How to get the Southwest Companion Pass
Skip straight to Strategies if you’re ready to get or renew Companion Pass!
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I’ve been a Southwest Companion Pass holder since 2014. Since then, I’ve taken hundreds of flights and saved thousands of dollars bringing others on my flights for free. I’ve created this site to help others easily discover and obtain the Southwest Companion Pass.
What is the Companion Pass?
The Southwest Companion pass is a level of status that allows you to get unlimited buy-one-get-one-free flight tickets for only taxes and fees (typically $5.60 each way).
- • Designate one person by name to fly free plus tax on any paid or award flight (!)
- • Good for the remainder of the calendar year it’s earned PLUS the entire next year
- • The 135K bonus points are worth ~$1,750 in award flights. Apply the pass to free awards and bring your companion free too!
- • You can change your companion up to 3 times per year.
- • Companion can be added to any ticket as long as there is at least one seat available
How to Get it:
- • Earn by flying 100 Flights OR earning 135,000 points. The trick – credit card signup bonus counts! Not a single flight needs to be taken.
- • The companion pass grants unlimited flights for the remainder of the current year and the entire next year for the one designated person.
- • Activates as soon as the 135K point tier is reached.
- • Timing is CRITICAL! Points only count PER CALENDAR YEAR, so make sure not to split your 135K points across calendar years.
Strategies for Getting Companion Pass
There are multiple ways to approach getting the companion pass. Earning it might seem daunting, but with strategic planning, it’s an easily achievable goal. The fastest and easiest way to get a pass is through credit card sign up bonuses. Here are some strategies to help you on your way.
An important note – almost anyone can sign up for a business credit card, including you! See below for more info if you’ve never signed up for a business credit card before.
Not sure which way to go? Pick Strategy 1 if you are unsure!
- Strategy 1 – One Personal + One Business Card
- Strategy 2 – Two Business Cards
- Strategy 3 – One Personal + Spend & Bonus
Discover the key to unlocking the Southwest Companion Pass in 2024 and 2025. Follow this comprehensive strategy guide that combines the power of personal and business cards to maximize your travel benefits!
Use the power of two business cards to unlock the Southwest Companion Pass in 2024 and 2025. Follow this strategy that uses only business cards to maximize your travel benefits!
Southwest Credit Cards Overview
Below are highlights of each available Southwest credit card. If applying, please consider using the Apply Now button, which will refer you to the Chase application portal. I may receive a points referral bonus for your application, which is greatly appreciated.
Please Note: Links shown below are the highest known offers available. In the case where an available public offer is better, the highest available public offer and referral offer will both be show for full transparency.
Personal Cards
Info:
Welcome Offer: 50,000 points
Credit Recommended
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Recommended
Notable Benefits
- • $75 annual statement credit for Southwest purchases
- • Four A1-15 upgraded boarding per year
- • 7,500 points per year on card member anniversary (worth ~$100)
- • 3x earning on Southwest flights; 2x on local transit, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
- • 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10,000 spent
My Thoughts
This card is the best overall value and usually recommended as the personal card to get. If you fly Southwest more than once or twice, this card pays for itself and then some.
Info:
Welcome Offer: 50,000 points
Credit Recommended
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Notable Benefits
- • Two EarlyBird Check-In certificates per year
- • 6,000 points per year on card member anniversary (worth ~$80)
- • 3x earning on Southwest flights; 2x on local transit, internet, cable, phone services, Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, and select streaming
My Thoughts
This card is typically the second best overall value. If the Priority’s $149 annual fee is just too much, even with the added benefits, then go with this card. The EarlyBird’s are fine, but not as useful or valuable as the Priority’s Upgraded Boarding.
Info:
Welcome Offer: 50,000 points
Credit Recommended
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Notable Benefits
- • Two EarlyBird Check-In certificates per year
- • 3,000 points per year on card member anniversary (worth ~$40)
- • 2x earning on Southwest flights; 2x on local transit, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
My Thoughts
The Plus card does not offer as much value as the other cards. If you fly Southwest at all, you’re probably better off with one of the higher tier cards.
