Southwest overhauls Rapid Rewards elite tiers, changes credit card and Companion Pass earnings

Southwest Airlines has spent the last two years overhauling its policies and the customer experience on its planes. Open seating is gone, checked bag fees are in, and lounges are coming.Next up? A major overhaul to its Rapid Rewards loyalty program.The airline on Thursday outlined sweeping changes to its points and elite status tiers."A-List" and "A-List Preferred" are being replaced by "Silver" and "Gold" — and a new top-tier "Platinum" level.Meanwhile, credit card spending will count more toward earning status. Plus, Southwest is finally rolling out partner awards, unlocking Rapid Rewards redemptions to Europe, Asia and beyond.However, there are also some key changes that will affect how flyers can earn the airline's popular Companion Pass.It's a packed slate of news rolled out by Southwest. Let's walk through what it means for your travel and loyalty with the airline going forward.Earning status with a credit card is getting easierSouthwest flyers will soon have a lot more incentive to put everyday purchases on their Rapid Rewards credit cards.Beginning Jan. 1, all Southwest credit card holders will earn 1 tier qualifying point per dollar charged to their card.Reward your inbox ...