Southwest Airlines makes change cruisers will like

Earning status with a given airline comes with benefits ranging from early boarding and free ticket changes to lounge get entry to but the trail towards securing it be a ways in general an opulent one.

Some most modern number-crunching by personal finance platform NerdWallet found that the average required to enter the first status tier with a U.S.-based airline starts at $2,000 spent at once with the carrier or $10,000 through the signature mastercard.

Related: Southwest Airlines plans drastic boarding and seating changes

For United Airlines UAL, Premier Silver Status is earned by taking 12 qualifying flights or earning four,000 points while Delta DAL's Silver requires 5,000 Medallion Qualification Dollars — while there are some of essentially the most effective way to more than one points earned and speed up collection, both loyalty systems are dollar-to-point.

Don't leave out the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE on day to day basis newsletter

Southwest says it 'heard from customers', promises 'new some of essentially the most effective way to earn points'

Mainstream airlines will in general even have a wider commute platform wherein one can earn both miles and status-qualifying points by booking for products and services equivalent to hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) , which has a Vacations platform wherein loyalty members earn and spend rewards points on resort bookings, launched a southwestcruises.com web page powered by cruise ship company World Travel Holdings to encompass itineraries on major lines equivalent to Royal Caribbean (RCL) , Carnival (CCL) , and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) .

More commute stories:

• A new commute term is taking on the cyber web (and reaching airlines and hotels)
• The ten best airline stocks to buy now
• Airlines see a new kind of traveler at the front of the plane

"We have heard from our customers that cruises were of interest to them, and our new partnership with World Travel Holdings gives customers get entry to to all major cruise lines, equivalent to Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean, to complement their commute experience on Southwest," Southwest Vice President of Product Development Phil Gouel said in an announcement. "This partnership also gives our loyal members new some of essentially the most effective way to earn points."

Southwest also made these changes to the way you earn points

In a in the same fashion revamp of its Rapid Rewards program, Southwest is likewise changing up its cash-and-points redemption solution to allow travelers to also earn points on the money portion they paid for a time out. The airline first caught up with other airlines by creating an answer to separate one's time out between the two kinds of payment last April but technical challenges meant that the money portion one paid may be lost rather than of going towards Rapid Rewards points.

Both by way of spendable miles and points that go toward the airline's A-List and A-List Most well-liked Status, this would change for flights taken after Jan. 1, 2025. Any points earned can also go toward the 100 thirty five,000-point threshold required with a view to supply a chum Southwest's Companion Pass for the following year.

All these changes to the airline's Rapid Rewards program come down to Southwest's efforts to remain competitive and break through a stretch of unprofitable quarters. After buying up enough shares with a view to demand votes on the airline's future, investment company Elliott Management has been pushing for drastic austerity measures that resulted in a most modern shake-up of the airline's board.

While the changes to the Rapid Rewards program facilitate your earn perks, they are an answer to attract and please customers that Southwest has been struggling to retain.

Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocks