The Southwest Quick Reward Loyalty Program may not have elite privileges that other airlines can find, but it still has good value. The program lacks redemption rewards and incredible partner pass benefits, two significant advantages are that you can bring your partner to the paid and reward flights with only taxes and fees.
If you’re new to Southwest or want to learn more about its loyalty program, this guide will cover everything you need to redeem fast reward points and how the program will change based on the latest changes and credit card overhauls from Southwest.
Redemption points on Southwest flights
You can redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, hotels, experiences and quick rewards for visiting events, but redemption points on Southwest flights almost always provide the best reward for your hard-earned rewards.
Redeem fast rewards directly with Southwest
Southwest guarantees no power outage dates with any redemption dates, so you can book any tickets for Southwest with Quick Rewards points. Even if the flight only has one open seat, you should be able to book with points (but ready to pay).
The booking process is very simple. Go to the Southwest website, enter your flight search parameters, and check the “Point” option in the upper right corner. If needed, you can filter through details such as price, duration and departure time. Select the one you want, log in to your account (if not already), and follow the on-screen steps to complete the redemption.
Rapid reward points on Southwest flights have changed since the program implemented its “variable” reward rate. Historically, the price of a point is proportional to the price of a miles, but that is not the case. The value you can now get from the perspective varies by your specific flight and travel date.
This means you may expand your points further than before, but it may take more effort to find high-value redemptions.
Here is an example. You can fly from Los Angeles to Honolulu on Tuesday in September, from 7,500 quick bonus points one way, plus $5.60 in taxes and fees.
The same basic economy ticket costs $109 and your value is 1.38 cents per point. This is slightly higher than our August 2025 Southwest points valuation at 1.35 cents.
Reward your inbox with TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG experts
On the other hand, the same flight starts at $292 on higher dates (Saturday in January) or $25,500, plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. This can significantly reduce the value of 1.12 cents per point.
If you want to maximize the value of the Southwest Point, this is something to consider.
From what we’ve seen so far, your redemption value tends to decrease as you move your fare up. But if the benefits of a more expensive fare course add a lot of value to you, it might make sense to book with points. For example, the top selection’s additional fare includes two free check bags and any seat you choose when booking – including Southwest’s new long-distance seats, which are scheduled to debut in January 2026.
Redeem Chase through Chase Travel Portal
If you have a Chase Travel card, you can choose to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for Southwest flights through the ChaseTravel℠ portal. Since flights booked through the portal are shown as income tickets, you will still earn quick reward points on flights booked in this way.
With Chase’s new point improvement system, Chase Sapphire Priority® Card (See interest rates and fees) Points of up to 1.75 cents can be redeemed (depending on the specific redemption; see your Rewards Program Agreement for details). You may use Chase SapphireReserve® (See rates and fees) (based on specific redemption; see your reward program agreement for all details).
Please note that with Chase Travel, the flight prices may be higher, so always compare prices to Southwest’s website before booking.
Other credit card issuers offer similar travel portals, but for now, Southwest flights are only available on Chase Travel.
Related: Your Chase Guide to Improve
Free Reward Ticket Changes and Cancellations (Currently)
One thing that historically made quick reward points so popular is Southwest’s flexible changes and cancellation policies. If the reward flight you booked drops, you can easily rebook your trip at a lower price and you will refund the points difference.
If your plan changes and you cannot reward it, you can cancel it for free. Your points will be refunded to your account as long as you cancel at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. You can even choose to pay taxes back to the credit card you booked.
Unlike other ticket prices, basic economic tickets do not meet the conditions for free change on the same day, and basic economic passengers cannot require free standby on the same day.
Related: How to repeat Southwest flights when fares drop
The Companion Pass doubles the value of your Southwest Point
One way to maximize the value of a fast reward point is to earn a Southwest Companion Pass. With this valuable privilege, you can choose a companion to fly with you on your Southwest flight while it is valid on your pass. Whether you are using cash or ticket points, your companions only have to pay taxes and fees to their tickets.
This essentially doubles the value of your quick reward points when traveling with your designated companions.
After Southwest stripped many long-term policies such as free bags and open seats, the flyer wondered if the companion pass would be next on the chopping block. Currently, you can still earn companion passes by earning 135,000 qualified points or completing 100 qualified one-way flights in the Southwest in one calendar year. Once achieved, you will have a partner pass for the rest of the year and for the entire rest of the year.
You can earn companion eligibility points through flights (including flight fees paid for cash + points), spending and welcome bonuses on your Southwest credit card, shopping and dining on your fast rewards portal, and leveraging Southwest’s partnerships.
Currently, you can earn almost three quarters of the direction in any of the three Southwest spend cards and get a bonus on your partner pass. this Southwest RapidRewards® Plus Credit Card (See rates and fees), Southwest RapidRewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest RapidRewards® Priority Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) All offer 100,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 purchases in the first five months of opening an account.
You can also quickly access the companion pass in the welcome bonus on the two business cards in Southwest:
Information on the Southwest Quick Reward Prime Minister has been collected separately by Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: 15 lessons with a 15-year Southwest Couple Pass
Southwest Quick Rewards FAQ
Have questions about the Southwest Quick Reward? Let’s solve them.
How do I join Southwest Quick Rewards?
You can join the Southwest Quick Rewards Program for free on the Southwest Airlines website. Simply click on the Create Account link at the top of the page.
Next, fill in the requested information and click the yellow “Create Account” button at the bottom of the screen. Your account will be opened immediately and you can start earning and redeeming quick reward points.
When will the Southwest Quick Reward Point expire?
Southwest Quick Rewards Points won’t expire as long as your account is open. However, Southwest announced that flight credits issued on or after May 28, 2025 will be available within 12 months, select priority and select additional fares – only six months in the new base fare course.
Can I transfer the point to the southwest?
You can transfer Chase Eltimate Rewards points to the Southwest Quick Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, which means 10,000 Chase Points equals 10,000 Quick Rewards Points. These transfers are usually processed immediately.
You can also transfer the Marriott Bonvoy point to the Southwest Quick Rewards at a 3:1 transfer ratio. You will receive 5,000 reward quick reward points for every 60,000 bonus points, so you will receive 25,000 fast reward points for Bonvoy points for 60,000 islands. This transfer ratio is not ideal, but it is a good option if you have a short score in Southwest redemption.
Please note that points transferred to your Quick Rewards account are not counted as Winning Companion Pass.
Related: How (and when) transfer the ultimate rewards to the Southwest
Bottom line
Southwest Quick Rewards Points have long been an excellent choice for travelers seeking flexibility to book flights across a wide domestic network, and as Southwest branches work with Iceland Airlines and possibly Chinese airlines, they may become more valuable. But it remains to be seen whether this beloved loyalty program will maintain its value due to many less than ideal changes on Southwest.
