Southwest A-list status tiers
| A-List | A-List Preferred | Companion Pass |
| How to qualify Fly 25 one-way revenue fl ... | How to qualify Fly 50 one-way revenue fl ... | How to qualify Fly 100 one-way revenue f ... |
| Base-point rate 25% | Base-point rate 100% | Base-point rate N/A |
| Benefits Priority boarding Priority chec ... | Benefits Same perks as A-List members, p ... | Benefits Bring a companion for free (not ... |
Full Answer
What are the benefits of a-list preferred status?
A-List Preferred offers a 100% bonus on points, a dedicated A-list Preferred phone number, and free in-flight Wi-Fi. What are the main Southwest A-List Preferred status benefits?
How much are a-list preferred points worth?
As an A-List Preferred traveler, you’ll earn 100% more points than flyers without status. With the assumed flying above, you’ll take home an extra 84,000 points, worth $1,260.
What is the difference between a-list and non-a-list preferred members?
A-List Preferred Members will be prioritized ahead of A-List Members. If an A-List or A-List Preferred Member is traveling on a multiple-Passenger reservation, same-day standby and priority standby will not be provided for non-A-List or non-A-List Preferred Members in the same reservation.
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What does a list Preferred get you?
As an A-List Preferred Member, you will enjoy Priority Lanes and Express Lanes (where available), a dedicated A-List Preferred phone line, reserved check-in, free inflight WiFi on equipped planes, a 100 percent earning bonus on all eligible revenue Southwest® flights, and same-day standby benefits free of airline ...
What is a list and a list preferred?
A-List is earned by taking 25 one-way flights or earning 35,000 tier-qualifying points. A-List Preferred is earned by flying 50 one-way flights or earning 75,000 tier-qualifying points.
Does a list get priority boarding?
Only A-List and A-List Preferred Members will receive priority boarding. Any change is made to an existing reservation within 36 hours of a scheduled flight.
Does a list Preferred get free WiFi?
First, A-List Preferred has a higher earning bonus on Rapid Rewards points – 100% rather than 25%. Second, A-List Preferred members get free in-flight Wi-Fi, which normally costs $8 per flight.
How long does a list status last?
Once you cross the 25-flight or 35,000-point threshold requirement and earn A-List status, you begin enjoying the benefits immediately. Your A-List status lasts through the remainder of the calendar year in which you earned it, as well as the entire calendar year following the year in which you qualified.
When can a list board Southwest?
Re: A-List Prefered Boarding. A-List positions are automatically assigned beginning 36 hours prior to departure. If an A-Lister receives a position in the B or C group (happens when a flight change is made less than 36 hours before departure) they can board after the A group.
Does a list automatically check you in?
A List puts you in the que to automatically reserve your boarding position 36 hours prior to flight time. You still have to "check in" to get your boarding pass.
Do flights purchased with points count towards a list?
A qualifying flight is one that you pay for. That means flights you bought with Rapid Rewards points don't count.
Can my companion fly without me?
The gate agents can see who has and has not boarded the flight, so they'll know if the companion is on board without the Companion Pass holder. They won't be able to close the passenger manifest when that happens, so you can bet they'll come looking for answers. In all likelihood you'll be pulled from the flight.
How do you get free Wi-Fi on Southwest Airlines?
How do I connect to WiFi on my Southwest flight?Head to your Settings. ... Choose SouthwestWiFi from your WiFi network list. ... If the Inflight Entertainment Portal doesn't load automatically, type www.southwestwifi.com into the address bar.Select your entertainment and enjoy!
How do I watch free movies on Southwest Airlines?
To access free movies from your mobile device or tablet, download the Southwest® app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store before your flight. Access in the Inflight Entertainment Portal to stay connected in the clouds. service only allows access to iMessage and WhatsApp (must be downloaded before the flight).
Is there free Wi-Fi on Southwest flights?
Using our Inflight Internet is fast and easy. Go online to check email, read the news, or plan your next adventure for just $8 all day, per device. Inflight Internet is free for our A-List Preferred Members.
What is the benefit of being an A-List member?
One of the benefits of being an A-List member is that you can jump on flights that are more convenient. This is known as the same day standby benefit and it’s also available to Business Select and Anytime passengers when there is no change in fare.
When will Southwest Airlines extend A list status?
If you earned A-List or A-List Preferred status through December 31, 2020 and not through any type of promotion, Southwest Airlines is extending your current earned status through December 31, 2021.
Does Southwest A-List have lounge access?
No lounge access (there are also no lounges or special alliance partner benefits to take advantage of) So the benefits for Southwest A-List are not going to hold the same type of value that you would find with elite status for a legacy carrier, and A-List is more similar to what you’d get with JetBlue Mosaic .
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Does Southwest offer free A list?
Southwest has been known to offer special targeted offers where they offer you A-List status for free. Other targeted offers might simply require you to make a handful of Southwest flights in order to get the status.
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Summary
Is A-List status worth it on Southwest? We give a rundown of the benefits and tips for earning it faster.
A-List status
In order to qualify for A-List status, Southwest travelers must fly 25 one-way qualifying flights on Southwest Airlines or earn 35,000 tier-qualifying Southwest Rapid Rewards points per calendar year. Southwest defines a one-way qualifying flight as a one-way revenue trip traveling from an origin city to a destination city.
