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The Ultimate Guide to the Southwest Companion Pass [2024]

Katie Seemann

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How Does the Southwest Companion Pass Work?

Earning the southwest companion pass with credit cards, southwest credit card rules, timing your credit card bonuses, other ways to earn 135,000 qualifying points, what points don’t count toward southwest companion pass qualification, how to check your southwest companion pass qualifying points balance, designating and changing your companion, how to change a companion pass flight, final thoughts.

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The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best deals available in the world of travel. While it’s not a fit for everyone, if you are a frequent Southwest Airlines flyer, it can save you a significant amount of money on flights.

This pass allows you to add a companion to any Southwest Airlines ticket for just the cost of the taxes and fees. Even better, if you time it right, you can get this perk for almost 2 full years.

Since Southwest has expanded its network, you can use the Companion Pass to get to popular vacation destinations like Hawaii and international locations including Mexico and the Caribbean.

If you’re intrigued by the Southwest Companion Pass, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll show you exactly what it is and more importantly, how to get one so you can save big bucks on your next flight.

What Is the Southwest Companion Pass?

The Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is the highest-level award that a member of the Rapid Rewards loyalty program can achieve. It allows you to essentially get unlimited buy-one-get-one-free tickets for up to 2 years. All you pay for are the taxes and fees for the second ticket.

While the Southwest Companion Pass is considered elite status by some, it’s not actually a status level and doesn’t include any Southwest Airlines elite status benefits. Southwest has 2 elite status levels, A-List and A-List Preferred, that are earned separately from the Companion Pass.

You can earn both a Southwest Companion Pass and A-List/A-List Preferred status but the benefits don’t cross over.

The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to add a companion to any Southwest ticket . All you need to do is pay the taxes and fees for the companion which are $5.60 for a one-way flight within the U.S. ($11.20 round-trip). Taxes and fees are higher on international flights , averaging ~$75 each way.

The companion can be added to any ticket as long as there is a seat available. The original ticket can be purchased with cash or points and the available seat doesn’t have to be in the same fare class as the original ticket.

For example, if you purchase a Wanna Get Away fare and want to add a companion later but there are only Business Select fares available, you’d still be able to add your companion even though the original ticket was a Wanna Get Away fare.

It’s best to add your companion at the time of booking to ensure a seat is available, but it’s not required. A companion can be added at any time, as long as Southwest has a seat for sale.

Bottom Line: The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to add a companion for just the cost of the taxes and fees ($5.60 one-way on a domestic ticket) to any and every flight you take while you have the pass. It can be used an unlimited number of times and works on tickets purchased both in points or cash.

How To Earn the Southwest Companion Pass

Rapid Rewards members can earn a Southwest Companion Pass in 2 ways:

• Fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year
• Earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year

Once you qualify for the Companion Pass, it is valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which you earn it and the entire next calendar year.

That means if you can earn a Companion Pass in January, you’ll have it for almost 2 full years. If you earn your Companion Pass in December, you only get to keep it for about 1 year.

As you can see, timing is critical when earning a Companion Pass. The earlier in the year you can earn it, the longer the pass is good for.

Another important thing to know about the Southwest Companion Pass is that once you earn the required 135,000 points, you’ll still have those points in your account to use for flights. You don’t have to “buy” the Companion Pass with points. It simply activates as soon as you earn 135,000 points in a calendar year.

Bottom Line: You’ll get a Southwest Companion Pass after earning 135,000 qualifying points or flying 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. It’s valid for the remainder of the year in which you earn it and the next calendar year.

The easiest way to earn the Southwest Companion Pass is through credit card welcome bonuses earned by meeting minimum spending requirements. That’s because you’ll earn large chunks of qualifying points at 1 time and because as a Southwest credit cardholder, you’ll get a yearly 10,000-point boost toward Companion Pass Qualification.

The 10,000-point boost only counts toward Companion Pass qualification — they are not redeemable Rapid Rewards points.

Chase offers the following Southwest Airlines co-branded credit cards :

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Priority Credit Card

This card focuses on the Southwest traveler with anniversary points, travel credit, upgrades, and money back on inflight purchases.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Priority Credit Card is the most premium personal Southwest card offering from Chase. When you peel back the curtain, it is easy to see why.

Not only does the card offer multiple bonus categories to help you earn more Southwest Rapid Rewards points, but it is also loaded with benefits that are sure to offer quite a bit of value to Southwest flyers.

Here is a full overview of the card to help you decide if it is a good fit for your wallet.

• 3x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
• 2x points per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshare purchases
• 2x points per $1 on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming purchases
• 1x point per $1 on all other purchases
• 7,500 points each year on your cardmember anniversary
• $75 annual Southwest travel credit
• 4 Upgraded Boardings per year
• 25% back on inflight purchases
• 1,500 tier qualifying points towards elite status for every $5,000 spent
• Travel and purchase protection
• $149 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable points
• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 7,500 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 3X points on Southwest ® purchases.
• Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• $75 Southwest ® travel credit each year.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Airline Credit Cards

Rewards Center

Southwest Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

• Best Southwest Airlines Credit Cards
• The Southwest Companion Pass

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Credit Card

Earn Southwest points on every purchase, plus anniversary points, Tier Qualifying Points, and points toward the Companion Pass!

Another week, another flight. Flying weekly can get tiring, but you know that every flight gets you closer to taking some great vacations with your significant other or your favorite travel buddy.

To save money on the flights, you like to use Southwest Airlines.

So why not get the Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Credit Card to help you earn extra Rapid Rewards points?

• 2x points per $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners
• 2x points per $1 on local transit and commuting, including rideshares
• 2x points per $1 on Internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services
• 6,000 anniversary points each year on your card renewal
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In certificates per year
• Earn Tier Qualifying Points for your spend
• $99 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 6,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 3X points on Southwest ®  purchases.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In ®  each year.
• APR: 21.49% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Plus Credit Card

This card makes it easy to earn unlimited points and qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.

