New Fast-Track Promotion to Southwest Elite Status

Updated: August 29, 2024, 11:39pm CDT

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4 Ways To Earn Status With Southwest’s New Promotion
How To Register for the New Southwest Promotion
Southwest Elite Level Benefits and Requirements
Final Thoughts

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Southwest is making it easier to achieve elite status. The Dallas-based carrier has rolled out a new promotion that offers 3 ways to help frequent flyers of the airline achieve A-List or A-List Preferred status. While this promotion is available to all Rapid Rewards members, you must first register to activate it. Here is a look at everything you need to know, including how to register for this new promotion.

4 Ways To Earn Status With Southwest’s New Promotion

1. Award Flights Count Towards Elite Status

With Southwest’s new promotion, all award flights booked and completed between August 28 and November 30, 2024, will count towards elite status. Each flight booked and flown between the promotion dates will count as 1 tier qualifying flight. Thus, flights booked with Rapid Rewards points will help you qualify for status during this period.

2. Earn Double Tier Qualifying Points

Qualifying flights booked and completed between August 28 and November 30, 2024, will earn double-tier qualifying points. Note that this aspect of the promotion is limited to flights purchased with cash, LUV vouchers, gift cards, or travel funds, but not with Rapid Rewards Points.

Hot Tip:

To participate in either promotion, you must register first. If you already have flights booked during the promotion window, you must cancel the flight and rebook after registering for the promotion. Otherwise, your award trip(s) won’t count toward your segments, and your paid flight(s) won’t earn double-tier qualifying points.

3. Earn 3x Tier Qualifying Points on Business Travel

If you’re traveling for business between August 28 and November 30, 2024, you’ll earn 3x Tier Qualifying Points on your flights. To qualify, you must book through a Southwest business channel like GDS, SWABIZ, or a direct connect partner.

4. Earn Elite Status With Credit Card Spending

From September 1 to November 30, 2024, Rapid Rewards credit cardholders can earn tier-qualifying points with credit card spending. For every $5,000 spent on any Rapid Rewards credit card, you’ll earn 2,000 tier qualifying points. These are extra tier qualifying points above and beyond what you may already be earning with your Southwest credit card. As a reminder, here are the current Rapid Rewards credit cards:

5. Earn With Travel Partners

Another option can help you shortcut your way to Southwest A-List status even without flying. This offer runs from August 28 to November 30, 2024, and offers 1 Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) for every base point earned — up to a maximum of 5,000 total TQPs.

Eligible partners for this offer include Southwest Hotels, Car Rentals, Rapid Rewards Shopping, Rapid Rewards Dining, Laithwaites, 1-800-Flowers, NRG (including Reliant and Xoom), Energy Plus, Harry and David, and Rewards for Opinions.

How To Register for the New Southwest Promotion

To take advantage of Southwest’s new promotion, you must register first. To do that, head to the promotion page and log in to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account.

Southwest A List shortcut promotion — You need to register for Southwest’s new promotion before you can earn extra Tier Qualifying Points. Image Credit: Southwest

You’ll find a Register button at the bottom of the page.

Southwest Elite Level Benefits and Requirements

Southwest Airlines 737 — Image Credit: Stella Shon

Here is a look at the requirements needed for each level of Southwest elite status, and the benefits you will receive once your qualify.

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Benefits	A-List	A-List Preferred
To Qualify	20 one-way qualifying flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points	40 one-way qualifying flights or 70,000 tier qualifying points
Priority Boarding	Yes (for you and everyone on your reservation)	Yes (for you and everyone on your reservation)
Same-day Change	Yes (with no difference in base fare)	Yes
Same-day Standby	Yes	Yes
Priority Check-in and Security	Yes	Yes
Dedicated Phone Line	Yes	Yes
Earning Bonus	25%	100%
Free Wi-Fi	No	Yes
Free Premium Drinks	No	Up to 2 (on flights of 176 miles or more)

For most flyers, A-List will be the sweet spot, as it requires half of the flying that A-List Preferred does and receives nearly all of the same benefits, with the exception of earning fewer points and free Wi-Fi on flights (though all Southwest flyers can receive free Wi-Fi by holding the Southwest Performance Business card).

Note that we have omitted the highest elite tier, the Southwest Companion Pass, as this promotion does not count towards the 100 one-way qualifying flights or 135,000 tier qualifying points needed to achieve that status. Those who qualify for A-List or A-List Preferred during the promotion window will receive status for the rest of 2024 and all of 2025.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, this is an excellent promotion for those looking to make the final push to qualify — or re-qualify — for Southwest elite status. Don’t forget that you need to first register for the promotion, rebook any flights that you’d made prior to registering, and that all of your travel must be completed by the promotion deadline of November 30, 2024.