AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the Southwest
Southwest Airlines looks much different than it did a few years ago. Some perks that fans knew and loved, such as no checked bag fees, are gone — which also changes the value of having elite status.
The airline doesn’t offer some typical benefits such as upgrades and airport lounge access (yet). But as more fees creep into the airline's ecosystem, Southwest status can be more beneficial than ever.
Here’s how to earn Southwest elite status, what you'll get, and if it's worth chasing.
Four Ways To Earn Southwest Elite Status
Southwest has two tiers of elite status: A-List and A-List Preferred. There are four main ways to earn this status:
Take qualifying flights or earn tier-qualifying points
You can earn elite status by taking a specific number of Southwest flights or by accumulating tier-qualifying points.
Rapid Rewards members can earn
- A-List status after 20 one-way qualifying flights or 35,000 tier-qualifying points in a calendar year.
- A-List Preferred status after 40 one-way qualifying flights or 70,000 tier-qualifying points in a calendar year.
Unfortunately, only revenue flights — meaning flights you pay for— count toward the requirement. Flights booked with Rapid Rewards points do not qualify.
Credit card spending
Rapid Rewards members with any of the following four Southwest
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Meanwhile, the following cards earn 1,500 and 2,000 tier-qualifying points, respectively, for the same annual spending requirement.
$149
- 3X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
$229Rates & Fees
- 4X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
$299Rates & Fees
- 4X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 2X points per $1 on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel
- 2X points per $1 spent on rideshare
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Related: How To Choose the Right Southwest Airlines Credit Card
Status match
You can also earn A-List through status match opportunities. If you currently hold status with pretty much any other U.S. airline, you can match it to Southwest A-List.
To take advantage of the match, you’ll need to register online and attach proof of your current elite status with a U.S.-based carrier. Those with mid- to high-level elite status with other airlines may be eligible to match to A-List Preferred.
You’ll have your matched status for four months. To extend it to 12 months, you’ll need to complete the following within 120 days of enrollment:
- A-List: three round trips/six one-ways OR 11,500 TQPs during the promotional period
- A-List Preferred: six round trips/12 one-ways OR 23,000 TQPs during the promotional period
You can only do this status match promotion if you have not received A-List status in any other promotion in the last 12 months.
Additionally, qualifying flights must be booked after your status match is approved.
Promotional opportunities
Southwest sometimes offers promotions to help Rapid Rewards members earn elite status faster. Or these promotions let you bypass some of the standard flying or tier-qualifying point requirements for elite status.
For example, this promotion offered double tier-qualifying points on flights, triple tier-qualifying points on business travel, bonus tier-qualifying points on Southwest credit card spending, and counted reward travel as qualifying flights toward elite status. And this promotion offers double Companion Pass qualifying points in an eligible spending category.
Keep an eye on your email account for opportunities from Southwest Airlines, and also regularly check out our frequently updated post on
Benefits of Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred Elite Status
The table below lists the benefits of A-List and A-List Preferred status. This includes the new seat selection and free checked bag perks:
| A-List | A-List Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Benefits |
How Southwest Elite Status Is More Important Than Ever
With Southwest's new policies around checked bags, boarding, and seat selection, status pulls more weight than ever.
A-List is likely the sweet spot for maximizing Southwest elite status, but A-List Preferred may be worth considering for travelers who need to check in two bags or who want to select an Extra Legroom seat at booking.
Here’s a closer look at the benefits that matter most under Southwest’s new model.
Boarding and seat selection
Gone are the days of Southwest's A-B-C boarding groups, replaced by numbered groups. A-List members receive Group 1 boarding, while A-List Preferred will board before Group 1. This can be a huge benefit, helping flyers to secure valuable overhead space first.
Status also helps with Southwest's new assigned seating model. Both A-List and A-List Preferred members can select preferred or standard seats at booking for no cost. A-List Preferred members will have the added benefit of selecting an Extra Legroom seat at booking, while A-List members will only be able to select an Extra Legroom seat on a space-available basis within 48 hours of departure.
That can make it easier to avoid a middle seat, sit near travel companions, or snag a seat closer to the front.
Free checked bags
For Southwest loyalists, the addition of checked bag fees erased one of the airline's biggest advantages. But if you have A-List or A-List Preferred status, you can check a certain number of bags for free:
- A-List: Check one bag for free for yourself and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
- A-List Preferred: Check two bags for free for yourself and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
Considering Southwest now charges $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second, having status can be a huge cost saver — especially when traveling with others on the same reservation.
Bottom Line
Even though you can’t get upgraded to a fancy lie-flat seat (Southwest doesn’t have them), it doesn’t mean Southwest elite status isn’t worth holding.
Granted, you’re not getting thousands of dollars of value, but the benefits of A-List and A-List Preferred do go a long way toward improving your travel experience. Plus, now that Southwest is charging fees for seat selection and checked bags, status can even help you save money on all those extras.
Whether you’re a regular Southwest flyer or an infrequent customer thinking about switching your loyalty, don’t overlook the perks of Southwest elite status.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