If you spend a lot of time in the air, it’s important to get a great deal on your plane tickets.

Southwest Airlines can help you get those deals.

One way to save is by using the Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Plus Credit Card . This card helps you earn points for all your spending, and earning more reward points is always a good thing for a busy traveler!

• 2x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
• 2x points per $1 on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming
• 3,000 anniversary points each year on your card renewal
• $69 annual fee
• 3,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 2X points on Southwest ® purchases.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In ® each year.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Additionally, there are 2 Southwest co-branded business card options:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Performance Business Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Business Credit Card

You should be able to earn a Companion Pass, or come very close, by earning 2 welcome bonuses (after meeting minimum spending requirements). Since you can’t have 2 personal Southwest co-branded credit cards at once, this needs to be done by opening 1 personal Southwest card and 1 business Southwest card.

Hot Tip: Qualifying for a business credit card may be easier than you think. Your business doesn’t need to be big to qualify for a credit card. Many small businesses, such as selling items on eBay, running a blog, or driving for Uber, can allow you to apply for business credit cards.

If you’ve had a Southwest credit card in the past or currently have one, you’ll need to determine how long it’s been since you’ve earned a new cardmember bonus. You’ll only be eligible for a Southwest credit card welcome offer if you don’t currently hold a Southwest card and it’s been more than 24 months since you’ve earned a bonus.

These rules apply separately to personal and business cards. For example, if you currently hold a Southwest business credit card and earned a bonus within the past 24 months, you’re still eligible to earn a bonus on a Southwest personal card and vice versa.

To get the most out of your Southwest Companion Pass it’s important to time your qualification correctly. Since the Companion Pass is valid for the rest of the calendar year in which you earn it and the entire following calendar year, you’ll get the most use out of it if you earn it early in the calendar year .

If you’re planning to earn most of your points through credit card welcome offers, you’ll want to ensure those points post as early in the year as possible.

Of course, you can wait until January 1 to apply for your new credit cards, but if you want to get a head start, you can apply for the credit cards in November or December. Start spending on the cards right away but don’t finish the minimum spend requirement until January 1. That way, after meeting your minimum spending requirement, your welcome points will post in January and you’ll have a Companion Pass for almost 2 years.

Earning the Southwest Companion Pass from credit cards is just one way to do it, but there are lots of other ways to earn the required 135,000 qualifying points:

• Revenue flights
• Partner hotel stays
• Partner car rentals
• Spending on Southwest-branded credit cards (based on when the points post to your account)
• Southwest credit card referral bonuses
• Rapid Rewards Dining (based on dining date)
• Rapid Rewards shopping portal (based on purchase date)

Southwest has additional partners and the base points you earn from these partners do count toward Companion Pass qualification:

• 1-800-Flowers.com (based on purchase date)
• Energy Plus (based on posting date)
• Harry & David (based on purchase date)
• Laithwaite’s Wine (based on purchase date)
• Make It Count – Marathon (based on posting date)
• NRG Home (based on posting date)
• Rocketmiles (based on the date of stay)
• Reliant Energy (based on posting date)
• Xoom (based on posting date)

You’ll notice some points qualify in the year they are posted and some points qualify based on the purchase date. This can be very important if you’re trying to qualify at the end of a calendar year.

For example, if you’re 5,000 points short in December so you do some extra spending on your credit card, those points won’t count unless they post in December. If they post in January they would count toward the next year’s qualification.

Hot Tip: The Southwest Companion Pass will be awarded as soon as you earn the required 135,000 Rapid Rewards points. You can then use those points to purchase tickets — you don’t have to cash them out to get the Companion Pass!

Here’s a look at the points that do not qualify for Southwest Companion Pass status:

• Flight bonus points
• Gifted points
• Partner bonus points
• Partner program transfers
• Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Promotion bonus points (except for credit card welcome and referral bonuses)
• Purchased points
• Tier bonus points
• Transferred points

If you aren’t sure how many Companion Pass qualifying points you currently have, you can check your balance in your online account. First, click on View Details underneath your points total. Then choose the year you want to see and filter the list by Companion Pass Qualifying Points .

Once you’ve earned your Companion Pass, the first thing you need to do is to choose your official companion.

Southwest allows you to select any 1 person to be your companion at any given time, and you can change that person up to 3 times a year, for a maximum of 4 companions over the course of the year.

You’ll be able to designate your initial companion online, but you’ll need to call Southwest at 800-435-9792 to change your companion. The first companion needs to be removed from any future reservations before a second companion can be designated.

According to the Southwest website, changing your companion can take up to 21 business days to process, however, in practice, it happens almost instantly most of the time.

How To Use The Southwest Companion Pass

Using your Southwest Companion Pass is incredibly easy.

First, you’ll need to book your ticket as you usually would. It can be purchased with points or cash and can be for any fare category (Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, or Business Select).

Once your ticket is booked, you can add your companion either through Southwest.com or via phone.

On the website, you will see a place to click that says Add Companion . This is located just below your flight information, next to the links to cancel or change your flight. Simply click the button and enter the required information to add your companion. You’ll also need to pay the taxes at this point, which will be $5.60 for a one-way domestic trip.

To add a companion over the phone, just call reservations and let the representative know you will be using your Companion Pass to add another passenger to your flight.

Your companion can be added up until the time of the flight, as long as there are still seats for sale. This is true even if the price has gone up since you bought your ticket.

After you add a companion, you’ll see the companion confirmation number (which will be different from the original ticket) with your flight information.

Since your companion will have a different confirmation number, you’ll both have to check in for your flight separately. This can result in different boarding positions , which can potentially make sitting together more difficult.

If you want to ensure you’re sitting next to your companion on the plane, you may want to consider purchasing EarlyBird Check-In or using an Upgraded Boarding pass from the Southwest Priority card and Southwest Performance Business card .

