How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass for 2025-2026

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in travel, allowing a designated companion to fly free (excluding taxes and fees) on all your Southwest flights. Essentially, it doubles the value of your points, making travel more affordable and rewarding.

In this post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to earn this incredible benefit and enjoy nearly two years of BOGO flights with a loved one.

What is the Southwest Companion Pass?

The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring a friend or family member on every Southwest flight for free—you just pay the required taxes and fees (typically $5.60 per flight).

Key Benefits:

Valid for the remainder of the year you earn it, plus the entire following year.
Can be earned with credit card welcome bonuses.
You can change your designated companion up to three times per year.

How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass

There are two primary ways to qualify for the pass:

1. The Quick & Easy (One-Card) Offer

Southwest currently offers a limited-time promotion on its personal credit cards, allowing you to earn a temporary Companion Pass + 30,000 points when you spend $4,000 within three months. This pass is valid through February 28, 2026.

Eligible Credit Cards:

Things to Consider:

This option is fast and simple, but the pass expires 10 months earlier than the traditional method.
The 30,000 points earned may only cover 1-2 flights, so you may need additional points for travel.
Southwest is a Chase transfer partner, so you can transfer Ultimate Rewards® points to top off your balance.

2. The Traditional Method (Best for Maximum Use)

To earn a full Southwest Companion Pass, you need to accumulate 135,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year. However, Southwest credit cardholders get a 10,000-point boost annually, meaning you only need to earn 125,000 additional points.

The best way to achieve this is by opening two Southwest credit cards strategically.

Timing is Crucial

The Companion Pass is valid for the rest of the year you earn it, plus the full following year. To maximize your time with the pass, aim to earn it as early as possible in the calendar year.

Example Strategies for Earning the Pass

Strategy #1: One Business + One Personal Card

Apply for the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card
Apply for a Southwest personal card (at least 30 – 45 days later).

Strategy #2: Two Business Cards (Best for Chase 5/24 Limit Avoidance)

1. Apply for your first Southwest business card
2. Apply for the second Southwest business card i(30-45 days later)
3. Meet the spending requirements for both
4. Earn the Companion Pass and maximize its validity!

Strategy #3: Two-Pass Strategy (For Couples/Partners)

Player 1 (P1) applies for a Southwest Business Card
P1 refers Player 2 (P2) to the same card, earning a 20,000-point referral bonus.
P2 completes the minimum spending requirement and earns their welcome bonus.
P1 refers to P2 to a second Southwest card (business or personal).
Both P1 and P2 accumulate enough points to earn TWO Companion Passes!

Credit Card Options for Earning the Pass

Personal Cards:

Business Cards:

Alternative Way: One Card + Spending

If you prefer to earn the Companion Pass with just one credit card, you can do so by combining organic spending with other point-earning methods:

Southwest flights (paid with cash or points)
Shopping through the Southwest Rapid Rewards portal
Referral bonuses from friends or family

This approach takes longer but can work if you don’t want to open multiple cards.

Southwest Card Eligibility & Important Rules

Already have a Southwest personal card? Cancel it 30+ days before reapplying.
Have a Southwest business card? You can still apply for the other Southwest business card.
Not sure if you qualify for a business card? You don’t need a registered business—side hustles count (e.g., selling on eBay, freelancing, tutoring, dog walking, etc.).
Already earned a bonus before? You must wait 24 months from your last earned bonus and no longer have the card open.
Applying for multiple cards close together? 90 days is a general guideline, but applying within 30 days for this strategy is fine.

Wanna learn more about the Southwest Companion Pass, Download the FREE SOUTHWEST COMPANION PASS GUUDE

Final Thoughts

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best travel perks, offering nearly two years of free flights for your companion. With the right timing and strategy, earning it is very achievable and absolutely worth the effort.

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Happy travels! ✈️