Southwest Rapid Rewards
The most beginner-friendly airline loyalty program. Rapid Rewards uses a simple revenue-based model — every point is worth ~1.5¢ toward any available Southwest seat, no blackout dates, no fare classes. Chase Sapphire Preferred transfers 1:1, and the Southwest Companion Pass (earned by reaching 135,000 points in a calendar year) is one of the best values in all of travel.
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Program Details
- Miles Expiry24 months inactivity; easy to maintain
- AllianceNone — U.S., Caribbean, Mexico only
- Award PricingRevenue-based (~1.5¢/point) — predictable
- Transfer SourceChase UR → Southwest 1:1 (instant)
- Blackout DatesNone — any available seat
- Companion Pass135,000 pts/year = 2-for-1 flights all year
- Best ForDomestic travel, families, Companion Pass chasers
Companion Pass Hack
Open a Southwest co-branded card in January and earn the 75K–85K sign-up bonus. Combined with your existing Chase UR transfers, you can hit the 135K Companion Pass threshold and fly two-for-one for nearly 2 full years.
Best Cards to Earn Southwest Points
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Transfers 1:1 to Southwest Rapid Rewards. Use the 60,000-point sign-up bonus + spending to chase the Companion Pass.
Why Southwest Stands Out: Unlike other programs, every single Southwest flight is available for points — no "award inventory." You just pay the points equivalent of the cash price. Simple, predictable, and no surprises.