There are some additional rules for Companion Pass tickets that you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Your companion must be ticketed and travel on the same flight as you
• If you change your flight, you must also change your companion’s flight
• If you cancel your flight , your companion’s flight will also be canceled
• The companion ticket is not considered to be a paid ticket, and therefore cannot have another companion added
• The companion ticket doesn’t earn points
• There are no blackout dates for Companion Pass tickets

If you need to make a change to a flight that includes a companion, you can do it in 1 of 2 ways. You can call Southwest to make the change, or you can make the change online. To change a ticket that includes a companion online, you’ll first need to cancel the companion ticket. Then you can make a change to the original ticket and add the companion back once the change is made.

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best deals in travel. It allows you to add a companion for just the cost of the taxes and fees on any Southwest flight for up to 2 years.

To earn a Companion Pass you need to earn 135,000 qualifying points in a year or fly 100 one-way flights. Thankfully, credit card welcome offers are considered qualifying points, so earning a Companion Pass may be easier than you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the southwest companion pass.

The Southwest Companion Pass is a pass that allows a Rapid Rewards member to add a companion to any flight that they book with Southwest, as long as there is another seat available for purchase. The member only needs to pay the taxes and fees for the companion ticket.

How do you earn a Southwest Companion Pass?

A Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is earned by either completing 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 qualifying Rapid Rewards points in a single calendar year.

How long is the Southwest Companion Pass good for?

The Southwest Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which it was earned and the entire following calendar year.

Do I earn points on flights taken with the Southwest Companion Pass?

When a Companion Pass is used, only 1 of the 2 passengers will earn points for the flight (if it was a paid flight; flights purchased with points don’t earn points). The member who holds the Companion Pass and buys the original ticket will earn points. The companion won’t earn points.

What is the value of the Southwest Companion Pass?

There is no set value for the Southwest Companion Pass. The pass becomes more valuable the more you use it.

If you were to use the pass only once for a flight that cost $250, then the value of your pass would be $250 minus the taxes and fees ($5.60 for a domestic one-way flight).

However, if you were to use the pass 100 times for flights that average $250, then the value of your pass would be ~$25,000.

The Southwest Companion Pass is not limited to a specific number of flights, so it is really as valuable as you want to make it.

Can I change my flight on a Companion Pass booking?

Yes, you can change your flight on a Companion Pass booking, but your companion’s flight must also be changed to the same new flight as you.

How many times can you use a Companion Pass on Southwest?

The number of times you can use a Southwest Companion Pass is virtually unlimited. As long as your pass is valid, you can use it as many times as you like.

Can you fly to Hawaii with the Southwest Companion Pass?

Yes, you can use the Southwest Companion Pass to fly to Hawaii. It’s valid for any Southwest flight that has an available seat.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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Travel hacking 101: A beginner’s guide to travel hacking like a pro

When I started travel hacking 11 years ago, it was an obscure “hobby” that few had heard about and most dismissed as a scam . Nowadays, seemingly everyone is doing it to some degree. Whether getting in on the latest credit card promotion or snagging a first-class seat for the price of coach, travel hacking has become more popular than ever.

It’s the easiest way to save on travel and improve your experience. Utilizing travel hacking methods, you can fast-track your way to top-tier elite status and earn frequent flyer miles without ever stepping on a plane.

There is endless information about maximizing every dollar (and mile) spent. But if you’re new to this “game” and just want a simple explanation of how it works, you’ve come to the right place.

Here is everything you need to know about getting started with travel hacking.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking involves earning frequent flyer miles or points through non-traditional methods and redeeming them for nearly-free travel.

The most common travel hacks include leveraging credit card welcome bonuses for premium cabin flights and taking advantage of sweet spots and generous routing rules to get the best deal on award flights.

How much are points and miles worth?

Points are worth 1-2 cents each, depending on the loyalty program and how you use them. You’ll generally get the highest value by redeeming points for premium cabin flights and luxury hotel stays. Some programs impose a fixed value on points, depending on the fare cost. For example, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are worth 1.3 cents towards Wanna Get Away fares.

The same goes for transferrable rewards. Most of them are worth at least one cent each towards direct travel bookings. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards® are worth 1.25 cents each towards direct travel bookings for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  cardholders and 1.5 cents for those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

The difference between points, miles, and rewards

Points, miles, and rewards are different types of loyalty currencies. There are exceptions, but airlines usually issue miles, while points come from hotel loyalty programs or bank rewards.

A good travel hacking strategy involves having a mix of all three currencies.

Transferable rewards

Thanks to their flexibility, transferable bank rewards are the gold standard of loyalty currency. You can transfer them to airline miles or hotel points, usually at a 1:1 ratio or better.

Examples of transferrable rewards include Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Rewards miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and Citi ThankYou® points.

Airline miles

You might be wondering if it’s worth earning airline miles when you can just transfer your bank rewards points instead.

Well, you should earn airline miles from a co-branded airline credit card for several reasons. For starters, you can supplement welcome bonuses from airline cards with a bonus from a transferrable rewards card to reach your travel goals faster.

In addition, some airlines incentivize you to earn miles (through a co-branded credit card or otherwise). For example, American Airlines counts all co-branded credit card spending towards elite status. Meanwhile, Southwest Rapid Rewards issues the Companion Pass after you earn 125,000 points in a calendar year (which increases to 135,000 next year). Earning airline miles can pay off.

Hotel points

Hotel points can go a long way in reducing out-of-pocket travel expenses. You can earn hotel points from co-branded hotel credit cards, by shopping online, and even by participating in surveys. Hotel credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses, with perks like elite status and annual free nights.

Examples of hotel points you should consider earning include World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards.

How to start travel hacking

Travel hacking is fun and rewarding but can also be a lot of work. There is a wealth of information about ways to earn and burn points for maximum value. But if you’re just learning and want to know the basics, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started.

