Lifetime Awards

[DancingDavidE]

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@72989420 wrote:

I completely agree with Wes...   been a loyal RR for 23 years and well over 1 million miles and SWA doesn't seem to care while the other airlines do.    At some point we will all slow down traveling and it would be nice not to remember to check in at exactly 24hrs before etc.   Just make us A list for life... it's zero cost perk for very loyal customers.   I just assumed they would do something.   I was almost to 1 M on American and then they decided not to count my TWA miles any longer, but I though is fine because SWA would... NOPE 

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It would be a nice addition. Companion pass "lifetime" doesn't make sense but the A-list Lifetime would be a good gesture for those reaching 1M miles or some lofty number of years as A-list.

I take the counterpoint to @dfwskier if you wouldn't fly United any more without those perks, then the lifetime status does get them a few flights booked that they otherwise would miss out on.

[BFBaker]

I'm on board here.  Been A-List Preferred as long as it's been out there.  I don't think lifetime Companion Pass is realistic.  There is a cost there.  But making longtime A-List Preferred customers lifetime A-List Preferred costs Southwest nothing.  I was very loyal to Southwest and Marriott.  Marriott made me Platinum Elite for life.  Still waiting on Southwest.  I did run this idea up the flagpole with them when they were struggling and was told it would be discussed via an email.  Nothing yet.

[kjinvenice]

A lifetime pass on WN doesn't make sense IMO. It is after all, a LCC that is not aligned with any major airline alliances, it doesn't even have interline agreements with any other airline and it uses its own proprietary reservation system than using the major ones like Amadeus Altea or SITA. 

You're right that had you gone with AS, your miles and status would've mattered long term as they're now part of the oneworld alliance. Your lifetime status on AS would've allowed you to use your miles to book flights on JAL, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, etc. and it would've granted you lifetime lounge access to all these airlines as you traveled around the world in your retirement. 

But if WN had lifetime status and points, it wouldn't make much difference. At best you can go to Aruba, only on WN, no lounges, no other airline partners, etc. And I don't see WN making any upgrades to their system, starting interline agreements or even joining any of the airline alliances. Maybe they can start their own LCC alliance and team up with RyanAir or AirAsia, but that's another major hassle in itself and highly unlikely in itself also.