The Guide to Southwest Elite Status: A-List and A-List Preferred

Southwest Airlines has recently made many changes, including charging for checked bags and introducing a new Basic fare. What hasn’t changed: The airline still offers two levels of elite status, A-List and A-List Preferred.

Elite status with Southwest gets you free checked bags, upgrades and priority boarding. Here's what to know.

» Learn more: The complete guide to the Southwest Rapid Rewards program

How do you earn Southwest elite status? In short: Fly frequently, spend a significant amount of money with the airline, or both.

Here’s an overview of Southwest’s status levels, and what you'll need to do to reach them (you'll need to do either of these things, not necessarily both):

Tier qualifying points (TQPs) are earned for flights booked on Southwest (the pricier the flight, the more points you earn) and by spending on Southwest’s credit cards.

Can I buy A-List status on Southwest?

You can't buy A List status on Southwest outright, but spending on co-branded Southwest credit cards can help you earn status more quickly.

For every $5,000 spent on your Southwest credit card, you earn 1,500 TQPs when using the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, 2,000 TQPs for the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card, and 2,500 TQPs with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card. See card details below.

Southwest A-List status benefits

A-List is the lower of the two tiers of Southwest elite status. Benefits of A-List status include:

• One free checked bag. Second is $35.

• Preferred seats at booking; extra legroom upgrades 48 hours before departure, when available.

• Priority boarding: Boards no later than Group 5; extra legroom seats board with Group 1 or 2.

• Access to priority check-in and security access lanes (where available).

• A dedicated A-List phone line.

• A 25% earning bonus on all eligible revenue Southwest flights.

• Same-day standby benefits free of airline charges.

Southwest A-List Preferred status benefits

The biggest difference between A-List and A-List Preferred is with the latter, you earn way more points per flight booked with Southwest, which means you’ll rack up points toward future flights even faster. Additionally, you’ll get free in-flight Wi-Fi.

In addition to all of the above the benefits provided by A-List status, A-List Preferred status includes:

• Two free checked bags. 

• Preferred and extra legroom seat options at booking.

• Priority boarding: Boards no later than Group 2.

• Free in-flight Wi-Fi.

• A dedicated A-List Preferred phone line.

• A 100% earning bonus on all eligible revenue Southwest flights.

• Two free premium beverages (beer, wine, spirits) on eligible flights.

With both A-List and A-List Preferred status, qualification is based on a calendar year, so get started on your mission in January.

Once you’ve earned status, you’ll get it right away, and you’ll hold it for the entire calendar year immediately following.

You don’t necessarily even have to fly Southwest to automatically earn Southwest elite status. Just spend a lot on its credit cards.

Depending on the Southwest credit card you hold, you can earn up to 2,500 TQPs for each $5,000 spent in purchases annually. So rather than having to earn 35,000 points for A-List status, you could do a combo of earning points plus spending on an eligible credit card.

Here are some of the Southwest credit cards that award you TQPs for every $5,000 spent:

» Learn more: Is Southwest’s credit card worth it?

Previously, Southwest's elite status didn't get you much. Now that's changed. Free checked bags and seat upgrades make this status significantly more valuable — especially for frequent Southwest flyers.