How to redeem your points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards loyalty program may not have the same elite perks you’ll find with other airlines, but it still offers good value. Two notable advantages are the program’s lack of blackout dates for award redemptions and the incredible Companion Pass benefit, allowing you to bring a companion on paid and award flights for just the cost of taxes and fees.

If you are new to Southwest Airlines or want to learn more about its loyalty program, this guide will cover everything you need to know about redeeming your Rapid Rewards points — as well as how the program may change in light of Southwest’s upcoming overhaul.

Related: Southwest raises fees for EarlyBird check-in, Upgraded Boarding to as much as $149

Redeem points on Southwest flights

You can redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, hotels, experiences and Rapid Rewards Access Events, but redeeming points on Southwest flights almost always provides the best return on your hard-earned rewards.

Redeem Rapid Rewards points directly through Southwest

Redeeming Rapid Rewards points on Southwest flights is simple. The number of points required for a ticket is proportionate to the ticket’s cost in cash, so the more a paid seat costs, the more points you must redeem. Southwest promises no blackout dates on any redemptions, so you can use your Rapid Rewards points to book any Southwest Airlines ticket for sale. Even if the flight has only one open seat left, you should be able to book it with points (but be prepared to pay up).

As of March 2025, TPG values Southwest points at 1.35 cents each, and it’s easy to consistently get that value whether you’re booking domestic or international flights.

The booking process is simple. Head to Southwest’s website, and enter your flight search parameters. Be sure to check the “Points” option at the top right to see the results for award flights.

The results page will then display all available flights using points. If desired, you can filter by details like price, duration and departure time. Select the one you want, log in to your account (if you haven’t already) and follow the on-screen steps to complete your redemption.

You can reserve any fare class using Rapid Rewards points, but we recommend sticking to Wanna Get Away fares. That’s because your redemption value tends to be lower when you book the more expensive fare types, and the benefits you’ll get are limited. Business Select fares, for example, include priority boarding and security, a free premium drink on flights over 250 miles and free inflight internet — relatively small perks for a hefty increase in points.

Of course, this may change as Southwest rolls out its extensive changes, including implementing checked bag fees and replacing Wanna Get Away with a new basic economy fare, in the coming months. After May 28, customers flying on Business Select fares will be some of the few travelers to avoid baggage fees, as well as Southwest elite members and Southwest credit card holders. It remains to be seen how this overhaul will affect the value of Rapid Rewards points, but the program has already slashed earnings on Wanna Get Away fares from 6 Rapid Rewards points per dollar to 2 points per dollar.

Redeem Chase points through the Chase Travel portal

If you hold a Chase travel card, you have the option to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for Southwest flights through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Because flights booked through the portal show up as revenue tickets, you’ll still earn Rapid Rewards points on flights booked with points this way. If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can redeem points at a flat rate of 1.25 cents each; or you can get an even better rate of 1.5 cents per point with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

This method can potentially save you some points. In the example above, a $324 one-way flight from Denver to Orlando costs 23,795 Rapid Rewards points when booked directly through Southwest. The same flight booked through Chase Travel with the Chase Sapphire Reserve would only cost 21,600 points. However, be aware that flight prices may be higher through the portal, so always compare prices to the Southwest site before booking.

Other credit card issuers offer similar travel portals, but for now, Southwest flights are only available on Chase Travel.

Free award ticket changes and cancellations (for now)

One thing that has historically made Rapid Rewards points so popular is Southwest’s flexible change and cancellation policies. You can change any Southwest flight for free and are only responsible for paying the difference between your original and new flights. If the cost of an award flight you’ve booked goes down, you can rebook your trip at the lower rate, and you’ll be refunded the points difference.

If your plans change and you cannot make an award flight, you can cancel for free. Your points will be refunded to your account without penalty (even on Wanna Get Away fares). You can even opt for the taxes paid to go back to the credit card you used to book the reservation.

There’s one thing to remember: You can’t no-show for the flight and get your points back. You must cancel at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure, which is still pretty lenient.

Unfortunately, this policy will likely change when Southwest replaces its Wanna Get Away fare class with its new, stripped-down basic economy fare. From what we know so far, basic economy tickets will not be eligible for free same-day changes, nor will basic economy travelers be able to request complimentary same-day standby. You will, however, still be able to cancel Basic fares for free up to 10 minutes prior to departure.

Related: How to re-price a Southwest flight when the fare decreases

The Companion Pass doubles the value of your Southwest points

One way to maximize the value of your Rapid Rewards points is by earning the Southwest Companion Pass. With this perk, you can choose a companion to fly with you on all your Southwest flights while your pass is valid. Your companion will only need to pay the taxes and fees for their ticket, regardless of whether you used cash or points for your ticket. As long as the flight has a seat available for your companion, you can use your pass. This essentially doubles the value of your Rapid Rewards points when traveling with your designated companion.

To earn the Companion Pass, you must either earn 135,000 qualifying points or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest within a calendar year. Once achieved, you will have the Companion Pass for the remainder of the current year and the entire following year.

Qualifying points for the Companion Pass can be earned by flying paid Southwest flights, spending on a Southwest credit card, shopping and dining through the Rapid Rewards portals and utilizing Southwest’s partnerships. As of Jan. 1, flights paid for with Southwest’s new Cash + Points also earn Companion Pass-qualifying points (on the portion paid for with cash) and count toward Companion Pass-qualifying flight segments. Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy (more on that later) do not count toward the Companion Pass.

If that sounds like a lot of work, there’s a shortcut. Right now, you can earn a Companion Pass with just one welcome bonus on any of Southwest’s three personal credit cards. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card are all offering a Companion Pass valid through Feb. 28, 2026 — plus 30,000 bonus points — after you spend $4,000 within the first three months from account opening.

You can also fast-track your way to a Companion Pass with the welcome bonuses on Southwest’s two business cards:

• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

With these generous welcome offers, earning the Companion Pass becomes relatively easy. If you can meet the minimum spending requirement on the Premier Business card or the Performance Business card, the welcome bonus points will count toward the 135,000 points you need to earn the pass, putting you close to or even more than halfway toward earning the Companion Pass (depending on which card you apply for and earn the bonus on).

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: 15 lessons from 15 years of having the Southwest Companion Pass

Southwest Rapid Rewards FAQ

Have questions about Southwest Rapid Rewards? Let’s address them.

How do I join Southwest Rapid Rewards?

You can join the Southwest Rapid Rewards program for free on Southwest’s website. Just click the “Create account” link at the top of the page.

Next, fill out the requested information and click the yellow “Create account” button at the bottom of the screen. Your account will be opened immediately, and you can start earning and redeeming Rapid Rewards points.

When do Southwest Rapid Rewards points expire?

Southwest Rapid Rewards points don’t expire as long as your account is open. However, Southwest has announced that flight credits issued on or after May 28 will expire in 12 months for Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fares — and in just six months for the new Basic fare class.

Can I transfer points to Southwest?

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 10,000 Chase points equal 10,000 Rapid Rewards points. These transfers generally process instantly.

You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a 3:1 transfer ratio. You’ll get 5,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred, so 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 25,000 Rapid Rewards points. This transfer ratio isn’t ideal, but it’s a good option to have if you’re short on points for a Southwest redemption.

Related: How (and when) to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest

Bottom line

Southwest Rapid Rewards points have long been an excellent choice for travelers seeking flexibility in booking flights within a wide domestic network, and they could become even more valuable as Southwest branches out into its first international partnership. However, with many less desirable changes at Southwest on the horizon, it remains to be seen if this beloved loyalty program will maintain its value.