Southwest Airlines Overhauls Popular Companion Pass, Angering Loyal Customers

Southwest Airlines is significantly altering its popular Rapid Rewards program, a move that will make its coveted Companion Pass benefit harder for travelers to obtain. Beginning January 1, 2027, the airline will introduce three new membership tiers—Silver, Gold, and Platinum—replacing the current A-List and A-List Preferred levels.

The most significant change affects how customers qualify for the Companion Pass, a long-standing perk that allowed holders to bring a designated companion on Southwest flights without an additional fare. Previously, travelers could earn the pass by accumulating 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year, a threshold that included welcome bonuses from credit cards.

Under the new structure, welcome bonuses will no longer count toward the Companion Pass qualification. Instead, members will earn one Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) for every dollar spent on Southwest purchases using a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. To earn unlimited Companion Pass trips, customers must now reach the new Platinum tier, which requires earning 140,000 TQPs. Southwest states that purchases made with their credit cards will contribute to this new TQP system.

Southwest is framing the changes as an enhancement to its rewards program, with a press release stating the program is "becoming even more rewarding with perks and a simpler qualification structure." However, many loyal customers and travelers are expressing dissatisfaction online.

One X user described the change as "the end of an era" and noted that "Southwest is effectively gutting the Companion Pass – or the best way to earn it, anyway." Another customer commented, "They keep finding ways to turn customers away."

Existing Companion Pass holders will not see immediate changes to their current benefits. Passes earned in 2026 will remain valid through December 31, 2027. Additionally, the airline is introducing a 10,000-TQP boost for cardholders who reach 130,000 TQPs, intended to help them get closer to the 140,000 TQP requirement for Platinum status.

The overhaul of the Companion Pass program is expected to significantly impact how frequent flyers engage with Southwest's loyalty offerings, making the path to earning free companion flights more challenging.