How to get
the Southwest
Companion Pass
You don’t have to fly constantly to earn it. Credit-card bonuses can cover much of the points requirement, but getting them in the right year matters.
What is the Southwest
Companion Pass?
Choose someone to travel with you. Once you earn the pass, you can add them to eligible Southwest flights without paying their airfare. That works even when you book your own ticket with points. You’ll pay their taxes and fees, and there needs to be an open seat.
Earn 135,000 qualifying points or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. Your standard pass lasts for the rest of that year and all of the next.
Start with the step-by-step guideSource: Southwest Companion Pass rules.
Your points balance can be misleading.
You could have enough points to book several flights and still be nowhere near earning the pass. Southwest keeps a separate qualifying total. Card bonuses can count toward it; purchased points and transfers don’t. For card rewards, the year they post matters too.
See exactly what countsWhere to start
Start with the earning guide, or go straight to the card comparison and timing details.
Start here
You don’t need to fly 100 times. Here’s how card bonuses, everyday purchases and the calendar can help you reach 135,000 points.
Read the guide
Credit-card strategy
What each Southwest card costs, how the bonuses add up, and why opening two cards doesn’t get you two annual boosts.
Read the guide
Timing & 2027 planning
December and January can produce very different expiration dates. The date your card points reach Southwest is what matters.
Read the guideWhy people aim
for January
Earn the pass in December 2026 and it expires at the end of 2027. Earn it in January 2027 and, under today’s rules, it lasts through the end of 2028. A few weeks can make almost a year’s difference.
Understand the January strategy*This example uses today’s standard rules. Check the program and offer terms again before starting a 2027 plan.
The rest of the guide
What counts
A credit-card bonus counts. Buying points doesn’t. Here’s how Southwest decides which earnings go toward your pass.
Read the guideDebit-card option
The debit card can help close a points gap. Before opening an account, look at its fees and how long each bonus takes to arrive.
Read the guideOther earning routes
Already have a Southwest card, fly often, or need a few thousand more points? You have options besides another application.
Read the guideBook your companion
Book your ticket first, then add your companion. Here’s what to do if you’re using points, booking ahead or changing a flight.
Read the guideChanging companions
You can switch companions three times a year. Going back to someone you’ve already chosen uses a change, too.
Read the guideWhat changed for 2026
Older guides can get the points right and still get the trip wrong. Seating, bags, card fees and fare rules have changed.
Read the guidePromotions vs. standard pass
A pass from a short promotion may expire after just a few months. Read the travel dates before deciding whether it’s worth earning.
Read the guideMistakes to avoid
The costly mistakes usually happen before the first companion booking: the wrong points, the wrong year or a missed spending deadline.
Read the guideValue & savings
Start with the trips you’d book anyway. Subtract the taxes and the cost of earning the pass to see what you’d actually save.
Read the guideTwo passes for a family
How two adults could earn separate passes with three cards, including the referral timing that can make or break the plan.
Read the guideBusiness-card eligibility
Freelance work or a side business may qualify. Here’s what Chase asks for and how existing Southwest cards affect the application.
Read the guideMeet the spending requirement
Work backward from the deadline and use bills you already planned to pay. Processing fees, returns and posting dates can change the math.
Read the guideRenewal & cancellation
Before another annual fee posts, work out which benefits you’ll use and what would end if you closed the card.
Read the guideHow many more
points do you need?
Enter the points already in your tracker, then add the bonuses and purchases you expect. The calculator shows what’s left to earn. You can also check how long the pass would last and what you’d save on your trips.
Open the Companion Pass calculator11,000 above the target, if all points qualify and post to one account in one calendar year.
Common questions
What is the Southwest Companion Pass?
It lets the person you choose join you on eligible Southwest flights without paying the airfare. You still pay their taxes and fees, and you have to take the same flights. You can use it on multiple trips until the pass expires. Read the full explanation.
How many points do I need to qualify?
You need 135,000 qualifying points in one calendar year, or 100 qualifying one-way flights. Eligible annual card boosts count toward that points total. Read the full explanation.
Is the requirement 125,000 or 135,000 points?
135,000. If you receive the eligible annual 10,000-point credit-card boost, you have 125,000 left to earn. The boost helps you reach the target; it doesn’t lower the target itself. Read the full explanation.
How long does the pass last?
For the rest of the year you earn it and all of the next year. A promotional pass may be much shorter, so check that offer’s dates. Read the full explanation.
When is the best time to earn it?
January usually gives you the longest time to use it. But if you’re close to qualifying and have trips coming up, earning it now may save you more than waiting. Read the full explanation.
See the offers available through our referral link
The offer on Chase’s application page is the one you’d be applying for. Check its bonus, required spending and annual fee against the public offer before choosing.
View Southwest card referral offersWe may earn a referral bonus if you apply through this link and qualify. It may not have the same offer as other Chase links.
Where this information
comes from
The rules come from Southwest and Chase, with links in each chapter. The r/churning wiki helps with questions people run into while applying and booking. Offers change, so we show when we checked them.
Our sources and editorial approach