Southwest partners with China Airlines; Rapid Rewards points soon valid for Asia trips

Southwest Rapid Rewards members are expected to benefit from this agreement by being able to earn and redeem points on flights operated by China Airlines in the near future. "It's coming soon, and more partners are coming soon," said Southwest CEO Bob Jordan during remarks at the company’s Dallas headquarters.

This marks Southwest’s second international airline partnership after its February launch with Icelandair. According to Jordan, "Our intent is to build a very viable partner network quickly. We intend to build a partner network that can reach the majority of the world — the majority of, certainly, the destinations our customers want to travel to — in a manageable period of time."

The move represents a significant change for Southwest, which has traditionally focused on domestic routes but began short-haul international service 11 years ago and added Hawaii flights six years ago.

As long-haul international flights have grown in importance for customer loyalty programs and cobranded credit cards across the airline industry, Southwest hopes its expanding partner network will enhance its appeal among travelers seeking global redemption opportunities with their Rapid Rewards points.

Jordan also addressed future possibilities for Southwest-operated long-haul routes beyond North America. He noted that such expansion could require considering aircraft other than the carrier’s current all-Boeing 737 fleet: "If we can't get you there, they're going to fly somebody else," he said. "It's important that we develop a partner network, and at the same time work on our own capabilities at Southwest to fly other geographies."

He also acknowledged growing customer interest in premium seating options and airport lounges offered by competitors: "I've been very open about this," Jordan said. "As we look at things like, 'Do our customers want even more premium? Do they want a lounge network?' — as an example only — then we must explore those things. Otherwise, our customers will go and fly someone else."