The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
For a consumer trying to earn A-List status in 2026 while also building toward Companion Pass, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card has the strongest listed consumer-card rate: 2,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 in purchases. Its card points and welcome bonus may also help with Companion Pass if they post in the qualifying calendar year—but ordinary bonus points do not become A-List TQPs. This is a 2026 verdict: Southwest says the card-earning rules change on January 1, 2027.
If you qualify for a business card, the Performance Business card has the same listed 2026 TQP rate. The better fit depends on whether you can use a business card, how soon eligible points will post, and whether the Priority card’s current fee and offer work for you.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority (consumer) | Consumers seeking the strongest listed 2026 card-spend rate for A-List | 2,500 TQPs per $5,000 in purchases | November 2026 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business | Eligible business-card applicants seeking the top listed rate | 2,500 TQPs per $5,000 in purchases | November 2026 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business | Eligible business applicants who prefer this card’s overall terms | 2,000 TQPs per $5,000 in purchases | November 2026 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier (consumer) | Consumers weighing its current offer and fee against a lower TQP rate | 1,500 TQPs per $5,000 in purchases | November 2026 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus (consumer) | Consumers considering a lower-fee card, not a listed 2026 card-spend TQP option | No 2026 TQP rate is listed on Southwest’s cited qualification page | November 2026 |
Southwest’s 2026 qualification rules set the card-spend rates shown above. The rate comparison is not a projection for 2027; Southwest says all Rapid Rewards cards will earn one TQP per dollar spent under the new program beginning January 1, 2027.
Why is Priority the best consumer card for A-List in 2026?
Among the listed consumer cards, Priority earns the most TQPs for card purchases under Southwest’s 2026 rules: 2,500 per $5,000. That is 1,000 more TQPs per $5,000 than the consumer Premier card, while Plus does not appear as a 2026 TQP-earning card on Southwest’s qualification page.
Popular on Amazon
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
A-List requires 35,000 TQPs or 20 qualifying one-way flight segments in a calendar year. A-List Preferred requires 70,000 TQPs or 40 qualifying segments. For a traveler starting from zero and relying only on card-spend TQPs, 14 $5,000 purchase blocks—$70,000 in eligible purchases—would mathematically produce 35,000 TQPs at Priority’s listed rate. Reaching 70,000 TQPs by card spend alone would take 28 such blocks, or $140,000. These are calculations from the published rate, not recommendations to spend that amount: flight qualification, other eligible activity, spending limits or exclusions, and the timing of points posting can change the practical path.
The Performance Business card matches Priority’s listed rate, so the business card is not a slower TQP route if you are eligible and its other terms suit you. Premier Business earns 2,000 TQPs per $5,000, and consumer Premier earns 1,500. At those rates, reaching 35,000 TQPs solely through purchases would require at least 18 $5,000 blocks ($90,000) on Premier Business or 24 blocks ($120,000) on consumer Premier. Reaching 70,000 would require at least 35 blocks ($175,000) on Premier Business or 47 blocks ($235,000) on consumer Premier. Compare the card’s full terms rather than choosing on the TQP rate alone.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteYou also can qualify through Southwest flights, so card spending is only one route. A qualifying one-way segment is a separate unit from a TQP, and the program lets a member use whichever qualifying path reaches the applicable threshold. Do not assume that a points balance, a welcome-bonus balance or a Companion Pass balance substitutes for TQPs.
Which Southwest card fits your situation?
- Choose Priority if you want a consumer card and prioritize 2026 card-spend TQPs. It has the highest listed consumer rate. Southwest’s card page displayed a $229 annual fee and a 90,000-point offer when checked.
- Consider Performance Business if you qualify for a business card. It ties Priority at 2,500 TQPs per $5,000 under the 2026 rules. The available terms here do not establish its fee or current welcome offer, so check the live card terms before applying.
- Consider Premier Business only after weighing its broader terms. Its listed rate is 2,000 TQPs per $5,000, below Priority and Performance Business, but another fee or benefit mix could matter more to a particular business.
- Compare consumer Premier if its lower fee or offer is more valuable to you. It earns fewer TQPs than Priority, but the displayed terms included a $149 annual fee and an 85,000-point offer.
- Do not count on Plus for 2026 card-spend TQPs. Southwest’s cited 2026 page does not list a TQP rate for it. The displayed terms showed a $99 annual fee and an 80,000-point offer; Southwest says Plus will earn one TQP per dollar starting in 2027.
Southwest’s consumer card page displayed the fees and offers below when checked. Offers and terms can change, so confirm them on the issuer’s page before applying.
| Card | Displayed annual fee | Displayed offer |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | $229 | 90,000 points after $3,000 in purchases in the first three months; offer end date December 2, 2026 |
| Premier | $149 | 85,000 points after $2,000 in purchases in the first three months |
| Plus | $99 | 80,000 points after $1,000 in purchases in the first three months |
The displayed offer is not the same as a status-qualifying award. In particular, do not treat Priority’s 90,000-point welcome offer as 90,000 A-List TQPs. Southwest distinguishes card-spend TQPs from Rapid Rewards bonus points; the latter generally do not count toward A-List unless Southwest specifically designates them as eligible.
