Southwest Credit Cards Revive Limited-Time Companion Pass Offer
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This offer is no longer available, so this page is out of date. For up-to-date information, see NerdWallet's reviews for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
For a limited time, it’ll be a bit easier to get a Southwest Companion Pass. From Feb. 6 through March 11, 2024, these Southwest credit cards are offering a sign-up bonus that includes this popular perk:
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card ($69 annual fee).
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ($99 annual fee).
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card ($149 annual fee).
If you get one of these Southwest cards during this promotion period, you can earn the Companion Pass, plus 30,000 Rapid Rewards points, when you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
By earning the Companion Pass through this offer, you can bring another traveler along on flights through Feb. 28, 2025, for no additional fare besides taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 one-way. Ordinarily, you’d have to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 points in a calendar year to earn a Companion Pass good for the remainder of the year and for the following year.
This replaces the cards’ previous welcome offers, where you could earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Starting Jan. 1, 2023, the number of points required to earn Companion Pass benefits increased to 135,000 qualifying points from 125,000 in a calendar year. But all Southwest credit card holders will now receive 10,000 points automatically each year. Those points only count toward Companion Pass qualifications and cannot be redeemed for award flights.
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Is it a good deal?
The Southwest Companion Pass is undoubtedly one of the most generous perks in travel, for those who can use it. The ability to get unlimited free flights (plus tax) for your friend or family member for the duration of the pass is unmatched. While the opportunity to earn the pass for up to one year by opening one new credit card could be a no-brainer for some, for others it might not be the best deal. If you typically fly solo or are only an occasional Southwest flyer, your Companion Pass may not get much use. The standard credit card offer that grants more points when you sign up and meet the spending requirements may be more valuable than this limited-time offer since you can use those points anytime.
Even if you're a Southwest loyalist, you may be better off passing. That's because if you are able to earn the necessary qualifying points without this special offer, you could enjoy the pass for longer. Since the Companion Pass is good for the rest of the calendar year in which you earn it plus the entire following year, earning the pass in 2024 would make it valid until the end of 2025.
If you qualify, a Southwest business credit card could earn a big bonus of points that count towards the Companion Pass. The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card currently offers the following: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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