Southwest announced its 2027 Rapid Rewards overhaul on Oct 15, 2026. The biggest change for card holders: credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward a Companion Pass once the new rules start on Jan 1, 2027.
What changes on Jan 1, 2027
- Companion Pass qualifying points are retired after Dec 31, 2026. Companion Pass benefits will be earned with Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or qualifying flights instead.
- These no longer help you qualify: new cardmember welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, bonus points from spend (such as 2x on gas) and partner spend (hotels, cars). They still earn regular Rapid Rewards points.
- Card spend still counts a little: every Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card earns 1 TQP per $1 spent on purchases.
- New thresholds: 95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying one-way flights unlocks a Milestone Reward with three Companion Pass trips. 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying flights earns the new Platinum status, which includes unlimited Companion Pass trips.
- Tier names change: A-List becomes Silver and A-List Preferred becomes Gold, with Platinum added above them.
What stays the same for 2026
The current rule is 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points (or 100 qualifying flights) for unlimited Companion Pass trips. If you earn a Companion Pass in 2026 under today's rules, Southwest says it stays valid through Dec 31, 2027. If you're already registered for a Companion Pass promotion, Southwest says your participation will be honored.
What this means
For years, the common path was two Southwest card welcome bonuses plus some spending. That path ends with 2026. This may make sense to look at now if you were already planning to open Southwest cards, but weigh the annual fees and the credit inquiries first. Southwest cards are issued by Chase, so they count under the Chase 5/24 rule. Our guide on comparing a sign-up bonus to its annual fee can help.
Sources: Southwest's Companion Pass 2027 page and Southwest's Oct 15, 2026 press release, both checked Oct 19, 2026.
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