Southwest Airlines loyalists have been through a convoluted journey this year, keeping up with everything from major changes to baggage policies, check-in processes, seat assignments and route network to an overhaul of co-branded credit cards.
But despite this, one fan-favorite aspect remains: the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which is easily one of the best deals on the trip. This benefit essentially allows you to create your own buy-one-get-one flight voucher, allowing you to bring your partner, children, parents, or friends on all Southwest flights while only paying the taxes and fees on the ticket.
Even if you book your flight using Rapid Rewards points, your companions can still fly with you using a Companion Pass.
Here’s what you need to know about when to apply for a Southwest Airlines credit card to keep your Companion Pass valid longer.
How to Perfectly Time Your Southwest Airlines Companion Pass
To receive a Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year.
Once you obtain a companion pass, it is valid for the remainder of the year you obtained the pass and throughout the following calendar year.
The timing makes a big difference. For example:
- Obtained in November or December 2025, it will be valid until the end of 2026.
- Get it in the first quarter of 2026 and it’ll last until December 2027, almost two full years of 2-in-1 travel.
That’s why the best strategy is to start earning money later in the year and gain qualifying points in early 2026.
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What activities count towards the Companion Pass?
Since the alternative method of earning Companion Passes requires flying 100 Southwest flights, earning Companion Passes through points is the fastest and easiest way for most people. What types of points activities Southwest counts toward earning Companion Passes:
the following don’t want Counting as qualifying activities:
- flight reward points
- Getaways by Southwest™ Vacation Bookings
- Join Rapid Rewards New Member Bonus
- Excludes partner bonus points earned using Southwest Airlines co-branded cards
- Points converted through hotel and car rental loyalty programs, e-rewards, valuable surveys or Diners Club
- Points purchase
- Points transfer between members
- Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Incentive travel
- Level bonus points
Southwest also notes that companion passes are earned through points that are posted to your account within the same calendar year, so you have to start over from scratch on January 1 of each year.
Therefore, bonus points earned from the Southwest Airlines Card Welcome Bonus must be posted to your account by the beginning of the first quarter of 2026.
Now that you know how to get a Companion Pass, let’s dive into some of the best strategies for qualifying—and how to keep it for nearly two years.
Related: Got a new credit card? Here are 4 tips to help you earn your welcome bonus
Earn the points you need to earn a Companion Pass
You know you won’t be able to get your Companion Pass until the first quarter of 2026, so the end of this year is a good time to start planning on purchasing a Southwest Companion Pass.
Taking advantage of current Southwest credit card bonus offers, you can apply for a personal or business Southwest card (or combine personal and business cards) to start earning companion passes in 2026 and 2027.
Get Companion Passes with a Southwest Airlines Personal Card
Current bonuses for all three individual cards:
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card information is collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Each card allows new cardholders to earn 85,000 points after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. This welcome bonus gives you over 50% progress towards earning the Companion Pass.
Additionally, each card comes with 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, which will be credited to your account within 30 days of account opening. So, combined with the welcome offer, you only need to earn an additional 40,000 points to get the Companion Pass.
RELATED: How to Get a Southwest Companion Pass Fast
Use your Southwest business card to earn companion passes
If you are a small business owner, you may consider requesting a Southwest Airlines business card:
You can apply for two business cards at the same time and earn Companion Passes with their welcome bonus, but pairing a personal card with a business card is the cheapest and most efficient way to hit the 135,000 points mark.
For example, opening the Southwest Plus and Southwest Premier business cards and earning both bonuses can net you about 145,000 points—enough to earn a companion pass—for a combined annual fee of $248.
Additionally, if you can’t open two cards, there are other ways to earn remaining points, such as additional credit card purchases, actual flights on qualifying Southwest fares, and partner events; but the fastest way to get a Companion Pass is to open both a Southwest Business Card and a Southwest Personal Card now, if you’re eligible.
Related: Who qualifies for a business card
Strategies for Earning a Southwest Companion Pass in 2026-2027
The fastest way to get a Companion Pass is to open a Southwest Personal Card and Business Card today. Their welcome bonus package alone could earn you one.
However, if you can’t open both cards at the same time, going the individual card route is your best option, as you’ll earn at least 95,000 qualifying points (from the welcome offer and the 10,000 companion points boost), which will get you the closest to earning a companion pass.
No matter which route you choose, you need to start applying for a Southwest Airlines card now.
It’s worth noting that Chase Ultimate Rewards is earned from cards such as Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See Rates and Fees), to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account No Counts towards companion pass.
However, once you get a companion pass, you can transfer points from Chase to Rapid Rewards to book award tickets on Southwest Airlines and have your designated companion fly with you, essentially at no additional cost.
Related: How to Redeem Points with Southwest Rapid Rewards
Who is eligible to apply for the new Southwest Credit Card?
Southwest Airlines’ card eligibility rules are pretty strict. Terms stipulate:
“This product is not available to (i) current cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® credit card, or (ii) former cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the past 24 months. This product is not available to cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.”
This means you can only earn the new card membership bonus with one Southwest personal credit card in a 24-month cycle, so be sure to choose the card that offers the best bonus. Also note that if you currently have any unused Southwest Personal Credit Card, you will not be eligible for these offers.
Also, business card eligibility rules are not as strict as those for personal Southwest cards. Business card restrictions:
“This new cardmember bonus offer is not available to (i) existing cardmembers of this business credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this business credit card who received a new cardmember bonus on this business credit card within the past 24 months.”
This means you have not been able to earn bonuses on the Southwest business card you applied for in the past 24 months, and you cannot currently hold the Southwest business card you applied for, but you can apply for another one.
However, keep in mind that you can get closer to earning a Companion Pass by earning bonuses on Southwest’s small business credit card and personal credit card in the same calendar year. Alternatively, you can get two small business card bonuses; you just can’t get two personal cards.
And don’t forget Chase’s 5/24 rule. If you have opened five or more new personal credit cards with any card issuer in the past 24 months, your application for a Southwest Airlines card may be declined.
Related: Do I need to go through a company to get a business credit card?
bottom line
Now is the time to lock in your Southwest Companion Pass strategy. By applying for a personal Southwest card and a business Southwest card before the end of the year and scheduling your spending in early 2026 for the welcome bonus to be issued in early 2026, you could get nearly two years of travel in one by the end of 2027.
If you like to start small, even a single personal card can help you complete most tasks, and every point you gain after that will get you closer to your goal.
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premium Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Apply here: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premium Business Credit Card