Step 1: Set a goal

Before you embark on your travel hacking journey, you’ll want to set a goal. Are you hoping to redeem miles for international travel ? Or perhaps you’re saving up for a family trip to Disneyland. Regardless of your goals, it’s important to identify them early on to determine which credit cards and loyalty programs will help you get there.

Step 2: Choose your rewards program(s)

Once you’ve determined your travel goals, it’s time to pick your loyalty programs. Start with your home airport; if you live in an airline hub city, that airline can be a good starting point. There’s no sense in earning Southwest points if you live in Alaska. You might be better off with the Alaska Mileage Plan program since the airline serves the region and offers domestic and international partners. You’ll have more opportunities to redeem miles, and if you fly the airline often enough, you’ll even earn elite status.

When choosing a loyalty program, keep partner airlines in mind. For example, if you’re saving up for a Hawaiian vacation and want to fly United, you should consider collecting Turkish Miles&Smiles instead. Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member, like United, and offers domestic United flights for just 15,000 miles round-trip in economy. Exploring partner programs can help you save on award travel, stretching your miles further.

Choosing a hotel loyalty program might be easier. Think about which hotels you like when traveling and which elite benefits you care about. Most hotel loyalty programs let you earn top-tier status from credit cards alone, so think about which programs offer the best perks and properties in the destinations you like to travel to.

Here’s a look at every major hotel program’s global footprint to help you choose:

• Marriott Bonvoy: Over 8,000 properties in 139 countries
• Hilton Honors: Over 7,000 hotels in 122 countries
• Choice Privileges: Over 7,000 hotels in 40 countries
• IHG One Rewards: Over 6,000 properties worldwide
• Radisson Rewards: Over 1,700 hotels worldwide
• World of Hyatt: Over 1,150 hotels in 70 countries

While it’s good to identify at least one airline and hotel program, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Try to collect at least one transferable rewards currency, so you’re not limited to only a few programs.

Transferrable rewards can also protect you against program devaluations — if one airline or hotel increases its redemption requirements, you can transfer your points to another.

Here are some of the most popular transferrable rewards programs:

• American Express Membership Rewards®
• Bilt Rewards
• Capital One Miles
• Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Citi ThankYou® Rewards

Step 3: Choose a credit card

Once you’ve identified the loyalty program you want to earn points with (and incorporated at least one transferrable currency), it’s time to find a credit card.

When choosing a credit card, you should consider the following features:

Welcome bonus

A high welcome bonus will help you achieve your travel goals much faster. Some credit card bonuses are high enough to cover a round-trip international business class ticket. You’ll incur a 2-5 point credit score hit from every inquiry, so make it count. You should aim for a welcome bonus of at least 50,000 points, and plenty of cards meet that criteria.

Credit card application rules

Remember that some banks have strict application rules when applying for credit cards. For example, American Express limits welcome bonuses to one per lifetime. Meanwhile, Chase’s infamous 5/24 rule prevents you from being approved for a new card if you’ve had five or more in the last 24 months.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with these rules before applying for a card to avoid unnecessary rejection.

Travel perks

Many travel rewards cards come with valuable perks like elite status, airport lounge access, airline fee credits, and annual free nights. Think about which of these perks you’re likely to maximize every year. Doing so can help you choose the best credit card and figure out if the card is worth renewing every year.

Annual fees

Travel hacking can get expensive if you’re not careful about annual fees. Rewards credit card annual fees range from $89-$695. It’s easy to get tempted by a high welcome bonus, but annual fees can dent your travel budget if you’re not careful.

Before settling on a credit card, explore the lower or no-annual-fee version to see if it’s a better fit.

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may seem appealing with its welcome bonus, but you’ll pay a lower annual fee with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

Step 4: Other ways to earn points

Credit card welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn points, but they’re not the only way. You can earn points from shopping portals, dining rewards programs, completing surveys, and more.

Shopping portals:

• American AAdvantage eShopping
• Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping
• Delta SkyMiles Shopping
• Free Spirit Online Mall
• Hilton Honors Shopping Mall
• JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
• United MileagePlus Shopping

Dining rewards programs:

• American AAdvantage Dining
• Alaska Mileage Plan Dining
• Delta SkyMiles Dining
• Free Spirit Dining
• Hilton Honors Dining
• IHG Rewards Club Dining
• JetBlue TrueBlue Dining
• Marriott Eat Around Town
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
• United MileagePlus Dining

Airline companion passes

Airline companion passes are one of the best travel hacking tools to stretch your points further. Some passes are issued annually as a credit card benefit, while others have to be earned. In most cases, you can save 50% or more on airfare with a companion pass.

Here’s a look at companion passes you should consider adding to your travel hacking arsenal:

Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare

The Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare is a great travel hacking tool for west coast flyers. The pass is issued as part of the welcome bonus on the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card and reissued annually. Considering the Alaska card has a reasonable annual fee, this is a terrific benefit.

Simply book a companion on the same flight and pay just $99 (plus taxes and fees).

American AAdvantage

You can get an American Airlines Companion Certificate from one of four co-branded credit cards. The spending requirement ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per year. Once you’ve secured the certificate, you can use it to cover a companion’s airfare for just $99 plus taxes and fees.

• Barclays Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard: Spend $20,000 in a year
• AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard: Spend $20,000 in a year
• AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard: Spend $30,000 in a year
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Spend $30,000 in a year

The American Airlines Companion Certificate is only valid on round-trip economy class tickets within the contiguous U.S. For Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island residents, the pass is good for round-trip flights originating in those destinations.

British Airways Travel Together Ticket

The British Airways Travel Together Ticket is issued to British Airways Visa Signature® cardholders who spend $30,000 in a calendar year . This perk can take the sting out of high fuel surcharges imposed on British Airways award tickets transiting through London.

The Travel Together Ticket is valid in all cabins, including first class and international fares .

Delta Companion Passes

Delta has two companion passes: one is valid on economy class tickets only, while the one issued through the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card can be applied to first-class travel. You’ll pay just $80 for your companion’s ticket, which is a bargain — especially when using it for first-class flights.

