Southwest Airlines on Friday announced minor program changes that will take effect from January 1, 2023.
The Qualifying Points required for a Companion Pass raises from 125,000 to 135,000, award tickets must be canceled a minimum of 10 minutes before the scheduled departure or the points used are forfeited (summer 2023), and companions of CP holders can board with them.
You can access Southwest’s page for 2023 program enhancements here.
Rapid Rewards 2023 Changes:
1. GET ONBOARD TOGETHER
2. INCREASED COMPANION PASS QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT
3. REWARD TRAVEL CANCELLATION
4. ELSE
Conclusion
Some minor changes for 2023, but some members may lose points on those award tickets that are not canceled 10 minutes before scheduled departure.
Let’s hope that Southwest Airlines makes it easier to track tickets issued to friends & family members.
Here’s the small print:
1. For A-List and A-List Preferred Members who have also qualified for Companion Pass®, A-List and A-List Preferred benefits are not available to the Companion unless the Companion is also an A-List or A-List Preferred member. Except for Business Select® fares, upon check-in, you and your Companion will receive sequential boarding positions unless you purchased Upgraded Boarding, or added the Companion after you had been assigned a boarding position. If you purchased a Business Select fare, purchased Upgraded Boarding, or added the Companion after you had been assigned a boarding position, you and your Companions will not receive sequential boarding positions. You and your Companion will not receive sequential boarding positions for any same-day change or same-day standby. For Business Select fares, only the purchaser will receive an A1-A15 boarding position and the Companion will receive a boarding position based on whichever is applicable—time of check-in, A-List or A-List Preferred status, or EarlyBird Check-In®.
2. Beginning January 1, 2023, a Member who earns 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or who flies 100 qualifying one-way flights booked through Southwest® per calendar year will qualify for Companion Pass. Companion Pass qualifying points are earned from qualifying flights booked through Southwest, points earned on Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards, and base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners. Points earned during a billing cycle on a Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase are not available for redemption or qualification for Companion Pass status until they are posted on your billing statement and posted to your Rapid Rewards account. Only points posted on your billing statements and posted to your Rapid Rewards account during the same calendar year are available for qualification for Companion Pass status. The following do not count as Companion Pass qualifying points: purchased points; points transferred between Members; points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, e-Rewards®, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club®; Rapid Rewards reward flights or any travel with any portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards points; points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment; tier bonus points; flight bonus points; and partner bonus points (with the exception of the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase). No points or Companion Pass qualifying points will be awarded for flights taken by the Companion using the Companion Pass. Effective January 2023, Members with an open Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card on the first business day of each calendar year will earn one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year. The boost will be deposited into eligible Member’s account by January 31st of the calendar year. When a Member opens a Rapid Rewards Credit Card after the first business day of the calendar year, they will receive one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points up to 30 days after opening the Rapid Rewards Credit Card. Only one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points can be earned each calendar year by each Rapid Rewards account no matter how many Rapid Rewards Credit Cards are open for the Rapid Rewards account. Eligible Members will see the boost added to their Rapid Rewards account by logging in to their account on Southwest.com®. The Companion Pass Qualifying Points boost cannot be used for redemption.
3. Starting summer 2023, for Wanna Get Away® or Wanna Get Away Plus™ reward travel reservations: if you do not cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes before the flight’s original scheduled departure time, any points used for booking will be forfeited, along with any taxes and fees associated with your award travel reservation. For Anytime or Business Select reward travel reservation: the points used for booking will continue to be redeposited to the purchaser’s Rapid Rewards account, and any taxes and fees associated with the reward travel reservation will be converted into a flight credit for future use.
4. All Rapid Rewards® rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.