Business Cards
Southwest Rapid Rewards®
Performance Business Credit Card
Current Bonus: 80,000 points
Annual Fee: $199
Info:
Welcome Offer: 80,000 points
Credit Recommended
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Recommended
Notable Benefits
- • Four A1-15 upgraded boarding per year
- • 9,000 points per year on card member anniversary (worth ~$120)
- • Up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year
- • 4x earning on Southwest flights; 3x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; 2x on local transit, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services
- • 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10,000 spent
- • Up to a $500 fee credit for points transfers when you use your card to transfer points to another Southwest Rapid Rewards member
- • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit
My Thoughts
This card is the best overall value of any Southwest card, despite the mid-premium annual fee. This is usually recommended as the business card to get. This card is great for the wifi credit and 4X spending and the Four upgraded boarding passes can be worth as much as $200. The transfer fee credit could be useful if you need to move small amounts of points between accounts. If you fly Southwest more than once or twice, this card is a great get.
Southwest Rapid Rewards®
Premier Business Credit Card
Current Bonus: 60,000 points
Annual Fee: $99
Info:
Welcome Offer: 60,000 points
Credit Recommended
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Notable Benefits
- • 2 EarlyBird Check-In certificates per year
- • 6,000 points per year on card member anniversary (worth ~$80)
- • 3x earning on Southwest flights; 2x on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting purchases, including rideshare
- • 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10,000 spent
- • Up to a $500 fee credit for points transfers when you use your card to transfer points to another Southwest Rapid Rewards member
My Thoughts
This card has good overall value. If the Performance Business card’s $199 annual fee is too much, even with the added benefits, then go with this card. The EarlyBird’s are fine, but not as useful or valuable as the Upgraded Boarding passes. The transfer fee credit could be useful if you need to move small amounts of points between accounts.
Additional Details and Information
Companion Pass Timing
Again, it is CRITICAL that you pay attention to timing. Don’t get caught with your big sign up bonuses arriving in a different calendar year before January.
- Earn 135,000 points within a calendar year to obtain the Southwest Companion Pass; tracking resets on January 1st each year.
- Holding a Southwest credit card adds 10,000 qualifying points to your tracker by January 31.
- Optimize Companion Pass benefits by timing qualification early in the calendar year, as the pass is valid for the rest of the earning year and the entire following year.
- Apply for Southwest credit cards in November or December but delay meeting the minimum spending requirement until January to ensure welcome points post in January, extending Companion Pass benefits for almost two years.
- If opening multiple Southwest credit cards to earn the pass, time the spending to earn both bonuses in the same calendar year, and avoid meeting spending thresholds early to ensure bonuses post in January.
Chase Credit Card Rules
Chase has several well published rules regarding opening cards with their bank.
• 5/24 Rule: You will not be approved for any new Chase card if you have opened 5 or more cards with any bank within the past 24 months. Note that many business cards don’t count towards your 5/24 total.
• 24 Month Rule: You may be approved, but will not be eligible for, a new card sign up bonus if you’ve previously received a sign up welcome bonus in the past 24 months.
• 2 Applications Rule: Chase typically only allows 2 card applications per month.
Chase has additional rules on family products, including the Southwest line of credit cards. Remember:
- Personal Card – You are not eligible for sign up bonus on a personal card if you currently have any Southwest personal card OR have earned a bonus on any Southwest personal card in the previous 24 months.
- Business Card – You are not eligible for sign up bonus on a business card if you currently have the specific business card you intend to apply for OR have earned a bonus on that specific card in the previous 24 months.
Applying for Business Cards
Qualifying for a business credit card is more straightforward than many think. Even small-scale activities like selling a single item on eBay or driving for Uber can qualify you for a business credit card.
• You don’t need to explicitly have an established business to apply for a business credit card. If you’re planning to start a business, or already engage in profit-seeking activities, you’re eligible. You can apply as a sole proprietor using your personal name and Social Security number.
• Resources like Frequent Miler and The Points Guy have great guides on applying for business credit cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Southwest Companion Pass?
The Southwest Companion Pass allows a Rapid Rewards member to add a companion to their booked flight with Southwest, given another seat is available, with only taxes and fees charged for the companion’s ticket.
How do you earn the Southwest Companion Pass?
To earn a Southwest Companion Pass, you must either complete 100 qualifying one-way flights or accumulate 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points within a single calendar year.
What is the Duration of Validity?
The pass remains valid for the rest of the year it was earned and the entire following calendar year.
What points count and don’t towards the Companion Pass?
Examples of points that *do* count: Credit card bonuses, Credit card normal spending, Points from flying, Points from partner hotel stays, Points from partner car rentals
Examples of points that *do not* count: Points purchased, Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Points transferred from hotel programs, Points transferred from another person
These are just a few examples. The full list is here.
How do I meet the minimum spend?