Note that the Delta companion tickets are not valid on award flights or basic economy tickets.

Here’s a list of cards you can earn the companion pass with:

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Iberia airfare discount

Iberia offers a $1,000 airfare discount on two tickets booked on the same flight. You can earn it by spending $30,000 on the Iberia Visa Signature® Card per calendar year. It’s valid in all cabins, providing ultimate flexibility.

Southwest Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most popular travel hacking tools out there. You can get one after completing 100 segments or earning 125,000 Southwest points in a calendar year, though the requirement is increased to 135,000 points in 2023. However, points earned from the Southwest credit card welcome bonuses count towards the pass.

It only takes one business or one personal card welcome bonus to earn the Southwest Companion Pass:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card : Earn 50,000 points after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening

Redeeming points

You’ve accrued thousands of points and are ready to start booking your dream vacation. Now what? Redeeming points isn’t exactly easy, and that’s by design. Loyalty programs count on members not doing their due diligence to get as much out of their points and miles as possible.

While booking the first award that pops up in the search result is easy, that’s not the best way to stretch your points. Here are a few concepts you should familiarize yourself with to get the most out of your points:

Stopovers and open jaws

While a simple round-trip flight is great, you can stretch your points further by incorporating stopovers and open jaws into your flights.

A stopover is when you visit an additional destination on your way to your final destination or home. Several airline loyalty programs allow you to add a free stopover to award flights:

• Alaska Mileage Plan (free stopover on one-way awards)
• ANA Mileage Club ( one free stopover and one open-jaw on round-trip awards)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles ( up to four destinations per itinerary)
• Emirates Skywards (one free stopover per round-trip)
• Japan Airlines Mileage Bank ( three stopovers or two stopovers and one open-jaw )
• Singapore Krisflyer ( one stopover and one open-jaw per roundtrip flight )
• United MileagePlus (one free stopover within the same region per round-trip flight)

Open jaws are another great way to add a destination to your itinerary. An open jaw is when you return from a different destination than you flew into.

One example of an open-jaw ticket is if you fly from New York to London and then return home from Paris. Many people book this route with Avios because British Airways imposes hefty fuel surcharges on flights departing from London. Savvy travelers will take a train to Paris and fly back from Charles de Gaulle to save money.

But booking an open-jaw doesn’t have to be about saving money. It’s a great way to see multiple destinations on the same trip, especially in Europe, where connecting flights are relatively cheap. Here’s a list of loyalty programs that allow open jaws on round-trip award tickets:

Fourth and fifth night free

Some hotel programs offer free nights when you redeem points for consecutive nights at one property. These deals can help you save as much as 25% on an award stay. The most generous is IHG One, which offers a fourth night free to IHG Rewards Traveler, IHG Rewards Premier, and IHG Rewards Premier Business card members. Meanwhile, Marriott members and Hilton elites get the fifth night free on award stays.

These discounted award rates can help you save thousands of points and book extra free nights at no cost. Factor this into your award-booking strategy, and you’ll stretch your points further.

Take advantage of sweet spots

Sweet spots are awards that are significantly discounted compared to other loyalty programs. Both hotels and airlines have sweet spot awards that can help up your travel hacking game.

For example, Turkish Airlines offers round-trip economy class tickets between the mainland U.S. and Hawaii for just 15,000 miles. That’s what some loyalty programs charge for a one-way ticket, making this an excellent sweet spot award.

Travel hacking is all about finding ways to stretch your points further. You can do this with tactics like searching for generous credit card welcome bonuses, booking flights with stopovers and open jaws, taking advantage of hotel programs that offer free nights, and looking for airline sweet spots.

With a little bit of effort, you can travel hack your way to (nearly) free travel.

Happy travels!

About the author

Ariana Arghandewal

Ariana is a travel reward expert and founder of her own award-winning blog., PointChaser. She has worked as an editor and covered all things points, miles, and credit cards for over a decade across a number of personal finance sites.

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Family Travel Hacking: How to earn Southwest Airline Companion Pass

Family Travel Hacking : How to earn Southwest Airline Companion Pass .

Southwest Companion Pass is based on the calendar year and is good for the year you earn it and the following calendar year. Make sure you do not earn your credit card sign-on bonuses till AFTER January 1! All points toward Southwest Companion Pass reset JANUARY 1!!!!

Current Offer as of October 2022

For those who already know what Southwest Companion Pass is and how to earn it, Here’s the current offers and recommendations. The current offer for Southwest credit cards you can earn as a sign on bonus 80,000 rapid reward points for the Southwest Business credit card and 75,000 rapid reward for any of the southwest personal credit cards. This will give you more than the 135,000 rapid reward points is required but you will also earn 10,000 rapid reward points for holding any Chase Southwest Rapid Reward Credit Cards each calendar year.

Be careful because you will earn the first 75,000 points after only $3000 in spending on the personal credit card and Chase sometimes give you the bonus even if you are under but close. So you want to make sure that spending isn’t completed till after January 1. T he Business credit card will earn you the bonus after spending $5,000. I recommend getting this card first as you can spend a good portion of the spending minimum this year, saving $1,000 for after your December Statement close date, will help you get closer to earning the pass in January with out having to spend a significant portion in one month. I recommend the last $1,000 be spend after your statement period that ends in December.

I recommend getting the Southwest Airline personal credit card at the end of November or even early December. You can pick whichever suits your needs best as they have the same bonus. It can take up to a couple weeks to get the credit card and usually the statement close day is more than a month from the date of application. I would spend a $10 or so on the card but I would hold off on major spending till you see your statement close date and know if it will close in December or January. If the statement close date is in December keep the spend below $400 or $500 to make sure they don’t award you the sign on bonus early.

