Through August 22, Southwest Airlines is offering to sell elite status. They will sell you the qualifying points you need to earn elite benefits through December 31, 2025.
Southwest will sell you up to 35,000 qualifying points, which is the amount required for A-List status. And it’s not cheap: up to $2,190.
This is unusual. Airlines frequently sell loyalty program members the qualifying points they need to make status at the end of the year, so that they can keep their status if they haven’t flown enough. And the amounts aren’t unusual. American Airlines earns tens of millions of dollars each year doing this.
However it’s early in the year – just past the halfway mark! – so this isn’t taking the place of end of year mileage runs. It’s straight up selling the status, seeking cash for the benefits. And it’s going to mean more people clamoring for the earliest boarding positions.
- On the one hand, I don’t blame them. Southwest hasn’t monetized their status as much as they could.
- And it shows a new aggressiveness on their part, right before Thursday’s earnings call. However I believe it’s been something under consideration for several years.
- They’re working with Points.com on this, the company that many airlines and hotel chains use to sell points. Don’t expect this to process as an airline charge for credit card bonuses.
There’s a lot of discussion about Southwest Airlines moving to assigned seating as part of offering a new premium product, perhaps with extra legroom and blocked middle seats at the front of the cabin. I’m skeptical that they go entirely in this direction. Those premium seats may be blocked and assigned, but for everything else I think they keep traditional boarding order.
This offer is suggestive of why! They monetize Early Bird check-in, and they promote early boarding positions as the key benefit of what they are selling you today and that you’ll receive through the end of next year. Sure, they could just take your money and not deliver the benefit, or refund your money.
But if they were to go with fully assigned seats, I don’t see that happening before 2026.
Boarding positions will be automatically reserved for you and the Passengers on your reservation 36 hours prior to the flight. You and Passengers on your reservation will still need to check in within 24 hours of scheduled departure to retrieve your boarding passes.
I actually think Southwest’s seating model is a core part of their value proposition and I wouldn’t eliminate the cattle car boarding. On the one hand it does mean needing to line up half an hour prior to flight (I prefer to wait in a lounge, Southwest doesn’t have those) but on the other hand it means that all the ‘good seats’ aren’t pre-reserved by passengers booking weeks or months out. Last minute travelers still have a shot. That makes them attractive for a business traveler.
And having status means you’re much more likely to have that A boarding position (“A-List” status, get it?) and get a decent seat. Even if you change flights at the last minute you still get to board before the B group, along with families. That’s not bad.
I’m not sure it’s worth the price. That depends how many Southwest trips you’ll take. To me, the question is whether the price saves you enough in Business Select fares that come with the best boarding or in Early Bird check-in fees (they don’t sell this on all flights). You’ll have to decide for yourself.
P.T. Barnum’s words ring true.
As a frequent Southwest flier, I don’t see value in this. They are not even selling you A-List preffered that comes with free internet and a drink. I can’t see the take rate being very high.
Any idea if wheelchair fakers will be deducted points if they walk off the plane at their destination?
Dunkin is on to something: the value proposition is eroded with a slew of “special needs” pax and the family of 6 that will spring for one A List membership and guard seats like a feral pitbull.
Nice try tho….
without seat assignments 100% Hard Pass!
Granted, I read this quickly on a phone, but I don’t see actual seat assignment here. It sounds like it’s just early boarding — which we all know is a farce.
I could easily buy all the perks they are offering for way less than $2.200 I would need to pay. A list is only about $40 per flight, so I don’t get it.
Just buy 20 one ways from AUS to DAL for $29 (happens many times during year) and you have A list for $600. Paying $2,000 is obtuse
From the perspective of a crew member, open seating is very chaotic and leads to conflicts with people trying to save seats. From a security perspective, assigned seating let’s you know who is on board and where they are seated.
Additionally, having assigned seats would allow Southwest to make additional revenue while continuing allowing two bags to fly for free. Change can bring forth things which are new and welcomed. Something this airline could ❤️..
Still flying every week. Still seeing very little sign of anything View from the Wing ever says.
I got this offer just now as well. They channeling AA here or something? (AA keeps sending me “buy Gold status!” meanwhile I am Oneworld Emerald via Alaska which I use to fly on AA)
Pretty steep. I could see at end of year to top off in place of having to go fly a round trip or something to re-qualify. But I echo the poster who said this isn’t even A-List Preferred… I’m A-List basic on WN and sometimes have gotten in the A40s/50s on certain flights. I have the WN credit card so I use one of my free boarding upgrades if I don’t want to chance it on the odd longer or full flight.
This seems, like many things out of WN, like something someone there saw and said “oh we can do that and make some money!” then executed it poorly.
As someone who flies Southwest frequently and pays for A status, I would welcome a few rows of assigned seating for the ‘business select’ option. As of now, I usually end up 4 or 5 rows back due to the excessive use of “people who need assistance ” boarding first, then watching them powerwalk by me out of the airport.
I only fly SW if iI can, I love the boarding process, picking your own seat. If they switch to assigned seating, raise prices for better seats and so on they will be no better than any other airline. Dull and boring. Probably won’t seek them first, will go with the cheapest fare or something. Hawaiian air charges for every damn thing they can think of. I’ll never fly them again.
JCW got it right.
How much is the rental fee for a wheelchair (one way only, i.e., boarding the aircraft, not deplaning)?
I’m ALP & have CP now and received this offer but mine is more expensive. I’m 50k TC now but 20k TC is $1450.
Just get 2 Southwest credit cards and you’ll have enough points to get a-list.
No assigned seats, no WN.
What I would like to see them fix is the Pre-Boarding process. Time and time again I will pay for an upgrade to A 1-15 position only to have 20 preboards, board before me and the problem is that a large portion of them are regular passengers that do not appear to meet the criteria for preboarding. Now I just wasted money on the upgrade.