braddqq

So they extended A-List til 12/2021 and CP til 6/2021. So what happens if you ALREADY HAVE A-list and CP now, and then qualify with enough points for either by the end of this calendar year (12/2020)? Does A-list go til 12/2022? Does it not change anything if you don't qualify or not? What about CP? Does it go til 12/2021 if you earn the 125k points by the end of this year? Or does it go to 6/2022?

These are pretty important questions because it determines which credit card i use! Can someone advise? I contacted Southwest but of course their response didn't answer the question and was a template response about the new changes.

OutofToiletPaper

WN have already reduced the requirements of obtaining CP and A-list this year to compensate for the reduction of travel. They haven't made any additional details yet, but if you qualify for CP and A-list this year then just expect it to last until 12/2021. Whether or not they plan on extending beyond that, we have no idea.

braddqq

I get it - but why even make it easier for people who already have a-list or CP to qualify for it since it wouldn't matter whether they got it or not this year anyway, know what i mean?

braddqq

sorry I clarified that my question was for people who already have CP / A-list - what do you get out of meeting the requirements by the end of the year? Sounds like nothing...

OutofToiletPaper

Are you saying you already met your CP and A-list requirements? Then good job!

Not sure how it ties to determining which credit card you use in your original question though.

Essentially, if you want to get CP or A-list this year then its easier to meet requirements this year, or you can wait til next year to meet it regularly. If you’re looking for Southwest to provide additional extension beyond 2021, you won’t find your answer here at this time.

NoStressHere

A bit technical, but they did not actually reduce. The level is the same, but they gifted points to everyone making it easier to reach.

The question being asked ( I think )... what if you actually EARN Alist or CP the old fashioned way this way... do you get anything extra?

We are among those that earned CP this spring based on credit card spend, even without the bonus points. In normal times, it would be good for the rest of this year, and all of next year. We it expires Dec 31, 2021.

But, anyone that earned it last year and had an expiration of Dec 31, 2020 had it extended.

So one group gets an extension. The other does not.

braddqq

@NoStressHere I think we are talking the same thing - but let me put it a different way. If someone has A-list and CP right now (and it is now extended to 12/2021 and 6/2021 respectively), is there ANY benefit in earning either A-list/CP for NEXT year (i.e. normal typical process)? Because if I have A-list til 12/2021, and I earn the 35k points (with the free post) by the end of the year, does anything really change? Probably not I would guess, since I already have A-list for all of 2021.... CP is a bit more complicated, because I would guess you would get it for the 2nd half of 2021, but only those 6 months.

NoStressHere

Yes, I think we are talking the same thing. (other than the fact they did not lower the threshold vs giving extra points - same result, but not the same)

And it probably is not such a good idea to mix Alist and CP in the same sentence. Two very different animals.

As to AList... if you earn it again this year, it does not seem to matter. You already have until Dec 2021 either way.

As to CP - if you were supposed to end on 12/31/20 and got a 6 month extension, it might make sense to try to earn it again this year to get it through the end of 2021 - if you travel this year will get you there, and you will travel much in the 2nd of half of 2021. The value will vary widely for each person.

nachosdelux

A-list: nothing extra

CP: an extra 6 months (12/31/21 versus 06/30/21)

hhoope01

This matches my thoughts. As mentioned, the benefit for your CP is to extend it through all of next year (rather than just half the year.) For A-List, you have been given an extra 15K toward pushing for A-List Preferred or you can stay at your current A-List status without really doing anything.

I'd guess anyone whose already A-List Preferred may not have as much to push for (though maybe not all of them have a CP and could push for that.) I'd guess the numbers of A-List Preferred are fairly small (compared to the numbers of non-status and regular A-List members, and even within that small group, some probably got it because Southwest is who they have to use or will continue to use. So Southwest won't get much more out of them anyway.