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Opinions about Southwest Airlines vary widely these days. And while there is plenty of criticism, there are still good reasons to fly Southwest, especially if the price is right and its route network works in your favor. If you plan to fly Southwest, though, you might consider taking advantage of its status match offer to make the experience a little better.
Elite status with Rapid Rewards unlocks a few key perks that can enhance your trip and help you save money. And arguably, there's no easier way to get it than by matching your current airline status.
Here’s what you need to know about Southwest’s ongoing status match offer.
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Get Rapid Rewards A-List With Southwest’s Status Match Offer
Southwest Airlines has a simple status match offer, and it works like this: Join the Rapid Rewards program and show proof that you have elite status of any tier with another U.S. airline (other than Southwest). You will receive promotional A-List status for 90 days, with the option to extend it by booking and flying eligible Southwest flights during that period.
Matching your status to Southwest Rapid Rewards is super easy. Just email your first name, last name, Rapid Rewards account number, and a screenshot of your current elite status to southwest.statusmatch@wnco.com. There's no cost to apply, and you should hear back within 12 business days.
How to extend your A-List status past the trial period
Ninety days isn't a very long time. Fortunately, if you successfully match to Rapid Rewards A-List status, Southwest makes it easy to extend your status for an additional 12 months. All you need to do is book and complete qualifying flights during the trial period. And there are two ways to accomplish this:
- Complete three qualifying round-trip flights
- Or take six qualifying one-way flights
What counts as a qualifying flight? Here's your answer:
- A qualifying one-way flight for this promotion is a one-way revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city, including any intermediate stops and/or connections on Southwest Airlines.
- A qualifying round trip flight for this promotion is a revenue flight on Southwest Airlines from an origin city to a destination city and back to the originating airport or carrier-recognized co-terminal.
The key words here are “revenue flight.” That means award tickets, Cash + Points bookings, and charter flights (should you, for some reason, want to charter a Southwest plane) don't count toward the requirements. And only new reservations booked within the promotional period will qualify, so any flights you booked before your status match was approved will not count.
Related: Shortcuts to Airline Elite Status With Status Match or Fast Track Opportunities
How often can you match your status to Southwest Rapid Rewards?
Of all the airline status match offers available right now, Southwest's is one of the most generous. That's because you're not limited to matching once in a lifetime, like with Alaska Airlines, or once every few years, like with Delta.
With Southwest, you can complete a match as long as you have not received promotional A-List status through any other offer in the past 12 months.
Rapid Rewards A-List Elite Status Benefits
Rapid Rewards A-List status is the program's elite tier that's one step above the general member level. And it comes with the following benefits:
- Priority boarding: Until Southwest rolls out assigned seating, A-List members will have their boarding positions reserved for them and other passengers on their reservation at 36 hours before departure.
- Check one bag for free: Southwest now charges for checked bags, and A-List members plus up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation can check a first bag for free.
- Priority Lane and Express Lane: Access the Priority Lane at the Southwest check-in counter, and the Express Lane at the security checkpoint at select airports.
- Dedicated phone line: Priority access when calling Southwest Airlines.
- Same-day standby: Free same-day standby for all fares including Basic (formerly Wanna Get Away).
- 25% earning bonus: Earn 25% bonus points on qualifying flights.
Unfortunately, Southwest doesn't offer status matches to A-List Preferred status. And you can't match and get a Companion Pass, either.
Is It Worth Status Matching to Southwest for A-List Benefits?
So, is it worth status matching to Southwest? If you have upcoming travel on the airline and plan to check bags — and don't carry a Southwest credit card or pay up for a Business Select fare — you can save a lot of money by completing a free status match. And that's where matching is easily worth it.
Remember, Southwest now charges $35 for your first checked bag, so that's immediate savings you can take advantage of.
The additional benefits, like 25% bonus points, are valuable if you plan to earn points by using a travel rewards card to book future flights instead of redeeming ones you already have. And the priority boarding perks will only become more valuable as Southwest rolls out its new assigned seating policy.
Looking ahead, A-List members will be able to choose a preferred seat at the time of booking or select extra legroom seats starting 48 hours before departure. They will also board with the Early General group, which means earlier access to coveted overhead bin space.
If you plan to fly Southwest, what's not to like about a free bag, free seat selection, and early boarding? A free status match can help you unlock those benefits as they roll out.
Bottom Line
Southwest offers a straightforward status match that you can take advantage of more than once over the life of your account. It’s simple to match and get A-List benefits, which you can extend by booking a few qualifying one-way or round-trip flights. These benefits can help you save plenty of cash on future travel, especially now that Southwest charges for extras like checked bags — and soon, seat selection.
A-List elite status may not be the most valuable status out there, and it's easy to rip on Southwest right now. But if you plan to fly the airline, having status can make your experience much better than flying without it.
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