There are many ways to meet the minimum spend requirement. The best and easiest way is to move regular spend to the card. Fortunately, the Southwest card minimum spends are relatively low compared to that of other premium reward credit cards. If you are looking for other ways to meet minimum spend, here are many common examples. I recommend researching these further using the other online resources linked on this page.
Spending Shift to New Card: Transition all your expenditures to your newly acquired card.
Store Gift Card Purchases: Buy gift cards from stores you frequent. This pre-payment method can be beneficial if you have the necessary cash flow.
Visa Gift Card Purchases: Buy Visa gift cards during promotional periods at grocery stores or Staples to avoid high activation fees, then use them for bills payable only with debit cards, ensuring they’re accepted by testing with smaller amounts first. Be careful here and google what you’re doing.
Insurance Payments: Align new card sign-up with upcoming insurance payments, as many firms allow pre-payment of premiums.
Income Tax Payments: Settle federal or state income taxes through your card, being aware of the associated fees.
Property Tax Payments: Pay property taxes via credit card if the benefits outweigh the small associated fees.
Kiva Micro Loans: Fund micro loans through Kiva, aiding others while eventually getting repaid.
Charitable Donations: Accumulate charitable donations and use your credit card for the contribution.
Prepaying Monthly Expenses: Prepay monthly bills like Netflix or gym memberships to meet spending thresholds.
Car Down Payment: Apply part of a car down payment using your credit card, depending on the dealer’s policies.
Amazon Gift Card Loads: Load your Amazon account with gift cards to manage your spending and earn points.
Authorized Users: Add a trusted individual as an authorized user and get reimbursed for their expenditures.
Splitting Bills: Pay for group expenses and have friends reimburse you through digital payment apps.
Business Expense Reimbursements: Get reimbursed for business expenses, after getting approval from your company.
Tuition Payments: Pay tuition fees using your credit card to earn rewards or meet spending requirements.
Earn Through Various Channels: Besides credit cards, earn the required 135,000 points for the Companion Pass through revenue flights, partner hotel stays, car rentals, Southwest-branded card spending, referral bonuses, and shopping through Southwest’s portal.
Partner Earnings: Earn points through Southwest’s partners like 1-800-Flowers.com, Energy Plus, and Rocketmiles which contribute towards Companion Pass qualification.
Referral Bonuses: Chase offers bonuses for referring friends to apply for a card you possess, with potential to earn significant points through referrals.
Referring Businesses: Refer new businesses to SWABIZ, a program for small businesses to manage flights, and earn points which, from 2022, are Companion Pass qualifying.
Online Shopping: Shop online through the Southwest Rapid Rewards portal to earn points, sometimes benefiting from double-dipping by buying and using gift cards through the portal.
Hotel Partners: Book stays with hotel partners of Southwest Airlines to earn points towards the Companion Pass.
Car Rentals: Rent cars through Southwest’s partner companies to earn base points that count towards the Companion Pass.
Point Earnings on Companion Pass Flights:
With the Companion Pass, only the member who purchases the original ticket earns points for the flight, while the companion does not earn any points.
Changing Flights on a Companion Pass Booking:
Flight changes are allowed on Companion Pass bookings, though both the member and companion must switch to the same new flight.
Usage Limit of Companion Pass:
The usage of the Southwest Companion Pass is virtually unlimited during its validity period, allowing multiple uses as long as the pass is valid.
Can I fly to places like Hawaii, Mexico, or international?
- Yes! The Southwest Companion Pass can be used for any flight that Southwest operates, including international and Hawaii, provided there’s seat availability.
DON’T TAKE JUST MY WORD FOR IT!
There are many resources available that provide great information and content related to Southwest, the Companion Pass, and other awesome travel related topics. I highly recommend researching and reviewing some of the great material out there. These are some of my favorite resources out there that can answer any and every question you may have!
Frequent Miler
https://frequentmiler.com/complete-guide-southwest-companion-pass/
My favorite travel blog on the web, Frequent Miler is a great resource for all things travel rewards and miles. They publish and update a regular guide to Companion Pass.
https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/pgph18/2021_southwest_companion_pass_megathread/
Reddit is a great resource for information and community discussion and help on Companion Pass. They maintain an annual mega thread on Companion Pass. Nearly any question has probably been answered here.
Flyertalk
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-airlines-rapid-rewards-501/
Flyertalk is a stalwart of the online travel world. Can sometimes bedifficult to parse through, but is an ultimate source for information and community discussion. If its been thought of, its been answered here.