If you’ve wanted to kick the tires on “the airline of love” — and bring someone along for the ride — this could be your golden opportunity to try them out for a year. Or if you’re already a fan but want to sample the legendary Companion Pass, you’re in luck.
Earn a Companion Pass and 30,000 Bonus Points
All three of Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards® credit cards feature the same limited-time offer: Earn earn a Companion Pass® good through February 28, 2026, plus 30,000 points after you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases within three (3) months of being approved for card membership.
The sooner you become a card member and meet the minimum spend, the more time you’ll have to enjoy the Companion Pass and the points. Something that’s great about the Southwest Companion Pass is that you can use it on paid and award travel. So, if you take advantage of the offer and hit the $4,000 spend in three months, you also have 30,000 points to use. You can redeem them for a trip or two and bring someone along with you. (Your companion is on the hook for any applicable taxes and fees. For domestic U.S. flights, you’re usually looking at about $5.60 each way. That’s a pretty sweet deal.
There’s a lot of travel you and a companion can save money on through next February.
The eligible cards are:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Learn here how to apply.)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Learn here how to apply.)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card (Visit this page and click on the Premier Card to learn how to apply.)
- (All information about the Southwest Premier Card was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. It was neither provided nor reviewed by the card issuer.)
The offer expires on March 31, 2025.
Remember, too, that Chase points from a number of cards can be transferred to Rapid Rewards:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Chase Freedom Flex®
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Even if you pay cash for your tickets, bringing someone for almost free (except for those fees and taxes) during a year is an exceptional deal.
Southwest Credit Cards
All three cards earn:
- 2X on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X on internet, cable, and phone services
- 2X on select streaming
- 1X on all other eligible purchases
The Priority and Premier earn 3X on eligible Southwest purchases. The Plus earns 2X on eligible Southwest purchases.
Each also gives cardholders 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year.
So, what are the major differences between the cards? Their bells, whistles, and annual fees. (The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card carries the highest: $149. But it’s also loaded with a bunch of Southwest travel benefits and awards.)
Also, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card charges foreign transaction fees. You read that correctly. Southwest flies to several international destinations — but you shouldn’t use the airline’s cards when visiting them because you’ll get dinged a foreign transaction fee. So lame.
Per the offers’ terms, a respective card isn’t available to either current Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card members or previous Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card members who received a new cardmember bonus within the past 24 months. The fine print also states, “This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.”
Here’s a quick peek at each Southwest card:
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
- 3X on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2X on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X on internet, cable, and phone services
- 2X on select streaming
- 1X on all other eligible purchases
- Other Card Earnings and Bonuses
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year
- Receive 7,500 bonus points each year upon card renewal (starting the second year of card membership)
- $75 Southwest travel credit each year.
- Unlimited Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs)
- Earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status for every $10,000 you spend on the card. There is no limit on the number of TQPs you can earn!
- 25% back on Southwest inflight purchases
- Enjoy four (4) upgraded boardings (boarding positions A1-A15) per year when available.
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- $149 annual fee.
- Read more and learn here how to apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- 3X on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2X on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X on internet, cable, and phone services
- 2X on select streaming
- 1X on all other eligible purchases
- Other Card Earnings and Bonuses
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year
- Receive 6,000 bonus points each year upon card renewal (starting the second year of card membership)
- Unlimited Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs)
- Earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status for every $10,000 you spend on the card. There is no limit on the number of TQPs you can earn!
- 25% back on Southwest inflight purchases
- Two (2) Early Bird Check-Ins each year
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- $99 annual fee.
- Visit this page and click on the Premier Card to learn how to apply.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- 2X on Southwest Airlines purchases
- 2X on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2X on internet, cable, and phone services
- 2X on select streaming
- 1X on all other eligible purchases
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost each year
- Receive 3,000 bonus points each year upon card renewal (starting the second year of card membership)
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- 25% back on Southwest inflight purchases
- Two (2) Early Bird Check-Ins each year
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- $99 annual fee.
- Read more and learn here how to apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Where are you going to go with a companion?
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Can I upgrade my SW Rewards Plus card & get the companion pass.
Per the offer’s terms: “The product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.”
Sorry!
How long is the companion pass good for? Is it only for one year?
The promotional Companion Pass is valid through February 28, 2024. So, once you meet the minimum spending requirement for the promotion, you can fly it through February 28, 2024. The sooner you reach the bonus, the more use you can get out of it.
Is companion pass offered on any business cards?
Not on this offer. But points earned on credit cards generally apply toward Companion Passes.