Understanding the Southwest Companion Pass Basics
The Southwest Companion Pass is a benefit offered by Southwest Airlines that allows cardholders to bring one person on flights at no additional charge. This person, called your designated companion, flies for free whenever you purchase a ticket. The pass is one of the most distinctive rewards benefits in the airline industry because it provides tangible value on nearly every flight you take.
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Southwest issues the Companion Pass through specific co-branded credit cards, primarily the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card. The pass works by linking one specific person to your account. Once designated, that companion can fly with you on paid flights without purchasing their own ticket. The companion does not need to be a family member—you can choose any adult to be your designated companion.
The pass typically remains active for the calendar year in which you earn it, plus the following calendar year. This means if you earn the pass in June 2024, it would remain active through December 2025. The exact timeframe depends on when you meet the requirements that trigger the pass, which we'll discuss in detail in later sections.
Southwest charges taxes and fees on companion flights, even though the base airfare is free. These fees typically range from $5 to $15 per flight, depending on the route and current tax rates. Your companion will also need a valid ID and frequent flyer account with Southwest, though they don't need to be a cardholder themselves.
Practical takeaway: The Companion Pass provides two round-trip flights for roughly the price of one across its two-year validity period, assuming you fly multiple times per year. Understanding that it covers base fares but not taxes helps you calculate the true savings on your flights.
How to Earn the Companion Pass Through Credit Cards
Southwest offers the Companion Pass primarily through credit card sign-up bonuses and spending thresholds. The most common way to earn it is by meeting the spending requirement on a new Southwest co-branded credit card. As of recent years, the spending threshold is typically $10,000 in purchases within the first year of card membership. When you reach this amount, Southwest automatically grants you the Companion Pass for that year plus the following year.
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The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card both offer paths to the Companion Pass, though they differ in annual fees and benefits. The Plus card typically has a lower annual fee, while the Premier card includes additional perks like priority boarding and a free checked bag annual anniversary bonus. Both cards come with a welcome bonus in the form of points and the opportunity to earn the Companion Pass through spending.
You don't need to spend the $10,000 all at once. The spending typically includes all purchases made on the card, with some exceptions. Certain transactions like balance transfers, cash advances, and fees don't count toward the spending requirement. Regular purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and online retailers all count toward reaching the threshold.
If you already have a Southwest credit card, you can also earn the pass by meeting the spending requirement on that existing card. Some cardholders strategically use their Southwest card for regular expenses to reach the threshold. Others combine planned purchases with the card to hit the $10,000 mark more quickly.
Another method involves earning points through credit card spending and other Southwest activities. In rare promotional periods, Southwest has allowed customers to purchase the Companion Pass outright using Rapid Rewards points, though this option is not consistently available. You'd typically need 110,000 points to purchase the pass this way when the option exists.
Practical takeaway: To earn the Companion Pass through a credit card, plan your spending carefully and confirm the current spending threshold before applying, as requirements can change. Using the card for planned expenses you'd make anyway reduces the need to spend extra money just to reach the requirement.
The Two-Year Validity Period and How It Works
Understanding the Companion Pass validity period is crucial for maximizing its value. The pass typically remains active for two consecutive calendar years. If you earn it in March 2024, your pass would be valid through December 2025. If you earn it in November 2024, you'd still have the pass through December 2025. The key is that Southwest counts the calendar year in which you earn the pass as year one, and the immediately following calendar year as year two.
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This two-year window provides flexibility in how you use the pass. Some people plan major trips during year one to maximize savings, while others spread their travels across both years. The extended validity period means you don't need to rush all your companion flights into a few months—you have approximately two years to take advantage of the benefit.
However, there's an important strategy to consider: you can potentially chain the Companion Pass by earning a new one before your current pass expires. If you earn the pass again in December 2024 while your original pass is still active through December 2025, your new pass would extend through December 2026. This creates a continuous benefit for those willing to meet the spending requirements multiple times. Some dedicated Southwest flyers use this strategy to maintain the pass indefinitely.
Once your Companion Pass expires at the end of the second calendar year, it disappears completely. You cannot extend it without earning a new one through credit card spending or (in rare cases) purchasing it with points. If you've selected a companion and the pass expires, you cannot simply extend it for another year—you must earn a new pass through the same methods.
The pass applies to all Southwest flights during its validity period, including domestic flights within the United States and international flights to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. There are no blackout dates, meaning you can use it during peak travel seasons, holidays, and summer vacations without restrictions.
Practical takeaway: Mark your calendar with both your pass start date and expiration date. If you want continuous companion benefits, plan to meet credit card spending requirements again before your current pass expires. This ensures no gap in coverage between passes.
Choosing and Changing Your Designated Companion
Once you earn the Companion Pass, you must designate a specific person to be your companion. This is a straightforward process done through your Southwest account online. You'll need the companion's name, date of birth, and relationship to you. Southwest doesn't require the person to be a family member—you can select a spouse, friend, colleague, or any adult you choose to travel with regularly.
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The designated companion doesn't need their own Southwest credit card or any special status with the airline. They do need a Rapid Rewards account (Southwest's frequent flyer program), which is free to join and takes just a few minutes to create. Once you've designated them in your account, they can appear as a companion when you book flights, and their ticket will be issued at no base airfare cost.
Southwest allows you to change your designated companion, but there are important timing restrictions. You can change your companion once per year during the validity period of your pass. This means if your pass runs from January 2024 through December 2025, you can make one change sometime during that two-year period. Once you make the change, you must wait until the next calendar year to change it again.
For example, if you change your companion in March 2024, you cannot change it again until January 2025. If you change it again in January 2025, you cannot change it until January 2026. This annual change limit requires careful consideration about who you want as your companion for an extended period.
Some people strategically time their companion designation. If you know you'll be traveling with different people throughout the two-year period, you might designate someone for the first year, then change to someone else for the second year. Alternatively, you can choose one person who will travel with you most often and use the one annual change only if circumstances change dramatically.
Practical takeaway: Choose your companion based on who you're most likely to travel with during the entire validity period. Remember you can change them once per year, but plan ahead to make the best use of this feature. Communicate with your designated companion so they're aware they've been chosen and can prepare their frequent flyer account.
Booking Flights and Using Your Companion Pass
Booking a flight with your Companion Pass involves a straightforward process through Southwest's website or mobile app. When you search for a flight and select your travel dates, you'll proceed to the passenger information screen. Here, you'll indicate that you want to add your designated companion to the booking. Southwest's system will show your companion's name as an option