Southwest enhances A-List benefits for friends and families - Deals We Like

This post may contain affiliate links from our advertising partners, such as American Express. Read my Advertiser Disclosure policy here. Additionally, some of the offers on this page may no longer be available through Deals We Like.

Aligning with Southwest extending their reservations calendar this morning, they also just announced that they are enhancing their A-List and A-List Preferred benefits. Up until now, only the passenger who had this status would receive the benefits, not other passengers booked on the same itinerary. Now, going forward, Southwest will join other airlines and extend select A-List and A-List Preferred benefits to friends and family members booked on the same reservation.

With this enhancement, the only benefit that will be extended at this time is that you'll be able to board early. All A-List and A-List Preferred members receive Priority Boarding, which means your friends and family members will be able to as well.

In the future, I'd love to see them extend other benefits as well, but for now I am happy with this enhancement. Last year I had A-List status and even though I had priority boarding, my children did not. The gate agent stood her ground and absolutely would not let my children board with me. Clearly my 3- and 6-year old couldn't be left behind so I forwent priority boarding and joined family boarding.

The one concern I have with this enhancement is how Companion Pass reservations will be handled. When you add another passenger onto your reservation as your companion, they end up with an entirely different reservation number. My daughter is typically always my companion, so I wonder how this will work if I end up with A-List status again.

For now, I am happy to see these positive changes and think it is definitely the right move. Fingers crossed for more enhancements in the future.

t
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
t
• Earn 2X points on travel and dining
t
• When you redeem your points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, you'll receive a 25% bonus when booking airfare, hotels, car rentals, and cruises
t
• No delivery fees for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with a DashPass subscription from DoorDash (over a $100 value). Must activate within your account by December 31, 2021.
t
• Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022 - 3x points in addition to the 2x points you already earn on travel
t
• $95 annual fee

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.