Southwest Airlines recently announced it Ends the bag fly-free policy, I’ll throw away the fare I want to run away And I’ll make it A few other customer friendly changes. But at least so far, the Southwest companion pass, one of the most advantageous products in the travel industry, remains intact.
This valuable advantage allows you to take your companions for free, unlimited, free (excluding applicable taxes and fees) Southwest Airlines Flight until the pass breaks. For frequently Southwest Flyers, this benefit alone will cost thousands of dollars to save each year. So here’s what you need to know about acquiring and using the Southwest Companion Pass:
How to get a Southwest Companion Pass
In Get a Southwest Companion Pass If valid by the end of the next calendar year, you must either earn 135,000 qualifying points or complete 100 flights within the calendar year.
You can earn qualifying points through a variety of ways, including flying in the Southwest and interacting with your partner. The latter includes purchasing via Fast Reward Shopping PortalComplete your hotel stay and car rental with your partner and use your Southwest credit card to purchase.
Cobranded Southwest Credit Cards earn qualifying points on purchase, so they are often the easiest way to earn a companion pass, and the welcome bonus point is qualifying. Additionally, travelers with the adopted Southwest credit card will earn 10,000 qualifying points each year, effectively reducing companion pass requirements to 125,000 qualifying points each year.
Speaking of Southwest Credit Card welcome bonuses, check out some of our current offers.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn companion pass until February 28, 2026, and earn 30,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account (this offer ends on March 31).
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn companion pass until February 28, 2026, and earn 30,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account (this offer ends on March 31).
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account.
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account.
The two Consumer Southwest Cards will offer a companion pass valid until February 28, 2026 as part of their welcome offer. However, bonus points from each offer will help you earn a valid companion pass until the end of 2026.
Finally, it is also worth noting that Southwest sometimes offers Limited time companion pass promotion. For example, for a short time in February, the Southwestret Travelers will earn a two-month companion pass after one or two round-trip flights later this year.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news from TPG experts, detailed guides and exclusive deals
How to use the Southwest Companion Pass
Once you get a companion pass, the South West will be extremely easy to use.
Set up a companion pass
After earning a companion pass, Southwest will send you a congratulatory email within a few days. Log in to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account and track your progress towards earning a companion pass.
Once you receive your email, click on the link to set up your first companion selection. This process is quick, but you need to provide information about your peers, such as a legal name (match your ID) and date of birth.
If you want to keep the same companion during the Companion Pass, you just need to set it up once. But don’t forget that you can Change your friends Up to three times per calendar year.
Related: 2 for 1: How Airline Companion Tickets Save Serious Money on Your Next Trip
Book your flight
You must book your own Southwest flight before using your companion pass. And if you are traveling with someone not your designated companion, book their flights as well. For example, let’s say one adult is a family of four who holds a companion pass and the other adult is a companion. In that case, you will first need to book a companion pass holder and tickets for two children.
You can pay in cash for your flight Redeem Southwest Points When using a companion pass. However, if you are purchasing tickets for cash, don’t forget to include each traveler’s prompt reward number when booking. Earn Southwest Points On their flight.
Related: Southwest A-List Status: What is it and how to get it
Add your companion to your booking
Once you have booked your flight, you can add friends to your booking. Doing so immediately after booking your flight is the best way to add a companion before your flight sells out.
However, you cannot change your flight with a companion attached. And you can often save serious points and cash by checking occasionally whether you can Reserve at a lower rate. Therefore, TPG lead writer Katie Gentle I suggest setting up a Y9 alert ExpertFlyer (Owned by Red Ventures, the parent company of TPG). Therefore, you will receive an email if only nine seats remain on the flight. After that, if your flight is less than two weeks (points that make Southwest Flights more expensive than usual), or you receive a Y9 alert email, add a companion.
To add a companion to your flight, log in to your Southwest account and find your flight on your upcoming trips. If you have not added a companion yet, you will need to display the “Companion” button for your flight.
Click the button to double-check the information you filled in in advance. Go through the process until you reach the point where you need to pay taxes and fees for your companion flight. Once you pay taxes and fees, your companion will be confirmed on the flight. Your companion will get a different confirmation number from you.
Related: “The Day Southwest Dead”: Reactions are poured into major changes in careers
Conclusion
Companion Passes can offer considerable value if you frequently fly southwest with your favorite companion. Similarly, if you can do so at about half the cost, a companion pass is worth considering if you frequently fly southwest with another traveler.
Southwest credit cards can earn a companion pass even if you do not meet the standard requirements through your flight. Above all, Southwest Rapid Rewards and Credit Cards and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card Until March 31st, we welcome a companion pass valid until February 28th, 2026, and 30,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account.
