This year has been a roller coaster for Southwest Airlines. It abandoned the signature seating process and free check bag policy, overhauled the credit card lineup, and signed a new international partnership.
Latest news? Attractive offers Southwest® RapidRewards® Performance Business Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) If timed correctly, it can give you two years of valuable companion passes on top of a bunch of Southwest Quick Rewards Points.
But do not submit your application for the time being. Here’s what you need to know about this offer and why you should wait to apply to make the most of it.
Related: The best time to apply for a Southwest Chase Card based on Quotation History
The best quotes on the Southwest Show business card
this Southwest performance business card Just proposed one of the best welcome offers: $10,000 in purchases in the first three months of opening an account, earning 120,000 quick bonus points. According to TPG’s September 2025 valuation, it is worth mentioning $1,620 when redeemed for flights.
Plus, this top-notch business card has a long list of privileges, including free check bags, preferred seating options and anniversary bonus points.
However, before you come up with this offer, consider it: You can also grab Southwest’s legendary partner pass by adding this card to your wallet for nearly two years. You just need to time your credit card application and spend it correctly.
Related: Who is eligible for a commercial credit card?
How to earn a 2-year companion pass
If you are not familiar with the Southwest Couple Pass, it is an incredible revitalization. It allows you to bring your designated companions (can be changed up to three times per calendar year) and you can almost take a Southwest flight whether you pay your ticket with cash or points. As long as there is an open seat on the plane, you can add companions to taxes and fees.
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Obtaining a companion pass requires taking 100 qualified one-way flights or earning 135,000 qualified points in one calendar year. Your pass will be valid for the remaining time you earn and for the following calendar year.
Since the points earned on the Southwest Credit Card (including the welcome bonus) calculate the partner pass, you only need to earn a 95% method to earn a partner pass by earning a welcome bonus in The The Welcome Charus. Performance business card. Welcome bonuses will give you 120,000 points, and a minimum spend of $10,000 will bring you 10,000 or more points, as this card earns at least 1 point per dollar on all purchases (although you can earn bonus points on specific spending categories).
And don’t forget one of the many privileges of this card: increasing the eligibility points of 10,000 companions per year. These points will be included in your account within 30 days of the account being opened and within 30 days of the following month. Between this and the welcome bonus, you can easily earn 135,000 qualified points you need to earn a partner pass.
However, the amount of value you can pass depends on the time you have.
Suppose you applied for the card immediately and got approval. Your 10,000 companions will arrive within 30 days through the qualifying promotion. Then, if you meet the $10,000 spending requirement and earn 120,000 welcome points in November, you will win a companion pass by the end of the year. Your pass will be valid for the rest of 2025 (only one month or two months) and for 2026.
Instead, we recommend waiting until mid-October to apply and time the purchase time so that you reach a minimum spend of $10,000 in January. This way, these 120,000 bonus points will reach your account in January. Your 10,000 partners through eligibility points increase 2026 will also reach your account in January, allowing you to earn a peer pass at 5,000 points.
Plus, whatever you spend after the December statement deadline will bring you points for your companion pass next year. So ideally you want to buy at least $5,000 for a welcome bonus, which will be at least 5,000 points after that date for you to get your companion pass in 2026. Then, prosper! You will get a companion pass in January, which will be good for the rest of 2026 and 2027.
With a little plan, you can almost double the lifespan of your companion pass, thus maximizing its value.
Related: How to earn Southwest Companion Pass quickly
Bottom line
Who said it is difficult to win the Southwest Companion Pass? and Performance business cardyou can earn this valuable pass with a welcome bonus – which does not include over 120,000 quick bonus points you earn along the way.
However, if you are considering adding this card to your wallet, we urge you to wait a few weeks. Apply in mid-October and then time your spending time so you can reach the threshold you need to get your companion pass early next year to make the most of your pass. If you fly with a partner or friend regularly, you will actually pay half of your ticket, which could add up to thousands of dollars in two years.
