Want to know why Southwest is my favorite airline?? The Companion Pass! And now is the perfect time to start earning one for 2025-2026! In 2024, I flew to Miami, Tampa, Nashville, and Lubbock (numerous times!) on points that I earned through opening up the Southwest card!
Here’s how to earn the Southwest Companion Pass The main strategy is to earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year, which can be achieved through Southwest credit card welcome bonuses and spending. Here is one way to earn the Companion Pass:
- Sign up for one Southwest personal credit card and one Southwest business credit card. The credit cards available are:
Personal cards:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
Business cards:
- Southwest Performance Business
- Southwest Premier Business
The ideal timing is to apply for both cards near the end of a calendar year (like December) and complete the minimum spending requirements in early January of the following year. This way, all points post in the same calendar year and you’ll have the Companion Pass for nearly two full years.
If you have a spouse or partner, refer each other to earn even more points that go towards the Companion Pass!
Important notes:
- You can only hold one personal Southwest card at a time
- You must wait 24 months after receiving a previous Southwest personal card bonus to be eligible for another
- Business cards are separate from this restriction
- Only points earned from credit card spending and welcome bonuses count toward the Companion Pass
If this all is confusing, send me a message and I would love to talk you through it to see how this strategy can work for you! Referrals are the best way to rack up those Southwest points and get you going!