New card member bonuses will no longer count towards Companion Pass.

https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027/companion-pass-changes/?clk=RR27NEWTIERS-CP

Quote:

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Starting January 1, 2027, certain activities that helped you qualify for a Companion Pass by earning Companion Pass qualifying points do not earn Tier Qualifying Points. Therefore, these activities, while still earning Rapid Rewards points, will not assist you in earning Companion Pass benefits. These include new Cardmember welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus points from spend (e.g., 2x on gas), as well as partner spend (e.g., hotel, car).

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The are also moving away from A-list and A-list preferred to a silver/gold/platinum model. Nothing on these blows my skirt up.

https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/guides/status-tiers-explained

I've had a companion pass with A-list for 14 years (and will through the end of next year), but with these changes I'll be looking at United a lot more going forward (not that they haven't changed things there either…).

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Concur. Total bummer.

If IAH wasn't such a PITA to get to vs HOU for me, I'd never fly SW again. I fly them to Dallas every couple of months for work, and it's almost guaranteed that my return flight will be delayed. That route also seems to get assigned to the old 737-700s more often than not. Knowing that I can leave me house 35 minutes before boarding and be home 30 minutes after landing are the only things it has going for it.

Rolling this out mid-October is pathetic. Not sure if I will keep my Southwest card.

They haven't even updated their app.

Your companion would be honored through that date. I'm trying to cram in more earning to secure my CP through 27 now. I had been considering cards for 27-28 but that's out now.

Thanks. I use the companion pass quite a bit.

The Milkman said:

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Something dumb that is so annoying to be is saying A List (silver) will be boarding group 1. A preferred and platinum will board before group 1.

Then it's not group 1! Just call the first group 1, then a list preferred group 2, a list 3…

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United is the same way. Preboards, active military (which I agree with), premiere 1K and global services, families with small children. Then Group 1. Group 1 is actually the 6th to board.

Southwest is the new Frontier/Spirit. Their fares win for corporate bookings on Concur by being less than others but it's for a fare where you can't choose your seat, no bags, and every other fee they can think up so you end up spending just as much.

Bayou City said:

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Less successful?

SWA before the announcement of the changes was the DOG of the airlines industry not quit JetBlue but their margins and revenue were TRASH.

Since adoption of the changes they are increased revenue and margin. Their return is one of the best in the industry since making the changes.

They made the changes necessary to survive and thrive. Their old business model was broken and these are the steps they took to increase shareholder value.

Overall the pivot has been more successful than anticipated as a shareholder I appreciate the attention paid to the now defunct previous operating model.

Value models where volume of passengers transported creates the operating model is no longer feasible. Thus, the move to high margin additional amenities services and seats along w baggage.

Welcome to the new operating model for airlines. Frontier's days are numbered as well as jetblues.

If they hadn't changed, they would be in the same boat as them plus Spirit.

I will never fly SWA because it's garbage but as an investment the c suite has done an amazing job of capturing ancillary revenue streams beyond their previous operating model would've allowed.

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I think you are seeing the temporary benefits of raising rates and charging for every little thing compared against their post-meltdown revenues and earnings. There are a lot of people coming to the realization that SWA is no longer cheaper than any other airline when you add in all the new fees and my own personal experience has been that they are no longer reliable enough to fly when I actually need to get where I am going somewhere close to on time. As they start competing on their new footing going forward with assigned seats and bag fees and fares that are the same (or higher) as everybody else, their point to point routing and frequent delays are going to make it harder for them to compete. Grandma going to see the grandkids doesn't care if she gets there a half hour to an hour late. The high volume business travellers they are now coveting and competing for absolutely do care if every flight is delayed and they start missing connections.

TX04Aggie said:

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Southwest is never cheaper out of Houston. Im a United guy but occasionally check SW out of Hobby and it isnt any cheaper than flying United. Out company doesnt use them as a preferred airline in Concur so thankfully it doesnt come up in our search as an option that makes Delta/United out of policy.

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They are not any cheaper than United out of Austin on most of the routes I fly either. And I would much prefer connecting through IAH to Love, since I get delayed every time I go through Dallas and the ameninties suck at Love.

Aggie1205 said:

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Southwest is the new Frontier/Spirit. Their fares win for corporate bookings on Concur by being less than others but it's for a fare where you can't choose your seat, no bags, and every other fee they can think up so you end up spending just as much.

