Southwest

Rapid Rewards status

A-List is earned on flights or tier-qualifying points in a calendar year. Southwest belongs to no alliance and, until its own lounges open, has no lounge to give; status is about boarding position, standby and bonus points. Confirm current thresholds on southwest.com.

Join Rapid Rewards ↗Southwest Airlines profile

The ladder

3 rungs, from the bottom up.

1.Member

How to earn it

Free to join.

What it gets you

Earn and redeem miles; no elite benefits.

At the lounge door

No status lounge access. Lounge entry is by cabin, membership, or a card.

2.A-List

How to earn it

20 qualifying one-way flights or 35,000 tier-qualifying points.

What it gets you

Priority boarding position, free same-day standby, a dedicated phone line, and a 25% points bonus.

At the lounge door

No alliance lounge access; the airline is not in Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam.

3.A-List Preferred

How to earn it

40 qualifying flights or 70,000 tier-qualifying points.

What it gets you

Everything A-List gives, free in-flight Wi-Fi, same-day change with no fare difference, and a 100% bonus.

At the lounge door

No alliance lounge access; the airline is not in Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam.

Qualification thresholds are the published ones as last checked and change most years; confirm the current numbers with Southwest. Alliance equivalences and the lounge rules that follow from them move far more slowly.