Hurry up: Secure your Southwest Companion Pass by booking just one round-trip flight

The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring a friend almost for free (you'll just pay the taxes and fees) on unlimited flights, making it one of the most valuable tools in the points and miles realm. While it usually requires numerous Southwest flights and/or credit card spending to obtain, the airline occasionally offers flash promotions that allow you to acquire a Companion Pass much quicker.

Until Thursday, you can score a two-month promotional Companion Pass by booking a single round-trip flight. Here’s how:

• Sign up here, then buy one round-trip or two one-way flights by Sept. 5.
• Your travel must be completed by Nov. 20.
• You’ll receive a promotional Companion Pass valid from Jan. 6 to March 6, 2025.

Typically, obtaining a Companion Pass requires significantly more flying and/or credit card spending. You need to earn 135,000 qualifying points or complete 100 qualifying flights within a calendar year, which grants you a Companion Pass for the rest of the qualification year and the entire next calendar year.

Occasionally, Southwest offers promotions that allow members to earn a Companion Pass for a limited time by completing simpler tasks — such as flying to Hawaii or receiving a credit card welcome bonus.

The current promotion resembles previous ones, with one important distinction. Usually, eligible flights must involve some cash payment to qualify for a promotional Companion Pass. However, in this case, flights booked entirely with Rapid Rewards points are also eligible. As per the promotion’s terms and conditions: "Reward travel and Cash + Points bookings qualify for this promotional offer."

This means you can earn a valuable Companion Pass whether you pay with cash, points, or a combination of both (although Cash + Points is not generally the best way to book Southwest flights).

Southwest's Companion Pass has achieved a near-mythical status in the points and miles community. It allows you to take an extra guest for free (plus taxes and fees), effectively halving your flight expenses. No matter if you book your ticket with cash, points, or a combination of both, your companion only needs to cover the taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 one-way).

The only limitation of the Companion Pass is that you can’t bring just anyone along each time you fly; you must select a companion in your Rapid Rewards account. Fortunately, Southwest offers some flexibility here. You can change your designated companion up to three times a year, and this also applies to promotional passes: "Members may change their designated Companion up to three times while they have the promotional Companion Pass."

If you haven’t finalized your fall travel plans yet, consider booking with Southwest. You might earn a valuable Companion Pass to use next January and February — perhaps for an exciting ski trip or a romantic Valentine's Day escape.