How Southwest Rapid Rewards Points Work

What is the Rapid Rewards program?

Southwest Rapid Rewards is the loyalty program of Southwest Airlines. As a member, you earn points for flying Southwest and for spending on eligible Southwest credit cards and partner activities. Points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, gift cards, and more.

Understanding how points are earned and redeemed helps you get the most value from your travel and spending. This guide explains the current fare tiers, earning rates, redemption options, and point valuations based on the latest official Southwest information.

Note that Southwest has recently revised its fare names and earning structures. Older guides may reference previous names such as Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select, but the current official page uses new tiers: Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra.

Sources: Award Travel Finder, Doctor of Credit

Base fare types and points earning

When you fly on a paid Southwest fare, you earn points based on the fare class you purchased. The table below shows the points earned per dollar for each fare type as of the latest official Southwest page.

These rates apply to standard Rapid Rewards members. If you have A-List or A-List Preferred status, you earn a bonus on the base points from qualifying flights.

Sources: Doctor of Credit

Elite status bonuses

A-List members earn a 25% bonus on points earned from qualifying flights, while A-List Preferred members earn a 100% bonus. These bonuses can significantly accelerate your points balance.

Elite status also comes with other perks, such as priority boarding and free same-day standby, but the points bonus is a key advantage for frequent flyers.

Sources: Doctor of Credit, The Points Guy

Ways to earn points beyond the credit card

In addition to flights and Southwest credit card spending, you can earn Rapid Rewards points through a variety of everyday activities:

Partner purchases: Shop through the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, dine at participating restaurants via Rapid Rewards Dining, and book hotels, car rentals, and more with Southwest partners.

Transfer partners: You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt points to Southwest Rapid Rewards.

These avenues allow you to grow your points balance without flying or using a Southwest credit card.

• Rapid Rewards Shopping portal
• Rapid Rewards Dining
• Hotel and car rental partners
• Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt point transfers

Sources: The Points Guy, Award Travel Finder, Doctor of Credit

How to redeem points: Basic, Choice, and Choice Extra

Points can be redeemed for Southwest flights, as well as hotels, gift cards, merchandise, and more through the More Rewards portal.

The number of points needed for a Southwest reward flight varies based on destination, time of day, demand, and other factors. There is no fixed award chart; pricing is dynamic.

When booking with points, you can use any available seat on Southwest flights, just like with a revenue ticket. Your points are deducted based on the fare price at the time of booking.

The fare type you choose when redeeming points affects the point cost and the flexibility of the ticket. For example, a Basic redemption might require fewer points but have more restrictions, while a Choice Extra redemption could cost more points but offer additional perks like priority boarding and a refundable ticket. Since all Southwest fares include two free checked bags and no change fees, the main differences are in the points required and the level of flexibility.

• Basic: Lowest point cost, non-refundable but changeable with fare difference, no same-day change.
• Choice: More points, includes same-day standby, refundable for a fee.
• Choice Extra: Highest point cost, includes priority boarding, refundable for a fee, and same-day change.

Sources: NerdWallet, Doctor of Credit

Estimating the value of a point

Southwest does not assign an official fixed value to a Rapid Rewards point. However, independent travel experts estimate that points are generally worth between 1.1 and 1.7 cents each. As of March 2026, The Points Guy valued them at 1.3 cents per point.

To estimate the cash value of a redemption, divide the dollar cost of the flight by the number of points required.

Your own value may be higher or lower depending on the route and timing, so compare the points price with the cash price to decide when to redeem.

Sources: The Points Guy, Award Travel Finder

Points expiration and account management

Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as your account remains open. This is one of the most flexible aspects of the program.

You can also buy, gift, or transfer points in blocks of 500, with a minimum purchase of 2,000 points and a daily maximum of 60,000 points. However, purchased, gifted, and transferred points do not count toward elite status or Companion Pass qualification.

Keep your account active and manage your points online to ensure you can use them when you're ready to fly.

Sources: Award Travel Finder, NerdWallet