Nick Ewen is TPG's editor-in-chief and helps readers leverage credit cards (he has more than 25 of them) and loyalty programs to travel more for less. He's been at TPG for over 11 years.
Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG and is based in London. Originally from Australia and a qualified lawyer with a financial services background, he has almost a decade of experience writing about a broad range of travel and loyalty topics.
also contributed to this story
June 23, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
The Southwest Companion Pass allows a designated companion to fly with you on both paid and award flights, with only taxes and fees required for the companion.
To earn the pass, you must collect 135,000 qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year.
Once earned, the pass is valid for the remainder of the year plus the entire following year, maximizing its value if earned early.
Points from select credit card bonuses, partner activities at hotels, car rentals and shopping portals, as well as certain base points, count toward the qualifying total.
What to consider
Not all points count toward the Companion Pass; transferred points, purchased points and most bonus points from promotions are excluded.
You can change your designated companion up to three times per calendar year, allowing flexibility in who flies with you.
The annual 10,000-point boost from eligible cards is limited to one per member per year, regardless of how many cards you hold.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of which activities and partner transactions count toward earning the Companion Pass and strategies to maximize its validity period.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards program's Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in all of travel. Once you earn it, you can bring a designated companion with you on both paid and award Southwest Airlines flights, leaving you only the taxes and fees to pay.
Whether you’re looking to fly to Las Vegas, take the family to Orlando or explore Cancun, Mexico, this guide will walk you through the current ways to earn the Companion Pass fastest. We'll cover what counts and what doesn’t, and how to maximize the benefit through 2026 and potentially into 2027.
You'll earn the Southwest Companion Pass when you collect 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a single calendar year. Once you hit that threshold, you can designate one companion to travel with you on cash and award tickets.
The pass is valid for the rest of the year in which you earn it, plus the entire following year. For example, if you reach 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in mid-2026, your Southwest Companion Pass is good through the rest of 2026 and all of 2027, until Dec. 31, 2027. The earlier you hit the goal, the longer you have to enjoy the pass.
You can change your designated companion up to three times per calendar year you hold the pass, which means you could potentially fly with up to eight different people across two years (four people a year).
How much does it cost to earn a Companion Pass from flying alone?
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Southwest now sells four fare bundles, each with its own earning rate:
Basic: 2 points per dollar
Choice: 6 points per dollar
Choice Preferred: 10 points per dollar
Choice Extra: 14 points per dollar
To reach 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points from purchasing flights alone, you’d need to spend:
Fare bundle
Earning rate
Spending needed for 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points
Basic
2 points per dollar
$67,500
Choice
6 points per dollar
$22,500
Choice Preferred
10 points per dollar
$13,500
Choice Extra
14 points per dollar
$9,643
Earning a Companion Pass from flying alone requires significant spending. That’s why savvy travelers turn to credit card welcome offers as an easy shortcut.
How to earn a Companion Pass faster with Southwest credit cards
Chase issues five cobranded Southwest credit cards. Their welcome offers are the fastest route to a Companion Pass, as they count toward your Companion Pass qualifying points.
The three personal Southwest credit cards currently offer:
(see rates and fees): Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
(see rates and fees): Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards business credit cards also offer generous welcome offers:
(see rates and fees): Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
(see rates and fees): Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
All of these cards also provide a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year, though note that the boost is limited to one per Rapid Rewards member, per calendar year (not per card).
Other ways to earn a Companion Pass
SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
While credit card bonuses are the fastest route, you can also boost your balance with partner activity:
Hotels: Earn Companion Pass qualifying points when booking through the Rapid Rewards hotel portal.
Car rentals: Partners like Hertz, Avis and Budget award Companion Pass qualifying points for rentals.
Rapid Rewards Dining: Link a card to earn Companion Pass qualifying points when dining at participating restaurants.
Rapid Rewards Shopping: Earn Companion Pass qualifying points for online purchases through the Southwest shopping portal.
Other earning partners: Laithwaites Wine, Reliant Energy, Xoom and other select partners offer Companion Pass qualifying points for online purchases.
You can find a full list of Rapid Rewards earning partners here.
Keep in mind: Only base points from partners count toward Companion Pass qualifying points. Bonus points generally do not.
Bottom line
The Southwest Companion Pass can be an incredibly lucrative benefit, especially if you can earn it early in the year. It's not too late to plan your strategy to earn the pass in 2026, so you can enjoy it for the rest of the year and all of 2027.
For those eligible, getting a nice bonus from a Southwest credit card or two can help you earn a Companion Pass easily (and quickly). While you can earn a Companion Pass through flying or credit card spending alone, a combination is often the easiest approach.
With Southwest now charging for checked bags, the Companion Pass remains a standout value — especially since Southwest cardholders still get one checked bag at no additional cost for themselves and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
And with increased welcome offers on Southwest credit cards until July 1, it's easy to earn a valuable Companion Pass.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
