What if every flight you booked came with a free ticket for your travel partner? That’s exactly what the Southwest Companion Pass offers—and it’s arguably the single most valuable travel benefit available through credit cards.

Unlike airline status perks or credit card companion certificates with blackout dates and restrictions, the Companion Pass works on every Southwest flight. Peak summer travel? Covered. Holiday blackouts? Don’t exist. Cash ticket or points redemption? Both work. Your designated companion flies free (just paying minimal taxes), no matter what.

Here’s how to earn it, maximize its value, and potentially get nearly two full years of free travel for your companion.

What Is the Southwest Companion Pass?

The Companion Pass is Southwest’s ultimate loyalty perk. Once you earn it, you designate one person as your companion. From that point forward, whenever you book a Southwest flight (using cash or points), your companion flies for free.

Let that sink in: every single flight, for up to nearly two years, includes a free ticket for someone you choose.

How it works in practice:

1. You book a Southwest flight for yourself
2. Within minutes, you add your companion to the same flight
3. Your companion pays only taxes/fees—currently $5.60 per one-way domestic segment
4. No blackout dates, no restrictions, no capacity controls

The Companion Pass applies to:

• All domestic U.S. flights
• Hawaii routes
• Mexico destinations
• Caribbean and Central America routes

It’s essentially a permanent buy-one-get-one-free deal on every Southwest flight.

How Long Does the Companion Pass Last?

Here’s the crucial detail that shapes your entire earning strategy: the Companion Pass is valid from when you earn it through the end of the following calendar year.

Example timing:

• Earn the pass in January 2025 → Valid through December 31, 2026 (nearly 24 months)
• Earn the pass in December 2025 → Valid through December 31, 2026 (only 13 months)

This creates a powerful optimization opportunity: earn the pass early in the calendar year to maximize its duration. Earn it in January, and you get almost two full years. Earn it in November, and you’re looking at barely 14 months.

How to Earn the Companion Pass

There are two ways to qualify:

Method 1: Earn 135,000 Qualifying Points in a Calendar Year

This is the path most people take. Qualifying points come from:

• Flying Southwest (points earned from flights)
• Credit card sign-up bonuses (this is the key)
• Credit card spending
• Partner earning (hotels, car rentals, etc.)

Importantly, transferred points from Chase Ultimate Rewards do NOT count toward the Companion Pass. Only points earned directly through Southwest cards or Southwest flights qualify.

Method 2: Fly 100 Qualifying One-Way Flights in a Calendar Year

Unless you’re a road warrior with an unusual travel pattern, this method is impractical. We’ll focus on the points method.

The Credit Card Strategy

Credit card sign-up bonuses are the fastest path to 135,000 qualifying points. Here’s your card arsenal:

Southwest Personal Cards (Pick One)

Chase offers three personal Southwest cards. You can only hold one personal Southwest card at a time, and you must wait 24 months between earning sign-up bonuses on Southwest personal cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus

• Annual fee: $69
• Current bonus: Varies (often 50,000+ points)
• Ongoing earning: 2x on Southwest, hotels, and car rentals; 1x everywhere else
• Perks: 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, 3,000 anniversary points

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier

• Annual fee: $99
• Current bonus: Varies (often 50,000+ points)
• Ongoing earning: 2x on Southwest, hotels, and car rentals; 1x everywhere else
• Perks: 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, 6,000 anniversary points, no foreign transaction fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority

• Annual fee: $149
• Current bonus: Varies (often 50,000+ points)
• Ongoing earning: 2x on Southwest, hotels, and car rentals; 1x everywhere else
• Perks: $75 Southwest travel credit, 4 Upgraded Boardings per year, 7,500 anniversary points

Southwest Business Cards (The Key to the Strategy)

Business cards are the secret weapon because they have separate bonus eligibility from personal cards.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business

• Annual fee: $99
• Current bonus: Varies (often 60,000+ points)
• Ongoing earning: 2x on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards partners; 1x everywhere else
• Perks: 6,000 anniversary points

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business

• Annual fee: $199
• Current bonus: Varies (often 80,000+ points)
• Ongoing earning: 3x on Southwest purchases; 2x on social media, search engine, and advertising; 1x everywhere else
• Perks: 9,000 anniversary points, 4 Upgraded Boardings per year, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

The Optimal Earning Strategy

The most reliable path combines one personal card with one business card, timed to hit 135,000 points early in a new calendar year.

Step 1: Plan Your Timing

Work backward from when you want to earn the pass:

• Target earning date: Early January
• Apply for cards: October-November of the prior year
• Complete minimum spend: Late December through early January

Example timeline:

• October 15: Apply for Southwest Priority (personal)
• November 15: Apply for Southwest Premier Business
• December-January: Complete both minimum spending requirements
• Early January: Bonuses post, you hit 135,000 points
• Result: Companion Pass valid through end of following year (nearly 24 months)

Step 2: Apply for the Cards

If you’re under Chase’s 5/24 rule (fewer than 5 personal cards opened in 24 months), you’re eligible. Space your applications about 30 days apart to maximize approval odds.

Apply for the personal card first, as personal cards count toward 5/24. Business cards don’t add to your 5/24 count (though Chase still checks your 5/24 status when you apply).

Step 3: Meet the Minimum Spending Requirements

Each card typically requires $3,000-$5,000 in spending within the first 3 months. Plan your spending strategically:

• Time applications so minimum spend periods overlap with holiday shopping
• Use cards for regular expenses (groceries, gas, bills)
• Consider timing with large planned purchases

Step 4: Confirm Points Posting

Monitor your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. Sign-up bonus points should post within 1-2 statement cycles after meeting spending requirements. Once you hit 135,000 qualifying points in the calendar year, the Companion Pass automatically appears in your account.

