How To Earn the Southwest Companion Pass

Written by Adam Seper
Updated on Mon, 19 Oct 2026

If you fly within the U.S. and Caribbean with other people, the Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable companion benefits in travel. It allows you to bring a companion for free on eligible Southwest flights whether you book your own ticket with cash or points. As an added convenience, you can change your designated companion up to three times per year.

Southwest is changing how Companion Pass benefits are earned beginning January 1, 2027. Under the old rules, you could earn an unlimited Companion Pass by accumulating 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or completing 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. Signup bonus points, referral points, Southwest hotel bookings, Rapid Rewards Shopping, anniversary points, and other qualifying activity could all help you reach that threshold.

Beginning in 2027, Companion Pass qualifying points are going away and Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) will become the qualifying currency. Earning 95,000 TQPs or completing 75 qualifying one-way flights will unlock three Companion Pass trips. Earning Platinum status with 140,000 TQPs or 100 qualifying one-way flights will unlock unlimited Companion Pass trips. Credit card spending will earn 1 TQP per eligible $1 spent, making it possible to qualify through card spending, but it will require a substantial amount.

There is still one final opportunity to earn an unlimited Companion Pass under the old rules for use through December 31, 2027, but you need to act quickly.

How Long the Companion Pass Lasts

Under the old rules, the Companion Pass was valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which you earned it, plus all of the following calendar year. So if you timed it correctly, you could hold the Companion Pass for nearly two full years.

That nearly two-year strategy is no longer available under the regular qualification rules beginning in 2027. You may still earn an unlimited Companion Pass under the old rules if you are approved for a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card on or before December 2, 2026 and earn enough qualifying points to reach 135,000. The resulting Companion Pass will expire December 31, 2027.

Southwest has provided a grace period for people approved for a card on or before December 2, 2026. Any qualifying new-cardmember bonus earned under this exception will still count toward the Companion Pass, even if you don't finish the required spending until early 2027.

Even if you don't complete the spending requirement until 2027, your Companion Pass will still expire December 31, 2027. You will not receive an additional year through 2028.

The Rules That Shape Your Strategy

Southwest Personal 1/24 Rule

The application rules remain the same as they have been, and there are a few you need to be aware of.

First, Chase has the Southwest Personal 1/24 Rule, which states that Chase will not approve you for another Southwest personal card if you have earned a new-cardmember bonus on a Southwest personal card in the past 24 months or if you currently have a Southwest personal card open.

Chase Business 3/24 Rule for Sole Proprietors

While we're not quite ready to call this an official rule yet, Chase has become much more restrictive recently with business card approvals for sole proprietors. Some are calling this a 3/24 Rule. The gist is that Chase has been denying some sole proprietors applying for business cards if they have opened three or more personal cards from any bank in the last 24 months.

This is similar to Chase's 5/24 Rule but even more restrictive. It has been most prevalent for sole proprietors and only when applying for Chase business cards, including co-branded cards like the two Southwest business cards. Those applying as an LLC using an EIN have not been met with the same restrictions.

We've seen enough data points to flag this as a potential rule, particularly because Chase has cited 3/24 as a denial reason during reconsideration calls for many applicants. There have also been exceptions where people have been approved while at or over 3/24, so only you can decide whether it's worth a hard pull on your credit to see if you're eligible.

Find out more about how nearly anyone can apply for and be approved for a business card.

Companion Pass Strategy for 2026/2027

You can still earn the Companion Pass by opening two cards and earning the signup bonus points on each, but you must act quickly. Although you can still earn it the way you have in previous years, the Pass will only be good through December 31, 2027, even if you complete the spending requirements in early 2027 under Southwest's transition exception.

Here is the ideal scenario for earning the Southwest Companion Pass one final time under the old rules.

• With Chase tightening approvals for business cards, we suggest starting with a business card.
  • The Southwest Premier Business card has an elevated 80,000-point signup bonus through October 26, 2026. The annual fee is $149.
  • The Southwest Performance Business card has a standard 80,000-point signup bonus, but the annual fee is $299.
• Open your first card as soon as possible. You will want to meet the minimum spend as quickly as you reasonably can with organic spending.
• Apply for a personal card next. Depending on when you open the first card, that will determine how quickly you want to open the second. We suggest opening the second by mid-November because you must be approved for the card on or before December 2, 2026.
• There are three personal cards available:
  • The Plus card has the lowest welcome offer at 50,000 points. Even when combined with the elevated 80,000-point offer on a business card, that leaves you 5,000 points short of the 135,000 points required under the old Companion Pass rules. This card also comes with a 10,000-point Companion Pass boost, which has typically been awarded shortly after approval. Because that boost will no longer exist under the new Companion Pass structure, we would not rely on it for this strategy. It could still work, but we'd hate for you to fall just short because you're depending on it. The annual fee is $99.
  • The Premier card has a 55,000-point welcome offer. Combined with an 80,000-point business card signup bonus, that gets you to the necessary 135,000 points. The annual fee is $149.
  • The Priority card has a 60,000-point welcome offer and will also provide enough points when combined with a bonus from one of the business cards. The annual fee is $229.
• Finish the minimum spend on both cards as soon as you can. Chase and Southwest have said that you can still meet the minimum spending requirements in "early 2027" as long as you are approved for the card on or before December 2, 2026, but they have not specified exactly what "early 2027" means. We assume they will honor the normal three-month spending period outlined in the bonus terms, which could give someone approved on December 2 until roughly early March 2027 to complete the requirement, but that has not been officially confirmed.

As long as you are approved for both cards on or before December 2, 2026 and complete the required spending within the allowed timeframe, the signup bonuses can still count toward the 135,000 points needed under the old rules. Once you reach that threshold, you will earn an unlimited Companion Pass that remains valid through December 31, 2027.

Planning Ahead

Going after the Southwest Companion Pass can significantly affect your overall strategy and timing when applying for new cards. That's especially true this year because the December 2 approval deadline creates a much tighter window than usual.

Fortunately, Points Navigator is designed to help you build a personalized plan and avoid costly timing mistakes.

Get personalized recommendations here.