I used to think it was just the companion pass that kept me 'loyal' to Southwest. I was never actually loyal, of course, but their schedules worked well for us and we didn't find ourselves straying all that often. Now, with less attractive nonstops, some truly hideous connections, and significantly lower reliability, we do find ourselves on other airlines more frequently.

Unexpectedly, it's the goal of maintaining A-List that keeps me checking Southwest first. Even a half dozen flights per year would make it worth keeping the companion pass, but the auto-checkin ensures that I book at least twenty cash segments with WN. It's not even the auto-checkin alone - the A-61 boarding right is especially valuable in conjunction with the SDC benefit. Southwest isn't my favorite airline anymore, but they have managed to keep me more-or-less happily stockholmed via their loyalty offerings. Credit where due, it really says something when I can be pretty fed up with a company but still find myself prioritizing them.

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