Southwest Rapid Rewards 2027 changes: new tiers, harder Companion Pass

Southwest is rebuilding Rapid Rewards from January 1, 2027: A-List becomes Silver, A-List Preferred becomes Gold, and a new Platinum tier sits on top. The headline catch is the Companion Pass. It stops being its own program and becomes a status perk, and Companion Pass qualifying points are retired after December 31, 2026.

Southwest announced the overhaul on October 15, 2026. If you fly Southwest often, the next ten weeks matter more than usual.

What changes on January 1, 2027

Status, Milestone Rewards and the Companion Pass will all run on one currency: Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs), or qualifying one-way flights. TQPs come from revenue flights booked through Southwest, plus qualifying vacation and group bookings. Your TQP count resets on January 1, 2027, so 2026 activity does not count toward 2027 milestones.

Each Companion Pass trip can be one-way or round trip. Your companion still pays taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 one-way, and must be on the same flights as you.

Earning on the two top fares also drops. Southwest's 2027 page lists Choice Preferred at 8X and Choice Extra at 10X the fare. Coverage of the announcement puts today's rates at 10X and 14X. Basic (2X) and Choice (6X) stay the same.

Who this affects

Companion Pass chasers lose the most. Today you can earn the pass with 135,000 qualifying points or 100 flights in a year. From 2027, unlimited trips need 140,000 TQPs or 100 flights. Partner earning, such as hotel stays and car rentals, no longer counts toward it. For most people the pass becomes a reward for very heavy Southwest flyers, not a clever earning project.

Current A-List members become Silver automatically and get a bigger earning bonus (40%, up from 25%). They will pay $35 for a second checked bag on flights through December 31, 2027.

Current A-List Preferred members become Gold. Their bonus falls from 100% to 60%, but anyone who earns A-List Preferred for 2027 from 2026 activity keeps the 100% bonus through December 31, 2027.

There is good news too. Points still don't expire and there are still no blackout dates. Southwest says partner awards on Icelandair, China Airlines and Etihad Airways start rolling out in spring 2027, along with using points for Extra Legroom and Preferred seats. The first Southwest Icon Lounges are expected at select airports by the end of 2027.

What to do now

1. Log in and check your 2026 progress. If you are close to 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or 100 one-way flights, finishing in 2026 gets you an unlimited pass through December 31, 2027. Activity must post by December 31, 2026.
2. Don't count on 2026 points carrying over. Qualifying points toward 135,000 do not convert into TQPs.
3. Re-think premium fare buys. Choice Extra earns less from 2027. If you buy it mainly for the points, that math gets weaker.
4. Plan for one metric. In 2027 only revenue Southwest flights and qualifying vacation or group bookings move you up. Partner activity still earns redeemable points, just not status.

For background on how earning differs from qualifying, see how airline miles work. Read the airline's own rules on Southwest's 2027 Rapid Rewards page and its guide for 2026 status holders.

Bottom line

Silver and Gold members mostly keep what they have, and some things get better. The Companion Pass is the big loss: it now takes Platinum-level flying for unlimited trips. If you are anywhere near the old 135,000 mark, finish before December 31, 2026 and lock in the pass for all of 2027.