On Jan. 1, 2027, Southwest replaces A-List and A-List Preferred with three tiers: Silver, Gold and Platinum. A-List members become Silver and A-List Preferred members become Gold. Platinum is new, and from 2027 it's the only tier with unlimited Companion Pass trips.
The three tiers
Status still comes from flying or from tier qualifying points (TQPs), the points Southwest counts toward status.
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| To qualify | 35,000 TQPs or 25 flights | 65,000 TQPs or 50 flights | 140,000 TQPs or 100 flights |
| Bonus on flight points | 40% | 60% | 120% |
| Free checked bags | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Seats | Preferred or Standard at booking, Extra Legroom within 48 hours of departure | Any seat at booking, Extra Legroom included | Any seat at booking, Extra Legroom included |
| Boarding | With Group 1 | Before Group 1 | Before Gold and Group 1 |
| Also | Two free premium drinks | Two free premium drinks, unlimited Companion Pass trips |
All three tiers get Priority and Express Lane access, Priority Member Support and same-day standby, even on Basic fares. Flights here mean qualifying one-way flights, and seats are subject to availability.
Where you land
| You have now | You become | What changes for you |
|---|---|---|
| A-List (35,000 TQPs or 20 flights) | Silver | Your flight bonus goes from 25% to 40%, and your second checked bag is $35 on flights through Dec. 31, 2027 |
| A-List Preferred (70,000 TQPs or 40 flights) | Gold | You keep your 100% flight bonus through 2027, then it drops to 60% |
Silver takes 5 more flights than A-List did, and Gold takes 5,000 fewer points than A-List Preferred but 10 more flights.
Earning on the pricier fares drops
| Fare | Points per dollar today | Starting Jan. 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2x | 2x |
| Choice | 6x | 6x |
| Choice Preferred | 10x | 8x |
| Choice Extra | 14x | 10x |
With status bonuses, an A-List Preferred member flying Choice Extra earns 28 points per dollar today. In 2027 that becomes 20 as Gold with the 100% bonus kept, and 16 from 2028 if you requalify for Gold. An A-List member on Choice fares comes out ahead, going from 7.5 points per dollar to 8.4 as Silver.
Card spending now counts toward status
Starting Jan. 1, every Southwest credit card earns 1 TQP per dollar you spend, the Plus included, with no cap. Today only some of the cards earn status credit from spending at all.
If a card is your only source, that's $35,000 of spending for Silver and $65,000 for Gold. Cardmembers also get a one-time 10,000 TQP boost after reaching 130,000 TQPs in 2027, which takes Platinum down to $130,000 of spending.
There are two milestone rewards on the way up:
- 20,000 TQPs or 15 flights: 2,000 points or two Preferred Seat Certificates, your choice.
- 95,000 TQPs or 75 flights: three Companion Pass trips. Each covers a one-way or a round-trip itinerary, so it goes further on a round trip.
Milestone rewards are good through Dec. 31 of the year after you earn them.
The Companion Pass
Card welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, bonus points from spend and partner spend stop counting toward the pass after 2026. If you're thinking about earning it the old way this year, we cover what still counts toward the pass in 2026.
What else is coming
Southwest also plans to let you use points for rental cars starting in mid-November 2026, and to add earning and redeeming on Icelandair, China Airlines and Etihad starting in spring 2027. A premium Southwest card with lounge access is planned by Southwest in 2027, with the first lounges opening late that year, and you'll be able to use points to upgrade your seat after booking starting in late 2027. Southwest hasn't announced the new card's annual fee.