How to weigh the annual fee
The $80 difference between Priority and Premier, and the $130 difference between Priority and Plus, should be compared with the value you place on the higher 2026 TQP rate, the size of the displayed welcome offer and any travel benefits described in the current card terms. A larger bonus is useful only if you can meet the spending requirement without carrying costly debt and the points arrive in the year you need them. A lower annual fee may be the better choice for someone who will not put enough spending on the card to use the additional TQPs.
Also popular on Amazon
How do card points help with Companion Pass?
Companion Pass has a separate qualification track from A-List. Under the 2026 rules, a member needs 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. Southwest includes eligible Rapid Rewards credit-card points, including qualifying bonus points, among the possible sources. A-List TQPs and Companion Pass qualifying points are not interchangeable currencies.
Southwest also provides an eligible primary cardmember with one 10,000-point Companion Pass qualifying boost per calendar year. The boost is limited to one eligible card account per member; the account must be open and not in default when the boost is fulfilled. Having several Southwest cards does not create several boosts for one member.
As a simple illustration, if every point from the displayed Priority welcome offer posted in 2026 and qualified, 90,000 offer points plus the 10,000-point annual boost would total 100,000 Companion Pass qualifying points. The member would still need 35,000 additional qualifying points or qualifying flight activity to reach 135,000. That illustration does not guarantee that the offer will post in 2026, that every component will qualify or that the member will complete the required spending.
The displayed Priority welcome offer could contribute to Companion Pass if the bonus points post to the member’s Rapid Rewards account in 2026. It is not guaranteed qualification: the member must meet the offer’s spending terms, the points must post in time, and the total must reach the qualifying threshold through eligible sources. Review Southwest’s Companion Pass rules for the qualifying-point categories and exclusions.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSouthwest says Companion Pass lets a member designate a companion to travel on the member’s flights without airline charges, subject to the program’s rules and availability. Taxes and fees still apply, starting at $5.60 one-way. The companion must be designated under Southwest’s procedures, and the benefit does not guarantee a seat on every flight.
Companion travel does not create a second qualification path: Southwest says no points or qualifying points are awarded for travel taken by the companion on a Companion Pass reservation. The member’s qualifying activity and the companion’s travel therefore should be tracked separately.
Also popular on Amazon
Why does the posting date matter more than the purchase date?
For both 2026 status calculations and Companion Pass qualification, the important date is when eligible points post to the Rapid Rewards account—not simply when you make a purchase. A purchase near year-end may appear on a statement and generate points only after the calendar changes, putting those points in the next year’s qualification period.
This is especially important if you are counting on a welcome bonus or the annual Companion Pass boost to reach a 2026 goal. The offer requires qualifying spend, and statement timing can delay the resulting points. Before relying on a late-year purchase, check the statement closing date and allow time for points to post; Southwest does not establish a guaranteed posting schedule for every transaction, so do not assume that a purchase made by December 31 will count in 2026.
Recommended Free Tools
For example, a purchase made after a December statement closes may not be included until the January statement cycle. Even if the transaction occurred in December, the resulting points can belong to the new calendar year. Conversely, spending early enough for a statement to close and points to post before December 31 gives you a better chance of counting it in the intended year, although only the account’s actual posting record settles the question.
For Companion Pass, points that post in the same calendar year count toward that year’s qualification, subject to exclusions. For A-List, Southwest’s page identifies card TQPs as qualifying, but ordinary welcome or bonus points should not be counted as TQPs unless expressly eligible. These distinctions make it possible for one card transaction or offer to help one goal but not the other.
A practical year-end checklist
- Check the card’s statement closing date, not just the payment due date.
- Confirm that the required welcome-offer spend has posted as purchases under the offer terms.
- Watch the Rapid Rewards account for the actual points or TQPs posting.
- Leave a buffer instead of scheduling the final qualifying purchase on December 31.
- Save the offer terms and account activity so you can reconcile a delayed posting.
What points and flights do not count?
Southwest’s qualifying rules exclude several kinds of activity, so a displayed points balance is not necessarily the same as a qualification balance. For A-List, Southwest excludes reward flights, Companion Pass travel, charter and non-revenue travel, and many bonus or partner-point types. Card-based TQPs count according to their posting to the account.
For Companion Pass, qualifying sources include eligible card points, qualifying revenue flights and base points from Rapid Rewards partners. Exclusions include purchased or transferred points, certain converted partner points, enrollment points, tier and flight bonuses, and most partner bonuses. A promotional points deposit that increases your redeemable balance therefore may not increase the Companion Pass counter.
