Which U.S. airline has the most generous companion pass in the sky?
For a long time, Southwest Airlines has occupied the mantle, with its buy-one, get-one booking option offered to ultraloyal passengers who reach 100 qualifying flights (or 135,000 qualifying points) in a calendar year — which you can sometimes earn quickly with a Southwest credit card sign-up bonus.
But Southwest just got some stiff competition.
Earlier this month, Frontier Airlines announced it would begin offering a companion pass in mid-2025 as a perk of high-level elite status — specifically, the Frontier Miles Platinum and Diamond tiers.
As with Southwest’s pass, Frontier companion pass holders who book a flight will be able to book a companion at no cost (aside from some taxes and fees) as long as there’s space on the plane.
So, which airline’s companion pass is more valuable?
As the fourth-largest U.S. airline, Southwest has a bigger network and offers more inflight services and entertainment options than Frontier.
On the other hand, Frontier isn’t going to make passholders designate one specific companion — you can choose your companion on a flight-by-flight basis. Southwest requires customers to designate one — changeable up to three times during the year.
Also in Frontier’s favor: Its pass should be easier to attain. Frontier Miles Platinum status requires 50,000 elite points, which you can reach by earning 10 points per dollar spent on flights as a Frontier Miles member, and 1 point per dollar spent on eligible purchases with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® (in addition to the miles you earn).
The information for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details in this newsletter have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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