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Your Year-End Checklist Before Southwest Changes Its Status Tiers

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Southwest is retiring the A-List name. If you worked hard to earn A-List or A-List Preferred this year, you may wonder if you’re about to lose your perks. The short answer is no. Your status carries over. But a few details change, and some are worth knowing before the year ends.

Even more specifically, before the last time your credit card statement closes in December. In Southwest’s fine print, they specify that if your statement ends, for example, on December 5, all activity from December 6 – January 5 does not get counted for 2026. It will only be counted in the year that the statement period closes (2027).

The Quick Answer

On January 1, 2027, A-List becomes Silver, and A-List Preferred becomes Gold. The switch is automatic. You don’t need to sign up or do anything.

Any status earned in 2026 stays valid through December 31, 2027. If you’re close to a tier and still deciding what to do before the year ends, jump to the section on chasing a tier below.

How the Timeline Works

  • Now through December 31, 2026: The current rules still apply. Flights and points you earn this year count toward A-List or A-List Preferred perks for 2027.
  • January 1, 2027: Your status switches to Silver or Gold. The new 2027 rules begin, and Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) reset to zero.
  • December 31, 2027: The status you carried over from 2026 ends.

If You Have A-List: You Become Silver

Most of your perks stay the same. Silver still gives you:

  • A Standard or Preferred seat at booking, when available
  • Group 1 boarding
  • One free checked bag
  • Priority Lane and Express Lane access
  • Same-day standby, even with Basic fares

Two things are different:

  • A bigger bonus. Your flight-point bonus goes up from 25% to 40%.
  • A bag fee catch. Right now, A-List members pay $35 for a second checked bag. If you achieve A-List in 2026, you’ll keep paying $35 for second checked bags on flights through December 31, 2027. Otherwise, that discounted price goes away. The full price for a second checked bag is currently $55.

If You Have A-List Preferred: You Become Gold

Gold keeps the main perks:

  • Seat selection at booking, including Extra Legroom, when available
  • Boarding before Group 1
  • Two free checked bags
  • Two premium drinks per flight on select flights

The flight-point bonus is the big difference. New Gold members earn 60%. But if you earned A-List Preferred for 2027 based on your 2026 activity, you keep your 100% bonus through December 31, 2027. That is a real perk for one more year.

Special Situations

You earned status with a Southwest credit card. You move over the same way. If you earned A-List through card purchases, you become Silver. If you earned A-List Preferred, you become Gold.

You got status through a status match or promotion. Your benefits depend on the program in place when your status was awarded or extended. After January 1, a promotional status moves to the corresponding matching tier in the new program. Check the terms of your offer for the details.

Your status ends on December 31, 2026. If you don’t earn status for 2027, you start fresh under the new rules on January 1.

You’re still working toward A-List or A-List Preferred. Keep going. The 2026 rules apply until the end of the year (be careful of your statement dates), and you’ll enjoy Silver or Gold benefits in 2027.

If You Have a Companion Pass

If you earn the Companion Pass this year under the current rules, you keep unlimited trips through December 31, 2027. Promotional Companion Passes you earned with a Rapid Rewards credit card offer will also be honored.

Here is what changes:

  • Companion Pass Qualifying Points go away after December 31, 2026.
  • Starting in 2027, you earn the Companion Pass with TQPs or flights. At 95,000 TQPs or 75 qualifying flights, you get three Companion Pass trips. At 140,000 TQPs or 100 flights, you reach the new Platinum tier and get unlimited trips.
  • If you apply for a Rapid Rewards credit card on or before December 2, 2026, and meet the welcome bonus requirements, those points can still count toward the Companion Pass. This holds even if you finish the spending in early 2027.

Close to a Tier? Is It Worth Chasing Before the Year Ends?

If you’re currently just short of A-List or A-List Preferred, you might wonder if it’s worth a push. It can be, but only in some cases.

What Counts and What Doesn’t

  • Buying regular Rapid Rewards points won’t help. Purchased, gifted, and transferred points don’t count toward status.
  • Promotions are the exception. Southwest sometimes offers a special deal to buy Tier Qualifying Points. Check your account to see if one is available.
  • Paid flights count. Flights you pay for earn tier points. Flights booked entirely with points generally don’t.
  • Some credit card spending counts. Certain Southwest cards earn tier points under the 2026 rules. Not every card does.
  • Watch the posting dates. Card purchases made after your December statement date post in January. Don’t count on a late purchase.

Why 2026 Is the Easier Bar

The rules get harder in 2027:

20262027
Lower Tier20 flights (A-List)25 flights (Silver)
Middle Tier40 flights (A-List Preferred)50 flights (Gold)

If you’re close now, you can skip that higher bar and enjoy a full year of benefits in 2027.

Who Gains the Most

A-List Preferred holders get the biggest bonus. They keep the 100% earning rate for a year, while new Gold members get 60%. A-List holders get a smaller extra: a bigger bonus (25% to 40%) and the $35 second bag through 2027.

When It’s Not Worth It

  • You would have to book trips you don’t need.
  • You’re far from the line, so the cost is high.
  • You rarely check bags, pick seats, or buy higher fares.
  • You hope 2026 flying will help in 2027. It won’t, because TQPs reset on January 1, and 2026 activity doesn’t count toward 2027 Milestone Rewards.

A Simple Way to Decide

Add up what you’d save in 2027 on bag fees, seat choices, and extra points. Then compare that to what the gap would cost you. The best case is when you were already planning to fly, because moving trips into 2026 costs you almost nothing. The worst case is paying for flights you wouldn’t take. This isn’t financial advice, and your numbers will be different from someone else’s.

What to Do Now

  • Check your status. Log in and look at your tier and end date.
  • Know your gap. If you’re close to a tier, count how many flights or points you’re short.
  • Decide on the chase. Use the simple test above.
  • Plan for 2027. Your 2026 totals won’t carry over, so look at the new requirements early.
  • Time your card plans. If the Companion Pass is your goal, remember the December 2 cutoff for the old welcome bonus rules.
  • Keep watching for updates. Southwest says it can change program rules at any time.

The Bottom Line

Your A-List or A-List Preferred status isn’t going away. It becomes Silver or Gold and lasts through 2027. A-List Preferred members get a bonus year of their 100% earning rate, and A-List members get a boost to 40%.

The harder part comes in 2027, when requirements go up. If you’re close to a tier, this year may be your best chance to lock in benefits at the lower bar. Just make sure the extra cost makes sense for the way you travel.

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