How To Earn the Southwest Companion Pass

If you fly within the U.S. and Caribbean with other people, the Southwest companion pass is the highest value companion pass in travel. It allows you to bring a companion for free on any flight. That’s true whether you buy your ticket or use points. And as an added convenience, you can change that companion up to three times per year.

It’s relatively simple to use and book. And if you transfer some Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest, you and a travel partner can fly free for a year or two.

There is one rule that dramatically impacts how you plan your strategy: Southwest (Chase) will not approve you for a second Southwest consumer card if you have earned a new cardmember bonus in the past 24 months.

The Companion Pass is good for the remainder of the calendar year you receive it, plus for all of the following calendar year. Assuming you don’t spend $50K on your personal card, you’ll need a business card to get enough points to qualify for the Companion Pass.

Don’t be too quick to dismiss that possibility though >

To earn the traditional Companion Pass, you must earn 125,000 points in one calendar year (transferred points don’t count). The earning dates for points matter. That’s because bonus points are “earned” on the statement date following the meeting of the minimum spend.

Here is an ideal scenario:

1. Look at your 5/24 status. If it’s at 3 or less in last 24 months, start with the personal card. If it at 4, start with the business card. (If it’s 5 or over, you will not qualify for Southwest cards).
2. Open your first card in early November. You can spend on the card, but DO NOT meet the minimum spend.
3. Once you receive your December statement, you can finish meeting your spend because you won’t actually earn the bonus until January.
4. Apply for the other card a week or two before meeting your minimum spend on the first. This may require a call to the reconsideration line and some gentle persuasion why you need one card for business purposes and another for personal. (Tell them your CPA insists on separate accounts with separate spending records.)
5. Finish your spend on the second card immediately. And if you played your cards right, your companion will fly free for the next 22 months!

Going after the Southwest Companion Pass can dramatically effect your strategy and timing in applying for new cards. Fortunately, the Points Navigator is designed to help you come up with a personalized plan. Get personalized recommendations >