Southwest Launches A-List Elite Status Promotions

Southwest Airlines has just launched five promotions, intended to make it easier to earn elite status with the airline. I have to imagine that this reflects that Southwest isn’t seeing people qualifying for elite status in the way the program was hoping, and this is intended to boost that. That probably reflects how consumer trends have evolved.

Southwest makes it easier to earn elite status

A-List and A-List Preferred are Southwest Rapid Rewards’ elite status tiers, offering perks like priority boarding, bonus points, and more. These elite tiers require the following amount of activity in a calendar year:

• A-List requires 25 one-way flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points
• A-List Preferred requires 50 one-way flights or 70,000 tier qualifying points

With Southwest, you ordinarily earn 6-12x tier qualifying points per dollar spent, depending on the type of fare you’re booking. Note that this is separate from Companion Pass, which is Southwest’s amazing perk whereby you can have a companion fly with you for free.

Anyway, Southwest has just launched five separate promotions, which all Rapid Rewards members should be eligible for. You can find these promotions if you log into your Rapid Rewards account. You just need to register once to take advantage of all five.

Southwest offering double tier qualifying points

For a limited time, Southwest is offering double tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred status for revenue flights. This promotion exclusively gets you double tier qualifying points, and not double segments. The promotion is valid when you register, book, and fly between August 28 and November 30, 2024. The bonus tier qualifying points will post within 72 hours of when a flight is completed.

If you have any existing travel on Southwest booked and are going for status, it could be worth trying to rebook it, if the fare hasn’t changed too much. With this offer you’d earn 12-24x qualifying points per dollar spent, rather than 6-12x qualifying points per dollar spent.

Southwest business travel even more rewarding

For a limited time, Southwest is offering triple tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred status for revenue flight booked through one of the carrier’s business channels (GDS, SWABIZ, or one of the direct connect/API partners). The promotion is valid when you register, book, and fly between August 28 and November 30, 2024. The bonus tier qualifying points will post within 72 hours of when a flight is completed.

Southwest award flights count toward status

For a limited time, Southwest is counting award flights toward A-List and A-List Preferred status. With this, every flight purchased with points counts as one tier qualifying flight. The promotion is valid when you register, book, and fly between August 28 and November 30, 2024. The bonus tier qualifying flight will post to eligible accounts within 10 days of when a flight is completed.

Earn tier qualifying points with credit cards

For a limited time, Southwest is offering an additional 2,000 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 in purchases you make with any Rapid Rewards credit card. The promotion is valid for purchases made between September 1 and November 30, 2024, and they’re in addition to any tier qualifying points you may already earn as a cardmember. The bonus tier qualifying points will post within six weeks of the end of each month, and by December 30, 2024, for November purchases.

Earn tier qualifying points with partner activity

For a limited time, every base point earned on qualifying Rapid Rewards partners counts as one tier qualifying point, up to a maximum of 5,000 tier qualifying points. The promotion is valid for purchases made between August 28 and November 30, 2024.

Eligible partners include Southwest Hotels, Car Rentals, Rapid Rewards Shopping, Rapid Rewards Dining, Laithwaites, 1-800-Flowers, NRG including Reliant and Xoom, Energy Plus, Harry and David, and Rewards for Opinions. It can take up to eight weeks for eligible purchases to post to a Rapid Rewards account.

Bottom line

Southwest Rapid Rewards has five new offers that make it easier to earn A-List or A-List Preferred status in 2024. They’re all valid through November 30, 2024, providing quite a few shortcuts to elite status. Now, it’s anyone’s guess exactly what benefits Southwest status will offer starting later next year, given that Southwest is introducing assigned and extra legroom seating.

Will you benefit from these promos from Southwest Rapid Rewards?