15 insights from 15 years of holding the Southwest Companion Pass

2023 marked my 15th anniversary as a Southwest Companion Pass holder. If everything goes according to plan, I aim to secure years 16 and 17 soon as well.

Over the past 15 years, I've discovered various ways to earn the pass. One of my preferred methods is through Southwest credit cards. This has allowed me to earn the pass multiple times in the past, and I hope to do so again in 2024 and 2025.

With the current enhanced offers on Southwest credit cards, acquiring the pass through credit card welcome bonuses is much more attainable. My goal is to earn the pass as early as possible in 2024, enabling me to hold it for 51 weeks that year and a full 52 weeks in 2025.

Thanks to the Southwest Companion Pass, I've been able to travel to both domestic and international destinations, where my husband, daughter, son, mom, sister, or a friend can fly with me for free (aside from taxes) as my companion. Although I've never calculated my actual savings, I'm certain it's exceeded $10,000 by now.

If you're eager to experience flying two-for-one, now is one of the prime times to secure the Southwest Companion Pass. You can follow the same steps I took by applying for one (or two) of Southwest's credit cards now and waiting until January for your points to be credited.

Currently, with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card, you can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening.

Once you fulfill the entire minimum spending requirement, you'll accumulate 75,000 qualifying points towards the Companion Pass.

To obtain the pass, you need to earn 135,000 points within a calendar year. However, if you're a cardholder at the beginning of the year, you'll receive an extra 10,000 qualifying bonus points towards the pass. Therefore, once all qualifying points are credited to your account, you'll only need 50,000 points left to earn the pass.

To gather the remaining 50,000 points needed, there are several options available.

The simplest approach — and the one I'm currently focusing on — is to apply for a Southwest business credit card to take advantage of its welcome bonus. Right now, both the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card are providing bonuses that will cover the remaining points needed.

If you're not eligible for a business card (though many people are), you can still accumulate the required points through additional credit card spending, flying with Southwest, or participating in partner activities, like using the Southwest shopping portal.

To make the most of the pass duration, you should apply for the card(s) now, but ensure that all your welcome bonus points are credited in 2024. This way, you'll have the pass for the remainder of 2024 and throughout 2025, so aim to meet the minimum spending requirement in 2024.

While the pass is fairly straightforward, there are a few things you should be aware of. Fortunately, after holding the pass for over a decade, I've gained valuable insights. I hope to help you unlock its full potential.

Make the most of your time with the pass

While I mentioned some of this earlier, it's crucial to be strategic about when you earn the Companion Pass. You will hold the pass for the remainder of the calendar year in which you meet the qualifying threshold, plus the entire following year.

For instance, if you earn the pass on January 15, 2024, it will be valid until December 31, 2025 — that's 23 and a half months as a passholder. If you earn the pass in November 2024, it will still expire on December 31, 2025, providing only 15 months of usage. Earning the pass in December 2023, for example, means it will expire on December 31, 2024, giving you just 13 months at most with the pass.

Therefore, now is an ideal time to begin working towards earning the pass.

Even if you apply for the credit cards now while it's still 2023, the points will only count for the year they are credited to your account, irrespective of when you apply. So, if you apply in November or December 2023 and wait until January 2024 (or later) to meet the minimum spending requirement, you'll earn the points in 2024. This will contribute toward the 135,000 qualifying points needed to maintain your passholder status for 2024 and 2025.

Points typically appear in your account two to five days after your statement closes in the month you fulfill the minimum spending requirement. Therefore, if you're eager to earn the pass quickly, aim to meet the minimum spend as soon as January 1 arrives. If you do, the points will post once your statement closes, allowing you to start using the pass right away — provided you've earned all 135,000 qualifying points.

You can reserve the primary passenger's flight now

Even if you haven't yet earned the pass, you can still book the primary passenger's flight right now. Once you secure the pass, you can then add your companion to your reservation. Just be aware that if the flight fills up before you obtain your pass, you won't be able to add your companion.