Also popular on Amazon
Do not count a companion’s flight as the member’s qualifying revenue flight, and do not assume that points earned by a partner promotion qualify merely because they carry the Rapid Rewards name. The category and the program year matter. Check the relevant A-List qualification details and Companion Pass terms before counting a particular type of activity.
When a benefit is close, use Southwest’s own qualification tracker and posted account activity as the source of truth rather than estimating from a card statement alone. The rules use different qualification categories, and the points or TQPs may not post at the same time as the purchase or travel.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changes on January 1, 2027?
Southwest says A-List will become Silver and A-List Preferred will become Gold in 2027. All Rapid Rewards cards, including Plus, will earn one TQP per dollar spent on purchases under the announced program. As a result, Priority’s 2026 card-spend advantage should not be projected into 2027: the published 2027 card rate is the same across the card lineup.
Southwest also says Companion Pass qualifying points will be retired after December 31, 2026. Existing Companion Pass holders keep the benefit through its existing expiration date, while Companion Pass travel in 2027 becomes a milestone and top-tier benefit under the new program. Read Southwest’s 2027 program update for the transition details.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →If your goal is specifically to reach A-List or qualify for Companion Pass in 2026, the old-year rates and qualification rules still matter. If you are planning spend for 2027 status, compare cards under the announced one-TQP-per-dollar structure rather than choosing Priority solely for its 2026 rate. Confirm the live rules and card terms before acting because both loyalty terms and offers can change.
What the transition means for a late-2026 applicant
A new Priority account opened near the end of 2026 can still be judged under the 2026 offer and posting rules, but the calendar is short. A welcome bonus that posts in January 2027 may not help 2026 Companion Pass, even if the required purchase was made in December. Likewise, spending made in 2027 will follow the new TQP earning structure rather than the 2,500-per-$5,000 Priority comparison used here.
Also popular on Amazon
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
How to make the choice
- Identify the goal and year. A-List in 2026 uses TQPs or qualifying flights; 2026 Companion Pass uses qualifying points or flights. The two goals have separate thresholds and exclusions.
- Decide whether you need a consumer card. If yes, Priority has the highest listed 2026 consumer TQP rate. If you have a qualifying business, Performance Business has the same rate.
- Estimate the gap. Compare your existing TQPs, qualifying segments, Companion Pass points and qualifying flights with 35,000 TQPs, 70,000 TQPs, 135,000 points or the applicable flight thresholds. Do not add balances from different categories as if they were one currency.
- Compare annual fee and offer against your real use. The displayed Priority offer is larger than the other displayed consumer offers, but a welcome bonus only helps Companion Pass if eligible points post in the needed year. Do not value it as A-List TQPs.
- Check the calendar and posting window. For a 2026 target, allow for statement timing and verify when points actually appear in Rapid Rewards.
- Review exclusions. Remove reward travel, Companion Pass travel, transferred points and other excluded activity from your estimate.
- Recheck current terms. The Priority offer displayed an end date of December 2, 2026. Fee, offer, qualification rules and availability may differ when you apply.
How we picked
The ranking uses Southwest’s published 2026 card-spend TQP rates, then distinguishes consumer cards from business cards and accounts for the separate Companion Pass rules. The recommendation also considers the disclosed consumer-card fees and offer terms, point-posting dates and Southwest’s announced January 2027 transition. It does not assume that a bonus point is an A-List TQP, or that a card offer alone guarantees Companion Pass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Companion Pass make my companion’s ticket completely free?
Southwest says the companion can fly on the member’s flight without airline charges, but taxes and fees still apply and start at $5.60 one-way. Reservations remain subject to program rules and availability.
Do I earn Rapid Rewards points when I fly as someone’s Companion Pass companion?
Southwest says no points or qualifying points are awarded for travel taken by the companion on a Companion Pass reservation. That means the trip does not help the companion build either qualification balance.
If I qualify for Companion Pass in 2026, does the benefit end when the points program changes?
Southwest says existing 2026 Companion Pass holders keep the benefit through its existing expiration date. The 2027 transition changes how future Companion Pass benefits are structured; it does not cancel an already-earned benefit early.
Do Priority welcome-bonus points count toward A-List?
Do not count them as A-List TQPs unless Southwest specifically identifies them as eligible TQPs. Southwest treats card-spend TQPs and ordinary Rapid Rewards bonus points as different categories.
How many purchases would Priority require to reach 35,000 TQPs by card spend alone?
At 2,500 TQPs per $5,000, the arithmetic is 14 purchase blocks, or $70,000. That is only a mathematical illustration; eligible posting, exclusions, flight activity and your actual spending plan determine the practical result.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: For a consumer targeting 2026 A-List through card spending, Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority is the strongest listed option at 2,500 TQPs per $5,000. Performance Business matches that rate for eligible business-card applicants. Companion Pass uses a separate 135,000-point or 100-flight test, includes one 10,000-point annual cardmember boost, and depends on posting dates and exclusions. Recheck the live offer and the January 2027 program changes before applying.