How Southwest Airline Companion Pass can Create Travel Opportunities for your Family

Southwest Airline Credit Card Application  (any card)

What is the Southwest Companion Pass

The Southwest Airline Companion pass is a pass that allows someone to fly with you for free (fees additional) every time you fly for the year you earn it and the following calendar year. In other words, you get a free flight every time you fly. Southwest Airline Companion pass is one of the best Family Travel Hacking Deals because it can cover a family of 4 flights for 6 or more flights over a possible 2 year period for free. Once you have your flights covered it’s easy to book a cheap family vacation to any destination Southwest Airline flight s. Family Travel Hacking can also help you cover your accommodations at some amazing places.

The companion pass can even be used on award fare so you can book your flight with miles and add your companion essentially booking (2) flights for only the cost of fees for almost 2 years!  

You can earn the Southwest Airline companion pass by flying 100 one-way segments in a calendar year or 110,000 qualifying miles on your Southwest Rapid Reward Account in one calendar year.  The pass allows a companion to fly for free (fees are additional) whenever the pass holder flies southwest on the same itinerary. When you earn 135,000 miles you keep them. the Companion pass is a bonus. This means you have 135,000 miles to use toward your flights and your companion flights are free.  For families of 4 or more with 2 adults, if both earn a companion pass (2) kids can be companions and the remaining family members can share the pool of 270,000 miles to book flights.  

• Do you have a credit score of 730 or above?
• Have you taken out less than 5 credit cards in the last 24 months (this includes store cards).
• You need to earn 135,000 qualifying miles in the same calendar year . There are 2 options to get there:
• Take out Southwest Rapid Rewards ®  Performance Business Credit Card currently has an 80,000 rapid reward sign-on bonus. Minimum spending is $5,000 which would earn you a total of 85,000 points. Southwest offered anyone with a rapid account 25,000 rapid reward points this year which would take you to 110,000 so you would only need 15,000 more points which you can earn by spending or through friend referrals.
• Take out Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card for 80,000 and Southwest Airlines’ personal credit card for a 75,000 bonus. Meet min spending after January first.  This will earn more than the 135,000 points needed to earn the pass.
• All pts earned from min spending will count if spent during the same calendar year. the personal card is currently offering 3x on restaurant purchases.
• fly southwest and earn miles.
• using their hotel or restaurant portals to earn points (Be careful hotels are sometimes priced higher in here)
• use Southwest Airline’s shopping portal- similar to Rakuten to earn miles.
• refer 3 friends if they apply and are approved you earn 10,000 miles per person.

How the Southwest Companion Pass will Create Travel Opportunities You?

Southwest Airline Companion Pass is good wherever southwest flies (99 destinations in 40 States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean).  Have you ever wanted to visit all 50 States? This is a good way to work toward that goal. Have you always wished you could get away for cold winters for even just a long weekend?  Have you found an amazing deal on a hotel or all-inclusive, but flights were just too much. Ever wanted to visit friend or family in another state but flights were too expensive. For us the Southwest Airline Companion pass provided opportunities to travel we would not have otherwise done.  We were able to book 7.5 trips in the 18 months that we have southwest airline companion pass and helped us travel on over 12 trips in 12 months! Here’s my trip report from these trips.  

• Orlando (twice):    Universal studios   and WDW And Legoland
• Jamaica  (twice)
• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Atlantis, The Bahamas  (Twice)
• LAX 1 Way for Disneyland

Not sure if you’re ready to take out multiple credit cards?

I was hesitant as many are to dive into the world of travel hacking (obtaining credit card miles and points obtained largely from credit card sign on bonuses to travel for cheap or free). I decided to commit to it for one year as sort of an investment and it has made a very positive impact on my families lives. We have traveled so much more, and experiences places we may not have otherwise prioritized.   Of what I have obtained so far through credit card travel rewards the Southwest Airline Companion Pass is by far the most beneficial.  

It only required you to take out (2) credit cards with relatively low annual fees. Before the 1-year mark you can cancel the credit cards and keep the Companion pass and all your miles till the companion pass expires, though you may decide to keep the credit card to continue to earn miles on purchases, miles you can use toward your travel.  Believe it or not taking out credit cards can increase your credit score as it has with mine.

What’s the Catch?

The Catch is you need to earn 135,000 miles to earn the companion pass. But there are things to consider which will be discussed in the next section.

How can I earn a Southwest Airline Companion Pass?

The easiest way to earn Companion pass is through applying for the Southwest Airline Business credit card (cc) and a southwest airline personal credit card, meeting min spend, possibly earning some additional miles as needed to earn 135,000 miles in the same calendar year.

Some things to consider:

Obtaining the cards.

• You must qualify for both cards Chase has specific rules. You must be under 5/24 which means you cannot have taken out 5 or more credit cards (by any bank) in the last 24 months.
• Chase only allows 2 cc applications in 30 days
• Chase also can be stricter than other cards and require a higher credit score. I think 750+ is ideal.
•  It is not recommended you take out credit cards if planning to apply for a large loan or mortgage in the upcoming 6 months.

Costs Associated with the card.

• Annual fees for (2) personal credit cards are $69 and $99. For the Business card it is $199.
• You must meet minimum spending for both cards within the spending period. The current spending minimums to earn the sign on bonus is a total of $6,000 between the 2 cards ($5k business and $1k personal and this would need to happen in 3 month period with $2,000 saved for after the December statement close if you plan on earning it in early January.
•  Depending on the current offer you may have to spend more than just the minimum spending to earn the companion pass. Current offer gives you 75000 miles for personal Southwest Airline cc when you hit min spending with the Business card bonus at 80,000 miles that means you won’t have to spend more at this time.
• If you do need more points You can do this by simply refer someone people if a referral bonus is available, spending another $10,000 on the Southwest Airline credit cards, using the shopping portal, flying southwest on a paid fare or any combination. Or wait for enhanced bonuses like for the performance business cc which sometimes offers an 80,000 mile bonus if you meet min spending.
• You pay fees for all passengers whether using points or companion pass you pay airport fees. In the US this is $11 round trip ($5.50 one way). In the Caribbean, central America and Mexico the fees are higher ranging from $80-$120 per person. Puerto Rico is only $11 since it is a US territory. If traveling outside the US, you will need a passport. If you don’t have one you have to consider the investment especially for an entire family it can be a large cost.    

