making it even easier to accumulate points.

The best way to earn Rapid Rewards points is by flying with Southwest Airlines, which has four fare types. Points are awarded based on the fare type and the cost of the ticket.

For example, spending $300 on a Wanna Get Away flight earns you 1,800 Rapid Rewards points, while the same amount on an Anytime flight earns you 3,000 points. All points you earn by flying Southwest also go towards your Companion Pass qualifying points.

Using Southwest credit cards is a great way to earn Rapid Rewards points quickly. Co-branded cards let you earn points on your Southwest purchases (on top of the initial Rapid Rewards points you earn) and everyday purchases. Moreover, these cards come with hefty intro offers ranging from 50,000 to 80,000 points and bonus points during your card’s anniversary, which can help make the Companion Pass easier to obtain.

Earning Southwest Rapid Rewards points isn't limited to just flying. You can also accumulate points through Southwest’s partner hotels, car rentals and shopping portals. Hotel partners include Marriott, Best Western and Hyatt, while car rental partners include Alamo and Avis. Check Southwest’s website to see the updated list of partner hotels and rental companies.

Additionally, you can earn points by dining at over 11,000 participating restaurants, bars and clubs through Rapid Rewards Dining. Meanwhile, the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal also offers points for purchases made through their platform, with hundreds of retailers to choose from.

You can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Diners Club Rewards and other partner programs into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. However, Southwest lacks airline partners and is not a part of an airline alliance, so you won’t be able to earn points through another carrier.

Transfer ratios and minimum transfer amounts vary by partner, so it's important to check the specifics for each program. Transferring points can help you reach your travel goals faster, especially if you have points accumulated in other programs. However, your transferred points won’t count towards your Companion Pass qualifying points.

You can redeem your Rapid Rewards points through Southwest’s website. You can use your points to book flights or redeem them for gift cards and merchandise.

Rapid Rewards points are usually worth 1.4 cents. You can get the most value from your Rapid Rewards points if you use them to book Southwest flights. Notably, you don’t have to worry about blackout dates when redeeming Rapid Rewards points — you can use your points to book any seat and on any flight.

The Cash + Points option allows you to book Southwest flights using a combination of Rapid Rewards points and cash. This is particularly useful if you don't have enough points to cover the full cost of a flight. This option allows you to redeem your points and pay the remaining balance in cash.

For example, if a flight costs 10,000 points but you only have 7,000 points, you can use those 7,000 points and pay the rest in cash. This flexibility helps you stretch your points further and makes it easier to book flights even when you're short on points. The exact cash and points combination will vary based on the flight and availability.

You can also use your Rapid Rewards points for a variety of other rewards, including gift cards, hotel stays and car rentals. Through the More Rewards program, you can use points for experiences and merchandise. The value of your points may vary depending on the redemption option, but points redeemed through More Rewards typically yield less value compared to points used for flights.

Southwest Airlines allows members to purchase Rapid Rewards points in increments of 1,000, with a minimum purchase of 2,000 points. The cost per point is approximately 2.75 cents, though this can vary during promotions. Purchased points are non-refundable and do not count towards A-List or Companion Pass status.

Buying points can be a useful strategy if you need to top off your balance to book a flight. However, it is generally more expensive than earning points through flights or credit card spending. For example, purchasing 10,000 points would cost around $275, which might not be the most cost-effective way to accumulate points.

You can share your Rapid Rewards points with another person in increments of 1,000, but it isn't a good deal. Southwest charges you 1 cent per point transferred, and points are worth around 1.4 cents, so you lose most of the points’ value. It's more effective for you to redeem points to buy someone a ticket than it is to transfer points to them.

On average, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are valued at 1.4 cents per point, meaning 10,000 points are worth approximately $140 when redeemed for flights.

To calculate the value of your points for a specific flight, divide the ticket's cash value (minus taxes and fees) by the number of points required. For instance, if the base cost of a ticket is $100 and it requires 7,000 points, the calculation is:

$100 / 7,000 = 0.014, or 1.4 cents per point

You can use this valuation as a benchmark when redeeming points — if you’re getting at least 1.4 cents, that means you’re getting a “good” deal. Keep in mind that for Southwest, the number of points needed to book a flight is tied directly to the ticket's cash price. If a flight’s price goes up, the same happens to the required points.

The value of Rapid Rewards points has been declining in recent years. Generally, it’s recommended that you redeem points as soon as you can instead of saving them for future use.

MORE: Cash Back vs. Points: Which Is Better?

Achieving elite status with Southwest can significantly enhance your travel experience. You can enjoy perks like bonus points, priority boarding and free flights for your companion.

To reach elite status with Southwest, you must either complete a certain number of one-way flights or earn the required tier qualifying points within a calendar year:

• A-List Status: Complete 20 one-way flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points.
• A-List Preferred Status: Complete 40 one-way flights or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points.
• Companion Pass: Complete 100 one-way flights or earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points.

Once you meet the requirements, you'll gain elite status immediately, and it will remain valid until the end of the following calendar year. This means if you qualify in January, you could enjoy the benefits for nearly two full years.

It's important to note that the qualifying points for A-List and A-List Preferred status are different from Companion Pass qualifying points. Additionally, Rapid Rewards points are separate from both of these qualifying point systems. Essentially, when you make eligible purchases, you're earning three different types of points.

You can accumulate tier qualifying points by booking Southwest flights, using Southwest co-branded credit cards, or earning a sign-up bonus. For tier qualifying points, you earn 1,500 points for every $5,000 spent. On the other hand, Companion Pass points are earned on a 1:1 basis with Rapid Rewards points. This means the 50,000-point bonus from Southwest consumer credit cards also counts toward your Companion Pass points.

Here are the perks you’ll get to enjoy if you qualify for Southwest’s elite status:

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. It allows a designated companion to fly with you for free (excluding taxes and fees) whenever you purchase or redeem points for a flight.

To qualify for the Companion Pass, you need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. Once qualified, the Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the year in which you earn it and the entire following year. It can be used on both paid and award flights, helping flyers save significantly on travel costs.

Companion Pass points are earned at a 1:1 ratio with Rapid Rewards points. However, purchased or transferred Rapid Rewards points do not count toward Companion Pass points.

Southwest co-branded cards usually offer generous sign-up bonuses that can contribute directly to your Companion Pass qualifying points. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority’s sign-up bonus of 50,000 points can get you more than a third of the way to the required 135,000 points. By combining these sign-up bonuses with strategic spending on your Southwest card, you can quickly reach the required points and start enjoying Companion Pass benefits early in the year.

The Rapid Rewards program stands out from other airline loyalty programs for its simplicity and the potential of the Companion Pass. If you fly regularly with another person, you’re looking at an airline buy-one-get-one deal for at least twelve months.

While A-List status gets you on the plane faster (no more middle seats), the lack of different seat classes and free checked bags reduces the allure of earning status. Another drawback is that redeeming points for international travel isn’t cost-effective. Still, it’s a great program if your reward travel is U.S.-based and with a companion.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, along with straightforward answers to help you make the most of your points.