Southwest Revamps Rapid Rewards Status With New Platinum Tier and Milestone Rewards

Southwest Airlines announced big changes to its Rapid Rewards program today at an event in Dallas.

As of January 1, 2027, the A-List and A-List Preferred status tiers are being renamed, a new top tier is joining the program, and cardholders will earn status a bit differently than they do now.

The airline is also adding Milestone Rewards, similar to other loyalty programs, giving members perks before they reach status and again between the 2 highest tiers.

Read on to learn more about how status will work in 2027 and who comes out ahead with these changes announced on October 15, 2026.

Southwest Elite Status: Silver, Gold, and the New Platinum Tier

On January 1, 2027, Southwest Rapid Rewards will change its elite status tiers. A-List will become Silver, and A-List Preferred will be Gold. Platinum will debut as a new tier at the top of the program, and it comes with unlimited Companion Pass trips.

Southwest is also doing away with Companion Pass qualifying points. Members will qualify through Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or flights. Here’s how the upcoming requirements compare to the outgoing requirements:

There are winners and losers. Gold will require 5,000 fewer TQPs, but passengers who earn based on flight segments will need 5 more flights for Silver and 10 more for Gold.

These are the key benefits available for each tier:

• Silver: Free Preferred or Standard seat selection when booking, upgrades to Extra Legroom seats within 48 hours of departure (subject to availability), Group 1 boarding, 1 free checked bag, and 40% bonus points on qualifying flights
• Gold: Free selection of any seat at the time of booking (including Extra Legroom), boarding before Group 1, 2 free checked bags, 60% bonus points, and 2 complimentary premium drinks per flight
• Platinum: Unlimited Companion Pass trips, boarding before Gold members, 3 free checked bags, 120% bonus points, and the same seat and drink benefits available to Gold members

All 3 tiers offer Priority Lane and Express Lane access, priority customer support, and same-day standby, even when flying on Basic fares. Same-day changes are a different story. Elite members will still need a Choice, Choice Preferred, or Choice Extra fare to change flights without a fee.

Every Southwest Card Now Earns Status

This is the biggest change for most travelers. Currently, most Southwest credit cards earn TQPs at a rate of 1,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent. That works out to 0.3 TQPs per $1 spent. The Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card doesn’t offer this, though.

As of January 1, 2027, every Southwest Rapid Rewards card will earn 1 TQP per $1 spent on eligible purchases. That’s more than 3 times the current rate, offering a path toward status via spending at a faster rate than 2026 provides.

Cardholders will also get a 1-time boost of 10,000 TQPs after reaching 130,000 TQPs in 2027. This TQP boost counts toward status qualification for the rest of 2027 and through 2028. It’s designed to push cardholders over the line into Platinum and soften some of the upcoming changes.

Keep in mind that card TQPs post after each billing cycle closes. Your annual earning period ends with your December statement, so late-December spending may count toward the following year, rather than your 2027 status-earning goals.

Existing cardholders will keep their current benefits, such as the free first checked bag and boarding no later than Group 5 on Southwest flights.

Besides flights and credit cards, members can earn TQPs through the Southwest’s debit card, Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings, and Southwest Groups bookings.

Southwest Adding Milestone Rewards

Milestone Rewards are debuting as perks that travelers can unlock along the way to status. There are 2 benefits, and each can be earned just once per calendar year.

The first milestone comes before you reach Silver status. If you choose seat certificates, you can’t use them while booking a flight. Instead, you must redeem them afterward through Southwest’s seat change tool.

The second milestone comes between the Gold and Platinum tiers. Each Companion Pass trip covers either a one-way or round-trip itinerary, but using this on a one-way flight burns the whole trip. Saving these rewards for round-trips provides better value.

Milestone progress resets to zero every year on January 1. Rewards are valid through December 31 of the year after they’re earned.

What This Means for the Southwest Companion Pass

Companion Pass isn’t going away, but it will function within the tier structure going forward. You’ll get 3 Companion Pass trips at the second milestone and unlimited trips once you reach Platinum status.

If you earn the Companion Pass in 2026 under the current rules, you’ll be able to use it on unlimited trips through December 31, 2027 — functioning just like you’re used to until that point. We’ll cover the Companion Pass changes in more detail separately.

Final Thoughts

Cardholders chasing Silver or Gold status are the clear winners in these changes. Moving from 0.3 TQPs per $1 on select cards to 1 TQP per $1 on every card makes status reachable for people who rarely fly Southwest.

The picture isn’t as good for Companion Pass fans who typically earn it through spending. Until now, all points earned on a Southwest credit card have counted toward the pass — including the generous welcome offers these cards have — and cardholders get 10,000 bonus qualifying points every year. In 2027, qualifying for unlimited companion trips will require earning 140,000 TQPs, and the 10,000 TQP boost only arrives after you hit 130,000 TQPs through the standard process.

Frequent flyers who buy cheap fares also lose a little with these changes. They’ll need more flights for Silver and Gold tiers than they’re used to. On the other hand, the new Platinum perks and Milestone Rewards give loyal Southwest flyers more to enjoy than ever before, assuming they reach these tiers.