The Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is one of the most coveted rewards in the airline industry, offering unbeatable value for frequent flyers. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or new to Southwest, understanding how the Companion Pass works, how to earn points through credit cards and purchases, and how to maximize its benefits can significantly enhance your travel experience. By joining your Rapid Rewards account and leveraging bonus offers, you can accelerate your earning of qualifying points and enjoy more free flights throughout the year.
This comprehensive guide will help you learn how to earn the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass, answer common questions about the companion program, provide examples of point-earning strategies, and cover everything you need to know to maximize your rewards and travel benefits with Southwest Airlines.
Update (October 2026): Through December 31, 2026, you earn Companion Pass with 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights in the calendar year, and a pass earned in 2026 gives unlimited Companion Pass trips through December 31, 2027. From January 1, 2027, Companion Pass qualifying points are retired: 95,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or 75 qualifying one-way flights unlocks three Companion Pass trips, and Platinum status (140,000 TQPs or 100 flights) makes them unlimited. Card welcome, referral and anniversary bonuses stop counting, but Southwest says cards approved on or before December 2, 2026 can have their welcome bonus count as Companion Pass qualifying points even if the spend is met in early 2027. See our full breakdown of the 2027 changes.
What is the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass?
With the Southwest Companion Pass, you can nominate a companion to fly with you for free (minus taxes and fees, starting at $5.60 one way) every time you book a flight using your Rapid Rewards account.
This applies to all tickets, including those earned through points or purchased with a credit card, making the Companion Pass a highly valuable benefit for travelers looking to earn more rewards and save on annual fees.
The Southwest Companion Pass remains a premier travel reward, valid for the rest of the year it’s obtained and the entire subsequent year. Additionally, you are allowed to change your designated companion up to three times within the calendar year, providing flexibility in selecting who flies with you and maximizing your rewards.
How to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass
There are several ways to earn the Southwest Companion Pass:
- Flying: You must fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year to earn enough points for the Companion Pass.
- Earning Points (through December 31, 2026): earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in the calendar year from Southwest flights, Rapid Rewards credit card points (including welcome bonuses and the 10,000-point annual cardmember boost) and base partner points. The rules change from 2027; see the note at the top.
| Ways | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 💳 Points | Earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points (through 2026) |
| ✈️ Flights | Take 100 one-way qualifying flights |
Southwest Companion Pass Credit Card
Using a Southwest credit card is one of the fastest ways to earn the Companion Pass. With welcome bonuses typically ranging from 40,000 to 80,000 points, you can significantly boost your progress toward earning the pass. Remember that the Companion Pass qualifying points are derived from revenue flights, purchases on Rapid Rewards Credit Cards, and base points from partners. Some points, such as those from program enrollment or tier bonuses, don’t qualify.
Card welcome bonuses still count toward Companion Pass through 2026 (see the December 2, 2026 rule at the top); compare the cards in our Southwest business card review.
Southwest and Chase sometimes run card offers that include a Companion Pass; check the current offer before applying.
Another fast way to get a Southwest Companion Pass is to combine two Southwest personal and business credit cards.
This strategy stops working in 2027: credit card welcome and anniversary bonuses will no longer count toward Companion Pass qualification once Southwest moves to the new Tier Qualifying Point system. To use this combo strategy, get both cards approved by December 2, 2026: Southwest says welcome bonuses on cards approved by then can count as Companion Pass qualifying points even if you meet the spend in early 2027.
Fast Track Strategy: Credit Cards Combo
Bonuses change often. As of October 2026, the Plus card ($99 annual fee) offers 50,000 points and the Premier Business card ($149) offers 60,000, or 110,000 together; check the current offers before applying.
| Card | Typical Bonus | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus (Personal) | 50,000 points (October 2026) | $99 |
| Southwest Premier Business Card | 60,000 points (October 2026) | $149 |
There are both personal and business versions of the cards, each with its own set of benefits and earning rates – Comparative Analysis: Business vs. Personal Southwest Cards.
Timing Your Card Application (Late 2026)
To maximize the Companion Pass duration — and possibly get nearly 24 months of two-for-one flights — timing your credit card application is crucial.
Under the current rules, Companion Pass qualifying points must post by December 31, 2026, and a pass earned in 2026 gives unlimited Companion Pass trips through December 31, 2027. Southwest also says cards approved on or before December 2, 2026 can have their welcome bonus count as Companion Pass qualifying points even if you meet the spend in early 2027. From 2027, welcome bonuses no longer help earn Companion Pass benefits.
Through 2026, time your card application so the welcome bonus posts in the calendar year you want it to count for — a bonus that posts in December counts for that year and the pass expires at the end of the following year.
How to Book with the Southwest Companion Pass
Booking with the Companion Pass is straightforward:
- Book Your Flight: Purchase or redeem points for your flight through Southwest’s Rapid Rewards website.
- Add Your Companion: Once your flight is booked, you can add your designated companion through your Rapid Rewards account.
For any bookings, remember to reserve your companion’s spot after your ticket is confirmed to ensure both reservations are processed smoothly. If needed, speak with a Customer Representative for booking assistance.
Designating a Companion
- Log into Your Account: Access your Southwest Rapid Rewards account online.
- Add Companion: Navigate to the “My Account” section and select “Companion Pass” to add your companion’s details.
Changing Your Companion
You can change your designated companion up to three times in a calendar year. This flexibility allows you to share the benefits of the Companion Pass with different people throughout the year, enhancing your travel experiences.
In addition to enjoying unlimited flights with your companion on qualifying bookings, consider pairing your Companion Pass strategy with other Southwest credit card rewards, such as shopping bonuses or dining deals, to maximize your points earning and enhance your overall travel experiences. Pass with different people throughout the year.
How to Change Your Companion
You can do this easily via your Rapid Rewards profile:
- Log in to your Southwest account
- Go to “My Account” → “Companion Pass”
- Update your companion’s info
- Wait for confirmation before booking a new companion’s flight
Once a change is made, you can’t reverse it until your next allowable switch (3x total per calendar year).
Requalifying Each Year
The Companion Pass isn’t forever, and how you requalify depends on the year.
Through 2026: earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points again each calendar year, or fly 100 one-way qualifying flights.
To earn Companion Pass benefits from 2027, earn 95,000 TQPs or fly 75 qualifying one-way flights for three Companion Pass trips, or 140,000 TQPs or 100 flights (Platinum) for unlimited trips. TQPs come from Southwest flights and 1 TQP per $1 of card spend; welcome, anniversary and bonus-category points don’t count.
Conclusion
The Southwest Companion Pass is a powerful tool for frequent travelers, offering substantial savings and flexibility. Learn the rules, take advantage of the bonus offers, and plan how best to spend to maximize this fantastic travel benefit. Utilize various ways to earn points and rewards through your credit card and partners to fully benefit from the Companion Pass: traveling more with family, reducing the cost of business travel, or visiting new destinations.