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That's what the cheapest fare is like on pretty much every airline

Delta, United, and SWA were virtually identical in on time performance and cancellations last year

https://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/OTP/Carrier-OTP-2025.shtm

GAC06 said:

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Delta, United, and SWA were virtually identical in on time performance and cancellations last year

https://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/OTP/Carrier-OTP-2025.shtm

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My experience flying out of Austin mainly on both Southwest and United over the last 2-3 years has been that Southwest is considerably less reliable. I suspect a lot of United's issues come from their hubs on the east coast.

Aggie1205 said:

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Southwest is the new Frontier/Spirit. Their fares win for corporate bookings on Concur by being less than others but it's for a fare where you can't choose your seat, no bags, and every other fee they can think up so you end up spending just as much.

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govt fares too. SWA has sucked up a bunch of city pairs that used to be United routes in the past few years.

The last few times I've flown Southwest the flights have been delayed at least 30 minutes. The only ones I can remember that weren't delayed were early morning flights where the plane was at the gate overnight. Most of my flights these days are between HOU & DAL or IAH & DFW. HOU still wins on drive time, but DAL is a terrible place to be delayed after 5 PM.

jh0400 said:

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If IAH wasn't such a PITA to get to vs HOU for me, I'd never fly SW again. I fly them to Dallas every couple of months for work, and it's almost guaranteed that my return flight will be delayed. That route also seems to get assigned to the old 737-700s more often than not. Knowing that I can leave me house 35 minutes before boarding and be home 30 minutes after landing are the only things it has going for it.

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If you're flying houston to dallas for work and prefer HOU, then why are you not flying JSX?
No TSA, 20 min check in, free check bags, free drinks, 1-2 minutes to get on/off the plane (thanks to no overhead bins).

Sign up with my referral and get $100.

https://www.jsx.com/club
7975M3


Looking at calendar I see flights as low as $169. For semi-private, that makes SW look like absolute dog sh*t.

Random monday;

JSX isn't bookable via Egencia for me.

jh0400 said:

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JSX isn't bookable via Egencia for me.

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you should talk to someone and get that fixed. No reason why they shouldn't be. This route is tailormade for business travelers.

jh0400 said:

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The last few times I've flown Southwest the flights have been delayed at least 30 minutes. The only ones I can remember that weren't delayed were early morning flights where the plane was at the gate overnight. Most of my flights these days are between HOU & DAL or IAH & DFW. HOU still wins on drive time, but DAL is a terrible place to be delayed after 5 PM.

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5 of my last 6 flights with Southwest have been delayed.

It started with a flight from Baltimore, MD to Portland, ME. After everyone is on the plane an announcement is made there is a part (and repairmen) needed for a stranded plane in Portland, ME. We are told it will only be a few minutes until they arrive. 2.5 hours later we are departing from the gate.

lil99chris said:

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jh0400 said:

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The last few times I've flown Southwest the flights have been delayed at least 30 minutes. The only ones I can remember that weren't delayed were early morning flights where the plane was at the gate overnight. Most of my flights these days are between HOU & DAL or IAH & DFW. HOU still wins on drive time, but DAL is a terrible place to be delayed after 5 PM.

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5 of my last 6 flights with Southwest have been delayed.

It started with a flight from Baltimore, MD to Portland, ME. After everyone is on the plane an announcement is made there is a part (and repairmen) needed for a stranded plane in Portland, ME. We are told it will only be a few minutes until they arrive. 2.5 hours later we are departing from the gate.

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Twice since 2020, Southwest has left us stranded in a location either due to a very late flight/missed connection or a flight cancellation and did not give us any accommodation either time.

One was in Montrose, Colorado where they cancelled our flight to Denver about 6 hours before flight time and claimed it was weather related. There were no storms or weather anywhere near Montrose or Denver and the real reason was their operations in Denver were snarled up and understaffed. No accommodation/voucher/compensation for the extra day of hotel and rental car.

The second was flying from Ft Lauderdale to Turks and Caicos. Their arriving crew was late due to timing out the night before because of a delayed flight (not weather related). They got to Provo nearly 2 hours late, had missed their gate window and we had to wait in line on the tarmac another 90 minutes until a gate opened up. We missed our connection to South Caicos and had to book a last minute room for the night in Provo on the back end of spring break (not cheap). Again, no compensation of any kind from SWA.

Pretty much every flight I have been on since those two has been working down my point balance from my SWA CC. And I would say ~60% have been delayed. I will only book them on points for vacation travel now, and not where I have any critical connections. I don't fly them at all for paying trips or work travel. They are not a reliable airline and will not make it right if they screw you over.