How Do You Qualify for the Companion Pass?

How do I get a Southwest Companion Pass? Travelling becomes an amazing experience when you have a companion by your side. 

With Southwest’s Companion Pass, you get an outstanding perk, possibly one of the best benefits in travel.

You only need to cover the taxes and fees for your companion’s flight, which usually amounts to just $5.60 each way. 

It’s like getting a buy-one-get-one-free deal on flights, making the Companion Pass incredibly valuable!

Read on to discover how you can earn this sought-after pass.

How Do I Get a Southwest Companion Pass?

The Southwest Companion Pass lets you bring one person with you on paid or award tickets for just the taxes and fees, for up to two years (if you time it right).

You can earn it by flying 100 qualifying one-way flight segments booked through Southwest or earning 135,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year. 

You can also earn Companion Pass qualifying points by using your Rapid Rewards Credit Card. 

Also, if you’re a Southwest Rapid Rewards Cardmember, you’ll get a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year.

What are the Excluded Sources for Companion Pass Points?

You won’t accumulate Southwest Companion Pass qualifying points from the following sources:

1. Purchased Points: The Southwest points you purchase directly from Southwest do not count toward your Companion Pass status.

2. Points Transferred Between Rapid Rewards Members: The Companion Pass, however, is only valid for points that are transferred between accounts within the Rapid Rewards program.

3. Points Transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards: If Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferred to your Rapid Rewards account, they won’t count towards earning the Companion Pass.

4. Points Converted from Hotel and Car Loyalty Programs: If you convert points from the hotel’s loyalty program or car rental company to Rapid Rewards points, they won’t count.

5. Points Converted from e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club: Earned points from converting them into Rapid Rewards points won’t count towards the Companion Pass.

6. Points Earned from Rapid Rewards Program Enrollment: Points earned just for registering in the Rapid Rewards program won’t be as valuable.

7. Tier Bonus Points: Only base points earned from flying count towards the Companion Pass eligibility. Bonus points, which are earned as a bonus for reaching a certain tier, do not count.

8. Flight Bonus Points: The bonus points are not going to be counted in the Companion Pass points calculation.

9. Partner Bonus Points: You will not earn any of the bonuses that are either from the joint venture with other companies or from promotions that can help you to get Companion Pass qualification.

When is Southwest Companion Pass Time?

The right time is a factor that is very significant when you intend to use your Companion Pass to the maximum.

The pass will be valid for the current year and next year, whichever comes first.

For instance, if the voucher were validated in 2024, it would be valid until December 2025.

By the end of November 2024, you will have a credit on your card, and you will have one year starting with December 2024 and ending with December 2025.

Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that the pass will work till December 2025, therefore, you will be able to use the advantages of it till the end of this year.

Be advised that the number of points collected in the year you achieve the Southwest Companion Pass will determine the year the pass will be valid.

Therefore, the most appropriate time to apply for the Companion Pass is either in the year’s closing months or the beginning of the next year, if possible.

How to Earn Remaining Companion Pass Points

To bridge the gap and earn the remaining points needed for the Companion Pass, consider these strategies:

1. Maximize Card Usage: Use your Southwest credit card for every day’s expenses from grocery shopping to your bills. Moreover, shop online anytime and get more points by using the Southwest shopping portal.

2. Fly with Southwest: When you fly with Southwest, you’ll earn 6 to 12 points per $1 spent, depending on your fare class.

3. Book Hotels via Southwest: Utilize Southwest Hotels, which works together with Booking’s website, to get points on hotel bookings.

4. Rent Cars through Southwest: Go for Southwest Book a Car, instead of any other car rental service, to get more points.

5. Join Rapid Rewards Dining: Join the Rapid Rewards Dining program and get extra points when you eat at the participating restaurants.

How to Use the Southwest Companion Pass

You can use the Southwest companion pass through the following ways:

1. Assign Southwest as Your Companion

The first action in the process is to add your travel mate to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account before you start the search for flights.

To do so, please log in to your Rapid Rewards account on the Southwest website, and click on the “Choose Your Companion” option under the Snapshot tab.

Now, go to “Companion Info” and follow the displayed directions.

Otherwise, you can phone at 1-800-435-9792 if you would like to have a conversation.

2. Request for the Addition of a Companion in a Reservation

As soon as you book the ticket, visit the “My Trips” page of your account. Choose your trip and click the “Add Companion” button.

Afterwards, click on the “Continue” button to move on to the next step and here you can purchase your companion ticket and go through the details.

Once you have chosen, click on the “Purchase” button to finish your booking.

Also, you can call and tell customer service that you’re going to apply for a Companion Pass.

How Do I Change My Designated Companion

To switch your designated companion with Southwest Airlines, you’ll need to call them at 800-435-9792.

Just tell us the details of your new friend, and we will do the rest of the job for you.

Please note that you can only book your trip with the new friend after you have completed all trips with your current friend.

In case you’ve used your points for booking and need to cancel, don’t panic. Your points will be refunded back to your account.

Keep in mind that you have the flexibility to change your designated companion up to three times every calendar year. 

So, if you select a companion when you earn the pass in 2024, you can switch to a total of four different companions before 2025.

The Southwest Companion Pass is a highly valuable perk, particularly if you can earn it early in the year, giving you nearly two years of complimentary companion travel.

For eligible individuals, leveraging a generous bonus from one or more Southwest credit cards can expedite the process of earning the Companion Pass. This makes it much easier to attain than by flying solo.