A-List Preferred status
The next tier up on the Southwest elite status totem pole is A-List Preferred. In order to qualify for A-List Preferred status, Southwest travelers must fly 50 one-way qualifying flights on Southwest Airlines or earn 70,000 tier-qualifying Southwest Rapid Rewards points per calendar year.
Companion Pass
It’s important to note that Companion Pass status is separate from A-List or A-List Preferred status. To qualify for a Southwest Companion Pass, travelers must earn 125,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest Airlines per calendar year.
Shortcuts to Southwest A-List status
There aren’t many easy shortcuts for earning A-List or A-List Preferred status if you have a business card or plan on applying for one. If that’s the case, though, we have a few suggestions for obtaining elite status faster with Southwest:
Bottom line
Southwest is a fantastic airline for both professional and leisure travelers, even without the elite status perks and benefits.
What is the A-List preferred?
The second and highest tier of the Rapid Rewards program, A-List Preferred, is similar to the entry-level tier with two exceptions. First, A-List Preferred has a higher earning bonus on Rapid Rewards points – 100% rather than 25%. Second, A-List Preferred members get free in-flight Wi-Fi, which normally costs $8 per flight. For an A-List Preferred member who flies the tier-qualifying minimum of 50 annual one-way flights, the free Wi-Fi perk will save $400 per year.
How many trips per month to get A-List preferred?
With a minimum flight requirement of 50 annual one-way flights, you'll need to take at least two trips per month to qualify for A-List Preferred. If you're traveling this much on a legacy carrier, you'll only qualify for the lowest status tier.
What is the second tier of Southwest?
This means that any ticket purchase will earn you double rewards points.
How long do Southwest points last?
Unlike other airlines, Southwest's rewards redemptions aren't subject to restrictive blackout dates. In addition, your points won't expire until 24 months after your last purchase with Southwest. Compare that to the 18-month-window offered on other carriers.
What is companion pass?
For travelers who want to fly with a partner, the Companion Pass is by far the most useful and valuable benefit — across all U.S. airlines. However, this benefit is less important if you prefer to travel alone or don't mind spending more on airfare when you fly with your significant other.
How many points do you need to fly to get Southwest A-List?
To qualify for elite status on Southwest, you have to fly at least 25 one-way flights in one calendar year or earn 35,000 tier-qualifying points. Compared to other major carriers' elite status programs, Southwest has the most lenient entry-level requirements for flights.
When will Southwest Companion Pass be extended?
If you earned the Southwest Companion Pass through Dec. 31, 2020, it is being extended an extra six months to June 30, 2021. If you earned Southwest A-List or A-List Preferred through Dec. 31, 2020, it is being extended an extra six months to Dec. 31, 2021.
A-List Elite Benefits
A-List has a few benefits. The most beneficial ones will be the early boarding and 25% earning bonus.
A-List Preferred Elite Benefits
A-List Preferred members earn 2x points than non-elite members when you fly. If you combine this with “Business Select” tickets, A-List Preferred members can earn 24 points per dollar spent.
2022 perk: Earn elite status with Southwest credit cards
To make earning elite status in 2022 easier, Southwest is allowing its cardholders to earn an unlimited number of TQPs when using the following four credit cards:
What you can do with your points and A-List status
Elite status will help you earn reward points faster, with bonuses of up to 100%. When it comes time to redeem Rapid Rewards points, consider using them for a tropical vacation. Southwest flights to the Caribbean provide among the best value for budget travelers looking for a beach getaway.
How much is Southwest A-List status worth?
Since Southwest offers all passengers two free checked bags anyway, and there’s no such thing as a Southwest first class lounge (heck, there’s no such thing as Southwest first class, period), Southwest elite status is worth much less than the value of elite status with most other airlines.
What about the Southwest Companion Pass?
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most coveted perks in the budget air travel world.
How to earn companion pass Southwest?
These are slightly different from the Tier Qualifying Points identified above, which are generally earned only through flying. However, you can earn points toward the Companion Pass in a variety of additional ways: 1 Flying on Southwest 2 Doing business with travel partners like hotels and car rental agencies 3 Dining through the Rapid Rewards Dining program 4 Opening and/or using a Southwest credit card (like the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card), including sign-up bonuses. The current sign-up bonus for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is 65,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
When does Southwest Elite status expire?
If you earned Southwest elite status in 2020, it’s valid through Dec. 31, 2021, and if you qualify in 2021, your status will last until Dec. 31, 2022. As discussed earlier, it’s critical to think about how much you’ll be traveling in the future.
What is companion pass?
The Companion Pass is one of the world’s most valuable travel perks. (Photo by John Gress Media Inc/Shutterstock) The next tier in the Southwest program isn’t actually an elite status tier but still worth valuing: the Companion Pass, one of the most lucrative and rewarding benefits in the travel industry.
Does Southwest have priority boarding?
All of Southwest’s planes are all-economy and don’t have assigned seating. This means there are no free upgrades to business class for elite status members, which can be a disappointment for those seeking luxury in the sky. Elites do, however, get priority boarding that gives them first dibs at their preferred seat.
Does Southwest Airlines have priority check in?
Southwest’s policy of free checked bags for all passengers tends to create longer check- in lines than other airlines.
Did Southwest extend their elite status?
Many U.S. airlines have responded to the pandemic by extending elite status and making it easier to earn status in 2021. Southwest did both. It extended 2020 elite status and Companion Passes early on in the pandemic and gave members a headstart toward 2021 qualification.