What if I don’t Quality for a Business Credit Card?

Most people assume they do not qualify for a business credit card, but Many can apply as a sole proprietor.  If you tutor, sell crafts, sell on resell sites there’s many things people do every day that constitute a business.   If you do not qualify for a business card, maybe consider starting a small side business or you can consider earning the 40,000 miles to put toward your travels, however in this case you would be better offer earning Chase ultimate reward points which can be transferred to many different partners including southwest.   

You can also keep your eyes peeled for a companion pass offer which is occasionally offered through the southwest credit card for one year as a sign on bonus.

Is it worth $268 in annual fees?

If you use the passes and miles, it is. We used miles and companion passes to cover over $5,000 in flights in less than a years’ time. This was for 2 companion passes so we invested $536 in annual fees. In addition the cards now provide early bird and A boarding benefits that are wonderful for families who no longer qualify for family boarding.

If you have Questions head to the AffordableFamilyTravel.com Crew on Facebook we are happy to answer any questions you may have or help clarify the process.

How do I apply:

You can apply for the Southwest credit cards using my referral link here.  

I do not receive any compensation for sharing this information with you. However, I may receive a referral bonus for those approved for credit cards using my referral link. Please help support my blog by using my credit card referral links when applying for credit cards. These referral points allow us to continue to travel and share our experiences with everyone.

The information provided in this post or on affordablefamilytravel.com, Affordablefamilytravel.com facebook page or Affordablefamilytravel.com Crew Facebook group and accompanying material is for informational purposes only.  It should not be considered legal or financial advice.  You should consult with an accountant, financial adviser or attorney or other professional to determine what may be best for your individual needs. 

Join the AffordableFamilyTravel.com Crew on Facebook to share tips and tricks for affordable family travel.

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Make sure to like AffordableFamilyTravel.com on Facebook to get all the latest updates. It’s also where I post my Dash Deals that are time-sensitive.

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Companion Pass ®

Traveling is more fun with a plus-one. Take a friend or Family Member with you on your next Southwest ® flight when you earn a Companion Pass.

Friends fly when you do.

Companion Pass is the benefit that allows you to choose one person to fly with you, free of airline charges (does not include taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way) unlimited times whenever you purchase or redeem points for a flight.

To qualify, simply fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 qualifying points 1,3 in a calendar year. You’ll earn a Companion Pass for the following full calendar year, plus the remainder of the year in which you earned it. For even more flexibility, Companion Pass Members can change their designated Companion up to three times each calendar year.

How to earn Companion Pass

Earn Companion Pass qualifying points every time you use your card.

Wanna get more with your Rapid Rewards ® Credit Card?

Earn Companion Pass ® qualifying points when you use your Rapid Rewards Credit Card 1

Shop and dine

Get more points when you shop at our online retailers or dine with our participating restaurants.

Fly 100 one-way qualifying flights in a calendar year and earn qualifying points 3 for every dollar you spend on a qualifying flight. You can also earn qualifying points by booking a hotel or renting a car through one of our partners. 1

Home and lifestyle

Purchases you already make also get you points. Who doesn’t love that?

Companion Pass tips

Companion Pass holders can now board together with their Companions. 2 Already a Companion Pass Member? See how you can maximize your membership with these helpful tips!

Designate your Companion

• Log in to your Rapid Rewards account at  Southwest.com ® .
• On your Snapshot tab, locate  Choose Your Companion , click  Enter Companion Info , and follow the posted instructions.
• Or if you’d prefer, give us a call at  1-800-435-9792 .

Tips on traveling with your Companion

• Reservations are required for all Companion Pass travel. You must book your flight prior to booking your designated Companion’s flight. 
• After booking your flight, visit the  My Trips  section of your account. Find your flight in the Upcoming Trips section and click the  Add Companion link. Click  Continue  to proceed to the purchase screen and review your Companion information. Click Purchase  to complete your Companion’s flight reservation. A Companion’s reservation is not considered a purchased flight, and therefore, another Companion Pass reservation cannot be booked from it.
• If you would like to book through a Customer Representative, call  1-800-248-4377  and notify him/her that a Companion Pass will be used.

Who can get a Companion Pass?

A Member who flies 100 qualifying one-way flight segments booked through Southwest or earns 135,000 tier qualifying points 1,3 per calendar year will qualify for Companion Pass.

Companion Pass qualifying points can be earned when you use your Rapid Rewards® Credit Card. 1

Southwest Rapid Rewards ™ Cardmembers will earn one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year. 1

Companion Pass

Fly 100 qualifying flights or earn 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points 1

Important information

1 Companion Pass® qualifying points are earned from revenue flights booked through Southwest®, points earned on Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards, and base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners. The following do not count as Companion Pass qualifying points: purchased points; points transferred between Members; points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, e-Rewards®, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club®; points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment, tier bonus points; flight bonus points; and partner bonus points (with the exception of the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase). No points nor tier or Companion Pass qualifying points will be awarded for flights taken by the Companion when flying on a Companion Pass reservation. Points earned during a billing cycle on a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase are not available for redemption or qualification for Companion Pass status until they are posted on your billing statement and posted to your Rapid Rewards account. Only points posted on your billing statements and posted to your Rapid Rewards account during the same calendar year are available for qualification for Companion Pass status. For example, if you make a purchase after your December billing statement cycle date, the points on those purchases will not count toward Companion Pass status in the year the purchase was made; they will appear on your January billing statement and post to your Rapid Rewards account in January.