What If Two Cards Aren’t Enough?

Standard sign-up bonuses may not quite reach 135,000 points. Here’s how to close the gap:

Spending on the cards: Every dollar spent earns 1-3 points depending on category. If you’re 10,000 points short, $5,000-$10,000 in spending gets you there.

Southwest flights: Points earned from flying count toward the pass.

Promotional bonuses: Watch for elevated offers or limited-time promotions with higher bonuses.

Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal: Online purchases through Southwest’s shopping portal earn bonus points that count toward the pass.

Companion Pass Rules and Restrictions

Designating Your Companion

You pick one person to be your companion. You can change your companion up to 3 times per calendar year, but each change uses one of your three allowed switches. Most people designate a spouse, partner, or frequent travel buddy and never change.

Adding Your Companion to Flights

After booking your own flight, log into your Southwest account and add your companion to the same reservation. This must be done before check-in closes. You cannot add a companion to a flight you’re already checked in for.

What Companions Pay

Companions pay only government taxes and fees:

• Domestic: $5.60 per one-way segment
• International: Varies based on destination taxes

Route Restrictions

The Companion Pass works on all Southwest routes:

• 50 U.S. states including Hawaii
• Mexico
• Caribbean islands
• Central America

Southwest doesn’t fly to Europe, Asia, or South America, so the pass doesn’t help for those destinations.

Points Flights Work Too

Here’s what makes the Companion Pass extraordinarily valuable: it works whether you pay cash or redeem points. Book a points flight for 15,000 Rapid Rewards points, and your companion tags along paying only the $5.60 tax.

This effectively doubles the value of your Southwest points.

Calculating the Value

Let’s run real numbers:

Scenario: A couple takes 10 round-trip Southwest flights per year

• Average flight cost: $250 round-trip
• Companion flights saved: 10 × $250 = $2,500/year
• Over two years: $5,000 in companion flights

With points redemptions: If you’re redeeming points worth 1.5 cents each, your companion flying free effectively doubles your redemption value.

Card costs:

• Southwest Priority: $149/year
• Southwest Premier Business: $99/year
• Two-year cost: ~$500

Net value: $5,000 - $500 = $4,500 in net savings

For frequent Southwest travelers, this is among the best values in the credit card world.

Is the Companion Pass Right for You?

The pass offers tremendous value, but only if the fit is right.

You should pursue it if:

• You have a regular travel companion (spouse, partner, family member)
• Southwest flies to airports convenient for you
• You travel domestically at least 4-6 times per year
• Your destinations align with Southwest’s route map
• You’re under Chase’s 5/24 rule

You might skip it if:

• You typically travel solo
• Your home airport has limited Southwest service
• You prefer international travel over domestic
• You’re over 5/24 and can’t get Chase cards
• You don’t have planned travel that would use it

Check Southwest’s Route Map

Before pursuing the pass, verify that Southwest serves:

• Your home airport(s)
• Your most frequent destinations
• Routes you’d actually book

Southwest has hubs in cities like Dallas Love Field, Denver, Phoenix, Chicago Midway, Baltimore, and Oakland. If you’re based in a city with a major Southwest presence, the pass is a natural fit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Earning Late in the Year

The biggest mistake: earning the pass in October, November, or December. You’re leaving months of value on the table. Time your applications to earn the pass in January.

Mistake 2: Transferring Chase Points

Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Southwest do NOT count toward the Companion Pass. Only directly earned Southwest points qualify.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to Add Your Companion

The companion doesn’t automatically appear on your flights. You must manually add them after booking. Set a reminder or make it part of your booking routine.

Mistake 4: Not Reading the Current Offers

Sign-up bonuses change frequently. Before applying, verify current offers are sufficient to hit 135,000 points. Sometimes it’s worth waiting for elevated promotions.

Mistake 5: Ignoring the 24-Month Rule

You can’t earn a Southwest personal card bonus if you received one in the past 24 months. If you earned the pass previously, plan your next application timing carefully.

Key Takeaways

• The Southwest Companion Pass lets your designated companion fly free on every Southwest flight
• Earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to get the pass
• The pass lasts through the end of the following calendar year—timing your earning early maximizes value
• Combine one personal and one business Southwest card for the fastest path
• Points transferred from Chase UR don’t count—only directly earned Southwest points qualify
• The pass works on both cash and points bookings
• Typical value: $4,000-$5,000+ over the life of the pass for active travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my designated companion?

Yes, up to 3 times per calendar year. Each change uses one of your allowed switches, so choose wisely.

Do children count as companions?

Yes, anyone can be your companion—children, parents, friends. They just need a Southwest Rapid Rewards account (free to create).

Can I earn the Companion Pass every other year?

Yes, many people do exactly this. The 24-month rule on personal cards means you alternate: earn it year one, use it through year two, earn it again year three with new card bonuses.

What if I don’t hit 135,000 points?

Points earned count toward your Rapid Rewards balance regardless. They don’t disappear—you can use them for free flights. You just won’t get the Companion Pass until you hit the threshold.

Does the Companion Pass work on Wanna Get Away fares?

Yes, it works on all fare classes: Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select.

Can my companion and I sit together?

Southwest uses open seating, so boarding position matters. Your companion gets the same boarding position as you, so you can board and choose seats together.

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Disclaimer: Credit card offers, bonuses, and program rules change frequently. Verify current Southwest Companion Pass requirements and credit card terms on the issuer’s website before applying. Qualifying point thresholds and earning rules are set by Southwest and subject to change.

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