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.
Related: 10 tips for using the Southwest Companion Pass
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.
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Looks like the benefit will NOT be extended to those on a Companion Pass ticket. That really bugs me. I fly and earn points to become A-List preferred AND get Companion Pass, but sorry no early boarding for my SO. What a crock.
From the Southwest website under Companion Pass: “For A-List and A-List Preferred Members who have also qualified for a Companion Pass, reserved boarding privileges will not be provided to the Companion unless the Companion is also an A-List or A-List Preferred Member.” https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/rapid_rewards_program_terms_and_conditions_faq.html
Except it doesn’t apply to the Companion Pass traveler.
At the airport now traveling as a companion with my A List Preferred spouse. They will not let me board with him. You have to have the same itinerary with the same confirmation number. Companion tickets always have a different confirmation number.