Southwest and China Airlines Partnership — Asia Travel With Points Coming Soon

Updated: August 21, 2025, 11:59am CDT

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Table of Contents

Southwest and China Airlines Partnership
Southwest Airlines’ Many Changes
Final Thoughts

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Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines and Taiwan-based China Airlines announced a new partnership. Now, passengers can book itineraries with seamless connections between the 2 carriers, connecting through Southwest’s West Coast hubs with flights bookable directly through China Airlines.

Here’s what you need to know.

Southwest and China Airlines Partnership

In June 2025, Southwest announced its newest partnership will be with China Airlines and stated that sales between the 2 carriers would begin in late 2025 for flights in 2026. Well, the time has arrived.

As of this week, travelers can now book itineraries that seamlessly combine Southwest and China Airlines flights.

China Airlines Airbus A350 — Image Credit: Daniel Ross

These new routes are set to launch on January 19, 2026, with 5 major West Coast airports serving as the main gateways: Los Angeles (LAX), Phoenix (PHX), Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO), and Ontario, California (ONT).

While the partnership is modest at launch, it’s a promising development for Southwest Rapid Rewards members. In the near future, members will be able to earn and redeem points on flights to Asia, opening up exciting opportunities for long-haul travel using Southwest points.

Southwest is still completing the tech work needed to fully integrate these partnerships into its own systems. Once ready, travelers will be able to book and redeem awards directly through Southwest’s website and mobile app.

For now, you can book combined itineraries directly through China Airlines’ website, which include flights on both Southwest and China Airlines.

For example, you could fly Southwest from Nashville (BNA) to Ontario (ONT), then connect to a China Airlines Airbus Boeing 777-300 for the transpacific journey to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).

China Airlines Southwest Flights — Image Credit: China Airlines

It’s an easy way to start planning a seamless U.S.–Asia trip while Southwest’s own booking tools are being updated.

Hot Tip:

Southwest also has a new partnership with Icelandair that works similarly for travel across the Atlantic.

Southwest Airlines’ Many Changes

Southwest is in the middle of significant changes that have shaken up its identity. Once popular with travelers for its cheap flights and free bags, the airline is shifting towards a more traditional model that includes new fare classes, charging for bags, and has even removed benefits for elite members.

The carrier is increasingly setting its sights on international growth, aiming to expand its partner network and give Rapid Rewards members access to more destinations around the world.

Executives say they plan to build a “robust global partner network quickly,” opening up opportunities to fly to far-reaching destinations in Europe, Asia, and beyond—all while making the airline’s points program and credit cards more valuable for frequent travelers.

Hot Tip:

While Southwest’s own booking tools aren’t fully integrated yet, you can lock in combined itineraries now through China Airlines’ website. However, if you were hoping to use your Rapid Rewards points to book travel to Asia, you’ll have to wait a bit longer until the integration is complete.

Final Thoughts

With Southwest and China Airlines now offering combined itineraries, Rapid Rewards members are one step closer to seamless travel between the U.S. and Asia.

While points redemptions aren’t fully live yet, this partnership lays the groundwork for a more connected international network. Once integrated, it could unlock a whole new range of ways to use your points for long-haul travel, giving members even more flexibility and value when planning trips across the globe.