Don't Miss Your Final Opportunity to Obtain a Sought-After Companion Pass with Southwest’s Credit Card Deals

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This offer concluded on March 11, 2024.

The Southwest Companion Pass garners significant attention—and rightly so. It serves as a voucher allowing unlimited two-for-one travel on both paid and award tickets with Southwest Airlines.

Until March 11, 2024, three of Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards credit cards—the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card—feature introductory offers that include a valuable Companion Pass (valid until February 28, 2025, excluding taxes and fees starting from $5.60 one-way). You’ll also earn 30,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 within the first three months. That’s an impressive return for simply signing up and using a credit card.

Here’s why you should think about applying for a Southwest credit card before the offer expires, allowing you to enjoy nearly free flights with a companion for almost a whole year.

Three reasons to be thrilled about these Southwest credit card offers

1. The Southwest Companion Pass enables holders to fly with a companion for free (excluding necessary taxes). Typically, earning a Companion Pass requires accumulating 135,000 qualifying points or completing 100 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year. The current welcome bonus offers an almost unbelievable shortcut.
2. Southwest Rapid Rewards points are generally tied to a dollar value—each point is worth around 1.3 to 1.45 cents when redeemed for the airline’s lowest-priced “Wanna Get Away” fares. This means a 30,000 Rapid Rewards points bonus equates to roughly $390–$435 for Southwest flights. Plus, award tickets can also be used with the Companion Pass, allowing you to book one seat with points and use your pass for another, effectively doubling the bonus value to $780–$870.
3. Fantastic travel perks come with Southwest’s credit cards. Depending on the card, benefits may include extra points for eligible spending in specific categories, complimentary EarlyBird Check-In passes on Southwest flights (subject to availability), and annual fee credits for transferring Rapid Rewards points. And let’s not forget, Southwest has never charged baggage fees for the first two checked bags under 50 pounds each.

Three co-branded credit cards that provide a Companion Pass

All three Southwest personal cards—Plus, Premier, and Priority—feature the same limited-time welcome offer until March 11, 2024: Earn a Companion Pass valid until February 28, 2025, along with 30,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. The main differences among the cards lie in the annual fee and the benefits package.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Offering the lowest annual fee, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card still delivers plenty of points.

• Welcome offer: Earn the Southwest Companion Pass valid until February 28, 2025, along with 30,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
• Annual fee: $69
• Rewards on purchases: Earn two points per dollar on purchases made with Southwest, its hotel and car rental partners, local transit and commuting expenses (including rideshares), as well as on internet, cable, phone services, and selected streaming purchases. Earn one point per dollar on all other purchases.
• Key Southwest benefits: Two EarlyBird Check-Ins each year; an account anniversary bonus of 3,000 points each year.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card is a premium option, featuring a higher annual fee and enhanced benefits.

• Welcome offer: The bonus and terms mirror those provided by the Southwest Plus card.
• Annual fee: $99
• Rewards on purchases: Identical to the Plus card, with three points per dollar on Southwest purchases.
• Key Southwest benefits: Two EarlyBird Check-Ins annually; an account anniversary bonus of 6,000 points each year.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is Southwest's most premium personal credit card, offering additional benefits to match.

• Welcome offer: The bonus and terms are the same as those available with the Southwest Plus and Premier cards.
• Annual fee: $149
• Rewards on purchases: Same as the Southwest Premier card.
• Key Southwest benefits: Four Upgraded Boardings each year; an account anniversary bonus of 7,500 points annually; an annual $75 Southwest travel credit; and 25 percent back on in-flight drinks and Wi-Fi.

Why consider applying for a Southwest credit card at this moment?

As of March 2024, Southwest Airlines serves an impressive 121 airports, featuring a robust route network for flights across the United States (including Hawai‘i) and to nearby international destinations like Mexico, Aruba, Belize, and Costa Rica.

The opportunity to earn a highly sought-after Companion Pass through a credit card sign-up should be taken seriously. Once you meet your spending requirement, you’ll effectively enjoy buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) flights on Southwest until February 28, 2025. If you have any travel plans over the next year, whether domestic or international, even just a few trips could lead to significant savings with the Companion Pass.

Moreover, the chance to earn 30,000 points with a relatively low spending threshold is exceptional. Plus, Southwest’s lack of change or cancellation fees means you can remain flexible with your travel plans. This no-fee policy also applies to award tickets and the Companion Pass.

Currently, any personal card is a wise choice. The decision on which one to select depends on how much you value the rewards structure and primary benefits compared to the annual fee. With the current promotion ending on March 11, 2024, we recommend the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, which has a modest $69 annual fee yet provides fantastic value. (For context, $69 is about what you’d pay for one round-trip checked bag on a legacy airline.)

In conclusion, these offers present an unparalleled opportunity to apply for Southwest credit cards. Don’t miss out on this chance to enjoy nearly a full year of traveling with a companion at no additional cost.

This article was initially published in 2021 and was last updated on March 4, 2024, with the most current information. While the offers described above are accurate at the time of this update, they are subject to change at any moment and may have been altered or may no longer be available.