How to earn and use the Southwest Companion Pass

Southwest Airways not too long ago introduced it can end its bags-fly-free policy, ditch its Wanna Get Away fare and make several other customer-unfriendly changes. However, not less than thus far, one of the crucial advantageous choices within the journey trade — the Southwest Companion Go — stays intact.

This helpful profit enables you to carry a companion alongside without cost (excluding relevant taxes and costs) on limitless Southwest Airlines flights till the cross expires. For frequent Southwest flyers, this profit alone can simply quantity to hundreds of {dollars} saved yearly. So, this is what you must learn about incomes and utilizing the Southwest Companion Go.

To earn a Southwest Companion Pass legitimate via the tip of the following calendar yr, you should accrue 135,000 qualifying factors or full 100 qualifying flights inside a calendar yr.

You possibly can earn qualifying factors via numerous means, together with flying with Southwest and interesting with its companions. The latter consists of making purchases by way of the Rapid Rewards shopping portal, finishing resort stays and automotive leases with companions, and utilizing a Southwest bank card for purchases.

Cobranded Southwest bank cards are sometimes the best option to earn the Companion Go since you may earn qualifying factors on purchases, and the welcome bonus factors are qualifying. Moreover, vacationers with a cobranded Southwest bank card get 10,000 qualifying factors every calendar yr, successfully decreasing the Companion Go requirement to 125,000 qualifying factors yearly.

Talking of welcome bonuses on Southwest bank cards, this is a have a look at among the present affords:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn a Companion Go via Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (this provide ends March 31).
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn a Companion Go via Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (this provide ends March 31).
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

The 2 client Southwest playing cards provide a Companion Go legitimate via Feb. 28, 2026, as a part of their welcome provide. Nonetheless, the bonus factors from every provide might enable you to earn a Companion Go legitimate via the tip of 2026.

Lastly, it is also value noting that Southwest sometimes affords promotions for limited-time Companion Passes. For instance, for a short while in February, Southwest let vacationers earn a two-month Companion Go for later this yr after only one spherical journey or two one-way flights.

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Associated: Companion Pass and bonus points: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier and Plus credit cards

The way to use the Southwest Companion Go

As soon as you have earned a Companion Go, Southwest makes it extremely simple to make use of.

Arrange your Companion Go

After you earn the Companion Go, Southwest will ship you a congratulatory e-mail inside just a few days. Log in to your Southwest Fast Rewards account to trace your progress towards incomes the Companion Go.

Upon receiving the e-mail, click on the hyperlink to arrange your preliminary companion selection. The method is fast, however you may want to offer details about your companion, together with their authorized identify (matching their ID) and start date.

If you wish to preserve the identical companion during your Companion Go, you may solely must set it up as soon as. Nonetheless, bear in mind you possibly can change your companion as much as 3 times every calendar yr.

Associated: 2 for 1: How airline companion tickets can save you serious money on your next trip

Guide your flight

Earlier than utilizing your Companion Go, you should e book your individual Southwest flight. And if you happen to’re touring with somebody who is not your designated companion, e book their flight, too. For instance, suppose you’re a household of 4 with one grownup holding the Companion Go and the opposite grownup being the companion. In that case, you must initially e book tickets for the Companion Go holder and the 2 children.

You possibly can pay on your flights with money or redeem Southwest points when utilizing a Companion Go. Nonetheless, if you buy the tickets with money, bear in mind to incorporate every traveler’s Fast Rewards quantity when reserving to allow them to earn Southwest points on their flights.

Associated: Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it

Add your companion to your reservation

Upon getting booked your flight, you possibly can add your companion to your reservation. Doing so instantly after reserving your flight is one of the simplest ways to make sure you add your companion earlier than the flight sells out.

Nonetheless, you possibly can’t change a flight with a companion connected. And you may usually save severe factors or money by sometimes checking whether or not you possibly can rebook at a lower rate. As such, TPG lead author Katie Genter suggests establishing a Y9 alert in ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s dad or mum firm, Pink Ventures) so you may get an e-mail when solely 9 seats stay in your flight. Then, as soon as your flight is lower than two weeks out — the purpose at which Southwest flights normally change into dearer — or while you get the Y9 alert e-mail, add your companion.

So as to add your companion to a flight, log in to your Southwest account and discover the flight in your upcoming journeys. If you have not added your companion but, you must see an “Add companion” button for the flight.

Click on the button and double-check the prefilled info. Proceed via the method till you attain the purpose the place you may must pay the taxes and costs on your companion’s flight. Pay the taxes and costs, and your companion will likely be confirmed on the flight. Your companion will get a unique affirmation quantity than you, although.

Associated: ‘The Day Southwest Died’: Reactions pour in about the carrier’s big changes

Southwest bank cards can put incomes the Companion Go inside attain even if you happen to do not meet the usual necessities via flights. Better of all, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card have welcome affords via March 31 for a Companion Go legitimate via Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.