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How to transfer Southwest Rapid Rewards points
Southwest Rapid Rewards is the loyalty program of Southwest Airlines Co., and its rules let a member move points out of an account only by transferring them to another Rapid Rewards member or to a charity Southwest has preselected, through Southwest.com, with the cost paid by credit card. [1] Members cannot pool or combine points with each other, so a transfer is the official route for passing a balance to somebody else's account. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Published with cited facts · How this page was checked
Key takeaways
- A Rapid Rewards member can transfer points to another member with an active Rapid Rewards account, or to a charity Southwest has preselected, and the transfer is made through Southwest.com. [1]
- The minimum transfer is 2,000 points, points move in blocks of 500 (1,000 during promotional periods), and the daily maximum is 60,000 points. [1] [3]
- Transferred points do not count toward A-List tier status or Companion Pass, point transactions are nonrefundable and nonreversible, and points can take 72 hours to post. [3] [4]
- Points cannot be transferred to an estate, a settlement, an inheritance or a will, and they have no cash value, so they cannot be sold or bartered. [1]
Can you transfer Southwest Rapid Rewards points to another person?
Yes, but only inside the program. Membership in Rapid Rewards is granted to individual travelers, each person must enroll separately, and members may not pool or combine points with other members. [1] The sanctioned way to move a balance is the transfer facility: a member can transfer points to another member, or to a charity Southwest has preselected, as long as the receiving side has an active Rapid Rewards account. [1]
Transfers are made through Southwest.com, and the cost of transferring points to another member must be paid with a credit card. [1] Point value is quoted in U.S. dollars and the transaction is settled in U.S. dollars, so a card issued through a foreign bank may show a different total once exchange rates and foreign exchange fees are added. [1] A member is limited to one Rapid Rewards account. [1]
What are the limits and costs on a Rapid Rewards transfer?
Southwest's program rules set the size of each transfer and how much can leave an account in a day, and the notes on Southwest's own points pages describe transfers in blocks of 500 points with a minimum initial transfer of 2,000 points and a daily maximum of 60,000 points. [1] [3] [4]
| Rule | What Southwest states |
|---|---|
| Recipient | Another Rapid Rewards member, or a charity chosen by Southwest, with an active Rapid Rewards account [1] |
| Where the transfer is made | Through Southwest.com [1] |
| Payment method | Credit card [1] [3] |
| Block size | 500 points, or 1,000 points during promotional periods [1] |
| Minimum transfer | 2,000 points [1] [3] |
| Daily maximum | 60,000 points [1] [3] |
| Currency | Quoted in U.S. dollars and settled in U.S. dollars [1] |
| Posting time | Allow 72 hours for points to post [3] |
| Reversibility | Transactions are nonrefundable and nonreversible [3] |
Because point transactions are described as nonrefundable and nonreversible, the recipient account is worth confirming before a transfer is submitted, and the sending member should expect a wait of up to 72 hours before the points appear. [3] Southwest also reserves the right to amend, suspend or change the program and its rules at any time and without notice. [1]
Do you need a transfer to book a flight for someone else?
No. A member can use their own points to purchase seats for themselves or for other people, so paying for a relative's ticket does not require moving points into the relative's account. [1] The member remains solely responsible for any changes to the itinerary after booking, and a passenger traveling on a ticket bought with another member's points is not allowed to make changes; the passenger must contact the member and have the member make them. [1]
A transfer also does nothing for status. Purchased, gifted and transferred points do not count toward tier status or Companion Pass status, and points transferred between members are excluded from Companion Pass qualifying points. [3] [4] [1] Members working toward A-List or Companion Pass therefore gain nothing by moving points between accounts. [1]
Exceptions and limits
- No estate or inheritance transfers. Points may not be transferred to a member's estate or as part of a settlement, inheritance or will, and if an account is closed upon death, the points in it are forfeited. [1]
- No selling or bartering. Points and rewards have no cash value and are void if sold, purchased, brokered or bartered, and such actions may result in the account being terminated and the points forfeited, whether or not the transaction is completed. [1]
- Closing the account. Rapid Rewards points do not expire, but if a member closes their account the points in it are forfeited. [1]
- Charities are limited to Southwest's list. A member may donate points only to charities Southwest has preselected, chosen from a menu on a Southwest website, and the donating account is reduced by the number of points donated. [1]
- Account security. Southwest says it is not responsible for unauthorized access to a member's account and will not replace stolen points. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Can you transfer Southwest Rapid Rewards points to a family member?
Yes, provided the family member has an active Rapid Rewards account; the transfer is made through Southwest.com and the cost is paid by credit card. [1] Households cannot pool points, because each person enrolls separately and members may not combine balances. [1]
How many Rapid Rewards points can you transfer in one day?
Up to 60,000 points a day, sent in blocks of 500 points (1,000 during promotional periods), with a minimum transfer of 2,000 points. [1] [3]
Is there a fee to transfer Rapid Rewards points?
Southwest's program rules state that the cost of transferring points to another member must be paid with a credit card, and the value is quoted and settled in U.S. dollars. [1]
Do transferred points count toward the Companion Pass?
No. Transferred points do not count toward tier or Companion Pass status, and points transferred between members are specifically excluded from Companion Pass qualifying points. [3] [1]
Can a Rapid Rewards transfer be reversed?
Point transactions are nonrefundable and nonreversible, and Southwest asks members to allow 72 hours for points to post to the receiving account. [3]
Verification: Published with cited facts
- Source status
- 3 sources listed; page reports checked 18 October 2026
- Source citations
- 49 in-text citations provided
- Review record
- Review record available
- Public status
- Published with cited facts
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. This page reports no account test. Transfer and pooling rules for other airline and hotel loyalty programs are not covered here.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- How to redeem Rapid Rewards points (points conditions), checked 18 October 2026
- How to earn Rapid Rewards points (buy, gift and transfer points), checked 13 October 2026