For this reason, I suggest reserving a seat using points for your companion. This will guarantee them a spot on the plane, and then you can cancel that points booking and rebook using the Companion Pass without losing the seat. If you don't earn the pass in time, your companion will still be on the flight through points.

Anyone can be chosen as your companion

You can choose anyone to be your companion. This could be your partner, child, parent, best friend, or even your worst enemy — anyone at all.

You are allowed to change your companion up to three times each calendar year. After designating your initial companion, you can switch it three times in 2024 and another three times in 2025 — assuming you earn the pass in 2024.

This means you can have as many as seven different individuals travel with you on the pass across two calendar years. You can also select the same person as your companion multiple times. For instance, if you earn the pass in a few months and choose your spouse as your companion, you can later switch to your child (the first change), then to a friend (the second change), and later back to your spouse (the third change).

Tip: If you don't use all three changes within a year, make sure to change your companion in December to the person who will be flying with you first in the upcoming year.

Changes to your companion take effect immediately

While you can initially set your companion online through your Southwest account right after earning your pass, you'll need to call the airline at 800-435-9792 if you want to choose a different companion later on.

The Southwest Companion Pass FAQs state that it may take up to 21 business days to process your new companion online, but that's not what typically happens. As soon as you contact Southwest and provide your new companion's details, your pass is updated instantly, allowing you to book their ticket right away.

In a few weeks (likely around that "21 business days"), you'll receive your updated Companion Pass in the mail, featuring both your name and your companion's. While having the physical pass is convenient, I've never had to show it to anyone during all my years of usage.

Leave with one companion and return with another

Since companion changes are instantaneous, I've occasionally flown one person out and another back. For instance, a few years back, I traveled to Florida with my parents and met my husband there. I used the Companion Pass for my mom on the flight to Florida and for my husband on the return trip.

Right after landing with my mom, I called Southwest to switch my Companion Pass to my husband. Once he was set as my companion, I booked his return flight. There is some risk involved, as you’re only adding your companion a few days before departure. You need at least one available seat on the flight to make the companion reservation, but if the flight is full, you could find yourself in a tight spot.

Tip: Even if the first passenger won't be returning with you, reserve a companion ticket for them on the return trip. This will secure a seat, and when you switch companions (and cancel the first reservation), it should open up a spot. You can then promptly book your new companion on the flight. The Southwest agent you talk to can handle everything for you. Keep in mind there will be a slight delay between canceling the old ticket and booking the new one, so on a fully booked flight, there's a chance another passenger could snag that seat during that brief window.

The pass comes with no blackout dates or seat limitations

This is a completely hassle-free pass.

In contrast to many other companion passes available in the travel industry, this one has no blackout dates, seat limitations, or fare constraints. Your companion can travel with you for free every day of the week, all year round. This includes busy travel periods like the day before Thanksgiving, winter holidays, and any other time when most airlines restrict their mileage redemption options.

As long as there's at least one seat available for sale on your flight (after you secure your own ticket), you can include your companion in your reservation. This holds true even if a "Wanna Getaway" fare is fully booked, leaving only the pricier Business Select fare open.

You can utilize the pass as many times as you wish throughout the year

That's right! Your companion can fly with you for free an unlimited number of times while the Companion Pass is active. Unlike some other passes, this isn't a one-time offer. In theory, you could use it every single day for an entire year without any restrictions.

Tip: The companion must always fly alongside the primary passenger.

Your companion needs to check in individually

While your companion is linked to your reservation, each passenger receives a distinct confirmation number. This necessitates that both travelers check in separately.

As Southwest doesn't assign seats, boarding is determined by the boarding number on your pass. You can begin checking in for your flight 24 hours before departure; the sooner you check in, the better your boarding number will be.

It's advisable to check in both passengers simultaneously to ensure their boarding numbers are adjacent if possible. If you forget to check in for your companion, you may end up in different boarding groups, making it more challenging to sit together. Alternatives include Early Bird Check-In or utilizing one of the four upgraded boarding positions you can access each year with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card.

