Southwest Will Make It Easier To Spend Towards Status, Will Add Cash+Points Redemptions

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Southwest is announcing several program improvements for 2024.

• Starting in Spring 2024, there will be cash+points redemptions. We’ll have to see what the value of those will be, but that’s potentially useful when you don’t have enough points for an award.
• Starting on 1/1/24, Southwest Consumer Premier, Southwest Consumer Priority, Southwest Business Premier, and Southwest Performance Business cardholders will earn 1,500 tier points towards earning elite status for every $5,000 spent. Previously, those cards earned 1,500 tier points for every $10,000 spent.
• Starting on 1/1/24, you’ll only need 20 one-way flights or 35,000 tier points to earn A-List status.
• Starting on 1/1/24, you’ll only need 40 one-way flights or 70,000 tier points to earn A-List Preferred status.
• Starting on 11/6/23, A-List Preferred member receive 2 free premium drinks per flight.

These changes were certainly needed, but I still wouldn’t spend $120,000 on Southwest cards to earn lower-tier elite status or $235,000 to earn upper-tier elite status on an airline that doesn’t even have first class seats to offer as a potential perk.

Earning 2 or even 3 miles per dollar or 2% or even 3% cash back everywhere on cards like Citi Double Cash or Chase Freedom Unlimited® are far more compelling, and American still offers better elite perks with less spending if you’re chasing elite status.

However, if you do spend your way to Compansion Pass status on Southwest cards anyway with $125K in spending, at least you’ll also be able to pick up A-List status as well!