Southwest Airlines is overhauling its Rapid Rewards loyalty program, replacing its current A-List levels with three new elite tiers and expanding the program with new lounge access and revised award structures. Multiple outlets report the airline is rolling out updates that include new premium “Icon” lounge concepts and changes to how partners contribute to earning and redeeming points.
The changes also affect Southwest credit card perks and the Companion Pass. Sources agree that certain card-related benefits will no longer count toward the Companion Pass under the revised rules, and that earning rates tied to some fares and award categories will be adjusted, making companion-related outcomes harder to achieve. CNBC, The Points Guy, and View From the Wing each detail specific shifts in tier qualification and point earning, while Skift emphasizes how the redesign moves Southwest closer to the loyalty approaches used by its larger competitors.
Across reports, the overarching angle is that Southwest is using a major loyalty overhaul to modernize Rapid Rewards while reshaping how elite status and companion benefits are earned, with more emphasis on tiered status and partner perks than the prior structure.