The pass is applicable to any ticket category

As previously noted, there are no limitations on how you can use the pass. You can apply the Companion Pass to any ticket type, whether the primary passenger purchased their ticket with cash or points. This means you can utilize your points from the current credit card welcome bonus to cover your flight, allowing both you and your companion to travel for nearly free.

You can also transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio using cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, enabling you to book travel this way.

Points can be redeemed from the companion's account

The points used for your flight reservation can originate from any account, including your companion's Rapid Rewards account. Just ensure the booking is made in your name and that your Rapid Rewards number is linked to the flight. This will reflect in your Southwest account and enable you to add your companion's reservation.

Southwest does not automatically include your companion in your reservation

When booking your flight, Southwest won't automatically include your companion in the reservation. You'll need to add them manually, which only takes a moment.

Tip: After you complete your flight booking, be sure to add your companion right away to avoid forgetting. If you decide to change your companion, canceling the old companion's ticket comes at no charge. Any taxes or fees paid will be refunded back to the credit card used. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use the Southwest Companion Pass.

If you happen to forget to add your companion to your flight and it sells out, keep refreshing over the next few days, as a seat usually becomes available eventually.

Your companion has the option to fly standby

Earlier this year, Southwest introduced an amazing benefit for all travelers: the ability to fly standby for free. This applies to all fare types, allowing you to fly standby.

However, the procedure varies slightly when using the Companion Pass. If you and your companion wish to take advantage of same-day standby, you must add yourselves to the standby list in person at the airport; the Southwest app or website cannot be used for this.

Additionally, there needs to be a seat available for both you and your companion on the flight you want.

You can utilize the pass for any route or destination

The Companion Pass allows a passenger to fly for free to any destination served by Southwest. This encompasses all domestic and international locations, including Hawaii.

Keep in mind that the taxes and fees associated with your companion ticket on international flights can be considerably higher than those for domestic flights. For domestic flights, you only need to cover the Passenger Fee, also referred to as the September 11 Security Fee, which is $5.60 per ticket for each one-way flight. In contrast, for international flights, the fees will be equivalent to what you'd pay if you booked the flight using points.

You can easily check the fees by creating a mock reservation for the two city pairs while choosing the points option. For instance, a round-trip flight to Aruba will typically cost around $90, whereas a round-trip flight to Montego Bay, Jamaica, may exceed $140. (If your flight includes a layover, the taxes and fees might be slightly higher.)

Tip: Consider Puerto Rico for a Caribbean vibe or one of Hawaii's numerous islands to bypass international taxes.

If you need to alter a flight, remember to cancel your companion's reservation

Southwest boasts one of the most favorable ticket change policies in the airline industry. You can modify a flight without any fees up until 10 minutes before departure. This means you can always rebook a flight if prices drop, helping your family save money and/or points.

The only exception to this policy occurs when a companion is already linked to your reservation. In that case, to change a ticket (or rebook the same flight at a reduced price), you'll first need to cancel your companion's reservation. After adjusting your ticket, you'll need to add your companion back to the reservation manually. Their ticket won't automatically transfer to your new flight, even if you're rebooking the same route to benefit from a price drop.

Companions enjoy the same benefits as all other passengers

While your companion's ticket is essentially complimentary, they still enjoy the same benefits as any other passenger traveling on points. This means that when flying for free with the Companion Pass, you will receive two complimentary checked bags and no fees for changes or cancellations.

Companion reservations can also take advantage of early boarding by purchasing Early Bird Check-In or an upgraded boarding position. Additionally, the primary traveler can use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card to access complimentary upgraded boardings for this purpose.

The companion does not earn Rapid Reward points for your flight or segments toward status, similar to passengers using points for their travel, but it's still wonderful that Southwest offers a variety of perks for those flying at no cost.

Key takeaway

Southwest simplifies the process of using the Companion Pass, which significantly contributes to its overall value as a benefit.

There are no unexpected fees, making it an excellent option for families. So obtain the Companion Pass and start your travels. It has the potential to save your family thousands of dollars annually, depending on your travel frequency.

• Application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
• Application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
• Application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
• Application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card