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- The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to fly with a companion for only the cost of taxes and fees.
- Normally, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to earn the Companion Pass.
- Right now, three Southwest personal credit cards are offering a welcome bonus of
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card - Intro Bonus - Read Insider's guide to the best Southwest credit cards.
Southwest offers one of the most generous airline benefits around: The Southwest Companion Pass. With this perk, you can bring along a friend for just the cost of taxes and fees on all Southwest flights — whether you pay for your own flight with cash or points.
The more you fly, the more money you'll save. The Companion Pass is essentially a buy-one-get-one certificate that's valid for up to two years. If you fly domestically on a regular basis, this can be one of the best travel investments you can make.
Here's everything you need to know about using the Southwest Companion Pass.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
How to earn the Southwest Companion Pass
To obtain a Companion Pass in 2023, you must earn 135,000 qualifying Southwest points or fly 100 one-way flights in a calendar year. However, Southwest credit card holders get a "boost" of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points. These points cannot be redeemed for free flights — instead, they simply lower the Companion Pass requirement to 125,000 points. There's only one boost per member, even if you have multiple Southwest cards.
If you're flying to earn the Companion Pass, you're doing it the hard way. You can more easily earn it with Southwest credit cards, as their welcome bonus offers and points earned from spending count toward the qualifying points you need. In fact, all three personal credit cards currently offer
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Southwest personal credit cards often have bonuses of at least 40,000 points. You can easily get the Companion Pass by earning a bonus from one of these personal cards and one from a Southwest business credit card.
Here's what the two Southwest business cards are currently offering:
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card —Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card —Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
When should I earn the Companion Pass?
The Southwest Companion Pass is valid through the remainder of the calendar year in which you earn it, as well as the following calendar year. This means you'll get the most value from the Companion Pass by earning it as early in the year as possible.
For example, if you were to accrue the required Southwest points by December 2023, your Companion Pass would be valid for about 13 months. But if you instead earn the points in February 2023, your Companion Pass will be valid for nearly 22 months.
Note that "earning" Southwest points means that the points have been posted to your account. This means if you open a card in November of 2023 but achieve its welcome bonus in January 2024, your points will count toward the 2024 year.
Getting started with the Southwest Companion Pass
As a Companion Pass holder, you can book your flight to your desired destination using cash or points. Once your flight is confirmed, you can add a second passenger (your companion) for the same flight online or by phone.
Designate your companion
Before you start scouring the site for flights, you must first designate who your companion will be.
To do so, log onto your Rapid Rewards account at Southwest. On your Snapshot tab, click Choose Your Companion. Then, enter the information about your companion and follow the instructions until the process is complete. A Companion Pass member kit and membership card will arrive within 10 business days.
Don't worry — you don't need to wait for your Companion Pass member kit to come in the mail before you start booking tickets. In fact, you don't really need it at all.
Add your companion to a reservation
Once your flight is booked, visit the My Trips section of your account. Find your flight in the section titled "Upcoming" and click on the "Add Companion" link. Here, click "Continue" to proceed to the next step where you can purchase your companion fare and review the information. Once you hit the "Purchase" button to complete your booking reservation, you're all set.
You can also book via phone and notify the customer service representative that you will be using a Companion Pass.
Who can I designate as my companion?
While the Companion Pass is good for only one companion, you can change who your companion is up to three times per year. Choose someone you travel with frequently, such as a spouse, friend, or family member.
How to change your designated companion
You cannot switch your companion online yourself; instead, you need to speak with Southwest directly at 800-435-9792. The process is straightforward — a customer representative will take the information about your new designated companion and make the switch for you.
Note that until your trips with your current companion are complete, you will not be able to book a new flight with your newly designated companion. For example, if you're traveling to New York with your sister in May, but want to fly to Los Angeles with your spouse in June, you will not be able to add your spouse as your companion until your trip in May is completed.
One workaround to this is that you can still book a flight for yourself and then add your companion after flying the last leg of your previous trip (in this case the May trip) as long as there is still a seat available on the flight. If you use points and need to cancel for any reason, all of your points will be restored to your account.
Are there any restrictions?
One huge benefit to having the Companion Pass is that you can use it whether you book your flight with points or with cash. For example, even if you book a flight for yourself using points, your Companion Pass still qualifies so you can bring your companion with you for only the cost of taxes ($5.60 each way on domestic US flights). There's also no limit to the number of flights you can use the Companion Pass on.
Southwest Companion Pass frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is the Southwest Companion Pass worth it?
The Southwest Companion Pass isn't difficult to earn — and the payoff is immense. Depending on how often you fly Southwest, you and a travel buddy could save thousands of dollars. From powdered sugar beaches to cloud-scraping mountains, Southwest serves breathtaking locations throughout the country — and even a few destinations beyond, such as Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. The fact that you can bring a companion for free makes the airline even more appealing.
How do I get the Southwest Companion Pass?
You can earn the Companion Pass after earning 135,000 qualifying Southwest points in a calendar year. This is often easy to achieve simply by earning a welcome bonus offer from one Southwest personal card and a welcome bonus from one Southwest small business credit card. Plus, having a Southwest card will get you a boost of 10,000 qualifying points each year — reducing the requirement to 125,000 points.
How does the Southwest Companion Pass work?
The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring a travel buddy every time you fly Southwest for just the cost of taxes and fees. As long as there are two available seats on your flight, you can bring along a friend or family member. Even if you fly Southwest multiple times per day, your companion can accompany you.
Can you use Southwest points and the Companion Pass?
You can use the Companion Pass on Southwest award flights. Just book your flight with points and add your companion later. You'll then both pay just taxes and fees for your flight.
Can you change your companion with the Southwest Companion Pass?
You can change your companion up to three times each calendar year. In other words, you can assign a companion in 2023 and change three times before 2024. Beginning January 1, 2024, you'll be able to change your companion three more times.