Southwest renames A-List tiers and adds Platinum for 2027, with new Companion Pass math

Southwest announced a rebuilt Rapid Rewards program on Oct 15, 2026, with most changes starting Jan 1, 2027. The release is titled "More to love from Rapid Rewards" . The Companion Pass is the part most flyers will feel.

The new tiers

A-List becomes Silver and A-List Preferred becomes Gold. Silver takes 35,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) or 25 qualifying flights. Gold takes 65,000 TQPs or 50 flights. A new Platinum tier takes 140,000 TQPs or 100 flights and includes unlimited Companion Pass trips .

For comparison, 2026 terms are 35,000 TQPs or 20 one-way flights for A-List and 70,000 TQPs or 40 flights for A-List Preferred . Silver asks for five more flights; Gold asks for 5,000 fewer points but 10 more flights.

The Companion Pass gets harder

Today the Companion Pass takes 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or 100 one-way flights. Those Companion Pass qualifying points retire on Dec 31, 2026 .

In 2027 there is no unlimited pass below 140,000 TQPs. The new Milestone Rewards offer three Companion Pass trips at 95,000 TQPs or 75 flights. A smaller milestone at 20,000 TQPs or 15 flights gives 2,000 points or two Preferred Seat certificates. Anyone who counted on a 135,000-point pass now gets three trips at 95,000 and unlimited use only at 140,000. Existing Companion Pass holders keep benefits for the full term shown in My Account.

Cards now earn tier points

From Jan 1, 2027, every Rapid Rewards credit cardmember, including Plus, earns 1 TQP per $1 on the Chase-issued card. The 2026 table paid 1,500 TQPs per $5,000 on the Premier, 2,000 on the Premier Business and 2,500 on the Priority and Performance Business. The 2027 page also lists a one-time 10,000 TQP boost for primary cardmembers who reach 130,000 TQPs in 2027. The page's body and footnote give different end dates for that window (2028 versus Dec 31, 2027), so read the terms before planning around it.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points move to Southwest 1:1 per our transfer chart. Neither Southwest page lists transfers as a way to earn TQPs, so the points you transfer buy flights but should not be counted toward tiers.

What else is coming

Rental-car redemptions start in November 2026. Partner redemptions on Icelandair, China Airlines and Etihad follow in spring 2027, seat-selection redemptions later in 2027, the first Icon Lounge at Nashville in late 2027, and fleetwide Starlink in fall 2027. Current A-List and A-List Preferred benefits continue through Dec 31, 2026.

What to do: Total your 2026 flights and spend, and estimate your 2027 TQPs including card spending at 1 per $1. If you rely on the Companion Pass, decide whether 95,000 TQPs for three trips is enough or 140,000 is reachable. All dates and thresholds are as of Oct 16, 2026; confirm on https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027/ before changing how you earn.

Sources

• https://investors.southwest.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1946/more-to-love-from-rapid-rewards-southwest-airlines-expands-rewards-redemption-and-member-benefits
• https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027/
• https://www.southwest.com/rrterms/
• https://perkjolt.com/points-miles/transfer-partners/