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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.
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How to get A-List and A-List Preferred elite status
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):
| Status Level | One-way Flights | Tier Qualifying Points |
|---|---|---|
| A-List | 20. | 35,000. |
| A-List Preferred | 40. | 70,000. |
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 status tiers and benefits
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 and extra legroom seat 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 and two free checked bags (instead of one).
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 over 250 miles.
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.
Get Southwest status faster with credit cards
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 through flying for A-List status, you could do a combo of earning points through flying plus spending on an eligible credit card.
Here are some of the Southwest credit cards that award you TQPs for every $5,000 spent:
Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee
$229.
$299.
Earning rates
• 4 points per $1 on Southwest purchases.
• 2 points per $1 at gas stations and restaurants.
• 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• 4 points per $1 on Southwest purchases.
• 2 points per $1 on gas stations, restaurants, direct hotel bookings, local transit and commuting (including rideshare).
• 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
Other benefits
• 7,500-point anniversary bonus each year.
• 9,000-point anniversary bonus each year.
• Statement credit of up to $120 every four years toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee.
Learn more
» Learn more: Is Southwest’s credit card worth it?
Is Southwest status 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.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Explore more on
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