How to fly a friend (nearly) free, unlimited times

How to fly a friend (nearly) free, unlimited times

It's like a buy-one-get-one-free deal on flights. The Companion Pass is a highly sought-after airline perk because it's among the most valuable benefits of its kind. It allows you to pick one person to fly with you without paying any airline charges for your travel companion, aside from mandatory taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 one-way. Earning it is a challenge, but Southwest credit cards can help.

The Southwest Companion Pass is good for the rest of the year in which you earn it, plus the entire next calendar year! That means if you time it right, you can get close to two full years of (nearly) free flights for your companion!

You’ll need to earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year in order to get your hands on a Companion Pass. But all Rapid Rewards credit card members will automatically receive a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points every year.

To qualify for a traditional Companion Pass, you'll need to do one of the following...

To qualify for a traditional Companion Pass, you'll need to do one of the following...

Southwest offers many opportunities to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points. Plus, your points don't expire.

Southwest offers many opportunities to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points. Plus, your points don't expire.

Southwest Airlines offers an array of credit cards, just like other major U.S. airlines. But Southwest operates differently from other carriers, so its cards are different, too. Most notably, the airline doesn't charge for checked bags and doesn't operate a network of airport lounges, so it doesn't have cards that offer free bags or lounge access. Southwest also doesn't offer a no-annual-fee card.

Better yet, the points earned from Southwest credit cards – including the welcome bonus – count toward earning the Pass. Opening a Southwest card and earning the bonus can give you a big headstart on earning the coveted Companion Pass.

Did you know that you don’t need a formal business — or any business income — to get a business credit card? A side hustle or hobby that generates extra cash is entrepreneurial enough to qualify for most of the best business credit cards.

💡 If you really want to earn a Southwest Companion Pass quickly, try opening a Southwest business card and a Southwest personal credit card. Here's why...

Though Southwest issues multiple personal credit cards, issuing rules prohibit opening and earning welcome bonuses on more than 1 personal card in a 24-month period. But, the rules do allow you to open and earn the welcome bonus on a Southwest personal card AND a Southwest business card. The points earned from meeting the terms on both welcome bonuses should score you a Companion Pass.

If you're interested in the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, you may wonder how many points you will earn on a Southwest credit card? For the most part, each card has similar earning opportunities based on spending. For example, the cards earn 2x Rapid Rewards points in the following categories: Hotel and car rental partners. Local transit and ride-hailing services. Internet, cable, mobile phone and select streaming services. All three cards also earn 1 point per dollar for other purchases. The difference lies in Southwest purchases — while the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card earns 2x points on Southwest purchases, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card earns 3x points.

If you don't travel Southwest often, a general travel rewards credit card may be a better fit. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, isn't a Southwest-branded card, but the points you earn are super-flexible. Among your options: transferring points directly to Southwest — meaning that if you use this card right, you could actually earn 5 Southwest points per dollar spent on other airlines.

But while you can transfer Chase points to Southwest, those points will not count toward the Companion Pass.

» SEE: Best credit cards for Southwest

Making the most of travel rewards requires some understanding of how much each reward currency is worth. Earning 100,000 points sounds great, but what does that mean in terms of dollars?

Southwest offers many opportunities to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points. Plus, your points don't expire.