A Winning Partnership—Southwest Airlines Announced as the Official Airline of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour
| July 11, 2023
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card from Chase named Official Credit Card of the Professional Pickleball Association Tour
Carrier celebrates partnership with coveted Companion Pass for top Pickleball Pros
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (July 11, 2023) – Today, the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) announced Southwest Airlines ® as the Official Airline and the Southwest Rapid Rewards™ Priority Credit Card from Chase as the Official Credit Card of the PPA Tour.
“Joining forces with Southwest Airlines represents a monumental partnership for the PPA Tour and is a natural partnership due to the strong sense of community and community-building that we all share,” said Connor Pardoe, CEO of the PPA Tour. “We’re proud to partner with an organization that places a premium on putting people first with strong business practices, community outreach, and partnerships and programs designed to foster economic, social, and environmental impact.”
In celebration of this partnership, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card from Chase will award eight Pickleball Pros who finish at the top of the rankings this season with the airline’s coveted Companion Pass ® . The Companion Pass is a unique benefit that allows qualifying Southwest ® Customers to designate one person to fly with them, free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) every time the Customer purchases or redeems points for a flight.
“We’re joining in the fun of the fastest-growing sport in the United States that brings together people of all ages for a little good-spirited competition,” said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing at Southwest Airlines. “Southwest has a long history of investing in the communities where we live, work, and serve, and the PPA Tour shares our focus on the same goals. As the PPA Tour makes stops across the country, we invite our Customers and pickleball fans to fly with us to experience these tournaments and engage with this exciting sport.”
As part of the partnership, the PPA and Southwest will be hosting a variety of on-site activations. General Admission includes entry into the “Southwest Open Seating” section, tied to the airline’s open seating policy, which features signage and branded courtside seating on Center Court at each tournament throughout the season. Southwest Airlines and Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card from Chase branding will also be featured on both sides of the Center Court as pickleball’s top athletes go head-to-head at some of the best venues in the country. Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers can be on the lookout for exclusive Rapid Rewards Access Event opportunities.
The PPA and Southwest are deepening their partnership by investing in the communities where they live, work, and serve. More information on the community outreach component will also be announced later this year.
The partnership announcement comes as the PPA Tour resumes its tournament schedule with the OH SNAP! Denver Open Presented by Vizzy beginning on Thursday, July 13, at Gates Tennis Center in Denver, Colo. World No.1’s Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns highlight a star-studded field of competitors. Waters will be seeking her fifth consecutive triple crown after most recently earning gold medals in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at the tournament stop in San Clemente, Calif. last month.
The event, which runs through Sunday, July 16, will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube, Tennis Channel, and ESPN2. Southwest Customers traveling on Viasat-equipped aircraft can watch the event on ESPN2 via Southwest’s free live TV offering on the Inflight Entertainment Portal. Click here to view the complete broadcast schedule.
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