Southwest Just Revamped Its Loyalty Program for 2024

Frequent fliers expect the worst when loyalty programs change. However, Southwest's Rapid Rewards program adjustments are beneficial.

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Rapid Rewards is unique in that members earn qualifying flight segments for A-List status and Southwest's Companion Pass

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New criteria and credit card bonuses will make A-List and A-List Preferred elite membership easier to attain in 2024. Rapid

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Rewards members can pay for flights with cash and points. Southwest will also maintain its cobranded credit card customers'

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Rapid Rewards members can buy their own and others' tickets with cash and points starting at 1,000 points in spring 2024.

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Members can pay for flights using points or money, not both. For Southwest's cheapest “Wanna Get Away” prices, each point is worth 1.3 to 1.45 cents

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when used alone. This may be the same valuation used for combo points and miles fare, but there are no signs otherwise.

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Cash and points bookings do not earn Rapid Rewards, A-List or A-List Preferred tier qualifying points, or Companion Pass points.

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However, these bookings will count toward A-List, A-List Preferred, or Companion Pass flight segment counts.

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