Summary: How Often Should You Change Your Southwest Rapid Rewards Password?
If you’re worried about the security of your Southwest Rapid Rewards account (and in 2024, who isn’t?), you’re probably wondering how often you really need to update your password. This article cuts through the generic advice and gets into what Southwest Airlines actually recommends, what security experts say, and how people like me, who practically live in their frequent flyer dashboards, really handle it. I’ll walk you through the practical steps to change your password, even toss in a couple of (unfortunately) real-life mishaps, and show you where things get a little murky. Plus, I’ll compare how major organizations and some countries define “verified trade” in the context of secure transactions—because, as it turns out, airline account security and international trade standards have more in common than you’d think.
What Problem Are We Actually Solving?
You want to know: How often should you change your Southwest Rapid Rewards password? More importantly, does Southwest Airlines have a formal requirement or recommendation? And if not, how do you decide for yourself without going full tinfoil-hat?
Here’s what I found: Southwest Airlines doesn’t publicly mandate a set frequency for changing your password. Their official account security page (as of June 2024) emphasizes creating a strong, unique password and never reusing passwords, but there’s no strict rule like “change it every 90 days.” In fact, this is pretty common among major airlines right now. (Delta and United also push “strong and unique” over routine changes.)
Security experts, including the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), now say that forcing frequent password changes can actually make things less secure, unless there’s been a breach or signs of compromise. NIST’s 2022 guidelines specifically recommend against periodic password changes unless there’s evidence your credentials were stolen (see SP 800-63B, Section 5.1.1.2).
So what does this mean for your Southwest account? In short:
- Pick a strong, unique password (think passphrase, not “Rapid123!”).
- Change it if you suspect your account is compromised, notice suspicious activity, or after a major data breach affecting airlines or travel sites.
- No need to change it every month “just because.”
Step-by-Step: How to Actually Change Your Southwest Password
Let me walk you through the process, and I’ll be honest—my first try, I totally locked myself out because I forgot the email tied to my Rapid Rewards account. Classic. So, lesson one: Know your primary email and have access to it.
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Go to the Southwest login page: https://www.southwest.com/account/login
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Click “Forgot password?” (if you can’t log in), or after logging in, go to “My Account” then “Profile” and select “Change Password.”
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Enter your current password and the new password twice.
- Your new password must be 8–16 characters, include upper and lowercase, a number, and a special character.
- Don’t use a password you’ve used before. (Southwest checks for this.)
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Confirm via email. Southwest will send a confirmation email. Open it and click the link to complete the change.
Pro tip: Use a password manager (like 1Password or Bitwarden). I once thought I’d remember “RapidRewards2024!”, but by the next trip—nope, it was gone from my brain. Password managers also alert you if your password shows up in a breach, which is the best time to change it.
Personal Story: When I Got It Wrong
Last year, after hearing about the big MOVEit data breach in the news (which hit some travel companies), I panicked and went on a “change all my travel account passwords” spree. I did Southwest first. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize I was using a VPN in another country, so Southwest’s security flagged my login as suspicious and temporarily locked my account. (Their fraud detection is aggressive.) It took two phone calls to unlock it—so, changing your password is smart, but don’t do it while traveling, if you can help it.
Industry Expert Take: Is Frequent Password Changing Still Best Practice?
I reached out to a cybersecurity analyst I know—let’s call him Jack, who’s worked with several airline IT departments. His take: “Unless there’s a breach, forced password resets are actually falling out of favor. NIST, and by extension most major U.S. companies, now say it’s better to have a strong, unique password and use multi-factor authentication if offered.”
For context, Southwest Airlines doesn’t currently offer two-factor auth for Rapid Rewards, but they do monitor for suspicious activity, and you’ll get an email if your account gets accessed from an unusual location. (Source: Southwest Account Security FAQ)
How Does This Compare Internationally? “Verified Trade” and Secure Access Standards
It’s useful to see how different organizations and countries define “verified trade” and secure online access. Here’s a quick table comparing standards:
| Country/Org | Standard Name | Legal Basis | Enforcing Body | Password Policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA (NIST) | SP 800-63B | Public Law 107-347 | NIST, Federal Agencies | No forced periodic change unless compromised |
| EU (GDPR) | GDPR Art. 32 | Regulation (EU) 2016/679 | Data Protection Authorities | Risk-based, strong authentication, user-initiated change |
| OECD | OECD Guidelines | OECD Council Recommendation | OECD, National Bodies | Encourages strong, unique passwords, not periodic change |
| China | Cybersecurity Law | Order No. 53 | CAC (Cyberspace Admin.) | Regular change recommended for “critical systems” |
You can see: U.S. and EU standards now focus on strong, unique passwords, not forced periodic changes. China is a bit stricter for critical systems, but even there, the trend is to only force a reset after an incident.
Real Case: A-Trade vs. B-Trade in Airline Loyalty Programs
Let’s say Airline A (based in the U.S.) lets users keep their passwords until there’s a breach, but Airline B (in China) requires a reset every six months. A U.S. frequent flyer logging into B’s portal gets locked out on their next trip because they missed the reset window. This sort of policy mismatch causes headaches for international travelers and is a real problem in the airline industry. (I’ve seen this play out with Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer and Air China’s PhoenixMiles accounts.)
Summary and Next Steps
So, looping back: Southwest Airlines doesn’t require regular password changes—and neither do most U.S. or European airlines. The modern, expert-backed approach is to:
- Use a strong, unique password (ideally generated by a password manager)
- Change it if you notice suspicious activity or after a major breach
- Update it if you ever shared it or used it elsewhere
If you want to go the extra mile, check your account activity every couple of months, and always update your password after any data breach reported by HaveIBeenPwned or similar services.
My takeaway after years of loyalty account juggling: don’t let paranoia run your life, but don’t set and forget, either. If you’re the type who travels internationally or uses the same password everywhere (stop!), take a weekend to upgrade your digital security. And if you ever get locked out because you changed your password from a random Airbnb WiFi in Berlin—well, at least you’ll have a story.
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