Companion Pass Qualifying Points Boost: As a Southwest Rapid Rewards Cardmember, you will earn one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each calendar year. The boost will be deposited into your eligible Rapid Rewards account by January 31st each calendar year or up to 30 days after account opening. To receive Companion Pass qualifying points boost your credit card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Only one credit card account per Southwest Rapid Rewards Member (Rapid Rewards Member must be the primary Cardmember on that account), is eligible for one boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points per calendar year. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services.

2 Upon check in, you and your Companion will receive sequential boarding positions except if you purchased a Business Select® fare or added the Companion after you had been assigned a boarding position. For Business Select fares, only the purchaser will receive an A1-A15 boarding position and the Companion will receive a boarding position based on whichever is applicable—time of check-in, A-List or A-List Preferred status, or EarlyBird Check-In®. If you purchased a Wanna Get Away®, Wanna Get Away Plus or an Anytime fare and either you or your Companion is an A-List or A-List Preferred Member, you will both receive reserved boarding positions.

3 Qualifying flights include flights booked and flown through Southwest and flights paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Vouchers, gift cards or travel funds, and with no portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards points.

Rapid Rewards terms and conditions apply. Review the full terms here .

Southwest Rapid Rewards™ Credit Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

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Grab a friend and get ready to hit the skies by scoring one of Southwest Airlines’ limited-time Companion Passes, available by flying just one roundtrip flight.

The promotional passes, which allow travelers to designate one person to fly with them practically for free, are available to members of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards program who register for the promotion online and purchase one qualifying Southwest revenue flight by 11:59 p.m. CT on March 27, according to the airline . To qualify, travelers must book either a roundtrip flight or two one-way flights and must take off by May 22.

Customers who score a companion pass with the promotion can then designate a companion to travel with them from Aug. 5 through Oct. 2. Travelers can choose to change their designated companion up to three times with the promotional Companion Pass.

“We know the Companion Pass is a favorite perk of our Rapid Rewards program, and we're thrilled to bring back this promotion for a limited time so that Customers can experience why this popular benefit is so meaningful," Jonathan Clarkson, vice president of marketing at Southwest, said in a statement. "We invite our Customers to take advantage of this offer because traveling with your favorite Companion supports sharing of adventures and creating memories that can last a lifetime."

The Companion Pass allows holders to designate one companion to fly with them nearly for free , simply paying taxes and fees for each flight, which start at $5.60 each way. Typically, travelers can earn a Companion Pass by either flying 100 qualifying one-way flights or earning 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year (which they can do by using a qualifying credit card, staying at partner hotels, and more).

The latest Companion Pass promotion comes on the heels of Southwest’s plans to start red-eye flights sometime in the next two years. It also follows the airline’s decision to redesign its cabins for 2025 featuring ( controversial ) slimmer new seats , adjustable headrests, and larger under-seat space.

Day 8 – How To Apply & Track AND Your Strategy

• Day 1 – What’s Travel Hacking all about?
• Day 2 – Getting Organized
• Day 3 – Types of Miles and Points
• Day 4 – Credit Card Strategy
• Day 5 – Southwest Companion Pass
• Day 6 – Business Credit Cards
• Day 7 – Hotel Free Night Sign-Up Bonuses & Annual Certificates

Some of the offers mentioned below (including the Chase Hyatt Visa example below) may be expired or not available.

I made a mistake when I first got into this hobby. I had applied for a certain credit card and met a $5000 spending requirement but the bonus points didn’t post to my account. Confused, I called up and was told that I wasn’t eligible for the sign-up bonus because I had received the sign up bonus for the same card 18 months prior.

I had forgotten all about this and hadn’t kept track of the credit cards I was getting and bonuses I received.  After this mishap, I began tracking every single credit card on a spreadsheet and taking screenshots of every credit card application.

In this lesson, I’ll show you a few techniques that I use when applying for a new credit card and keeping track of the card details.

Let’s go back our example in the previous lesson – the Chase Hyatt Visa.  Here is the information page at the Chase website.  There are few items to take note of:

• Sign-up Bonus –  2 free nights at ANY Hyatt hotel worldwide after making $2000 in purchases in the first 3 months.  Notice the highlighted ‘*’ section – you won’t receive the sign-up bonus if you have or had this card and received the bonus in the past 24 months.
• Annual Fee – $75.  Some credit cards will waive the annual fee the first year.  This particular one does NOT so you will be charged the $75 annual fee in your first billing cycle.
• Authorized User Bonus – this credit card is also giving you 5000 bonus points after you add an authorized user to your account and they make a purchase during the first 3 months.  This is an extra easy 5000 points – simply during the application process add your spouse, child, friend, etc as an authorized user.  You will then receive two cards in the mail instead of one.  You don’t even have to give them the credit card, just make a single purchase (a coffee, an itunes app, etc) with that second card and put it in your credit card holder case .
• Bonus Point Categories – typically credit cards offer additional points in certain categories.  In the example above you will earn 3 points per $1 spend at all Hyatt hotels and 2 points per $1 spent at restaurants, airline tickets and car rental agencies.
• Cardmember Anniversary Bonus  – some credit cards offer you a bonus each year you stay a member and pay the annual fee.  Chase Hyatt provides a free night at a category 1-4 hotel each year.  Another example would be the Chase Southwest card providing you will 6000 Southwest points each year.
• Foreign Transaction Fee  – if you do International traveling, this is a nice benefit to have no foreign transaction fees.  ALWAYS pay in the local currency and Visa/Mastercard will convert it to USD with no additional fees and give you a great conversion rate.
• APR  – I never look at this because I never pay interest.  Make sure you always pay your full credit card bill each month so you don’t incur interest charges.  All of these bonus will be for not if you are paying 16%-24% interest payments.

I always take a screenshot of the offer details before I start the application process just in case a sign-up bonus doesn’t post for some reason so I have proof of what I applied for.  Luckily I’ve never had a problem with a sign-up bonus not posting, other than the mistake I made that I shared at the beginning of this lesson.

If you forgot to take a screenshot of the offer or wanted to confirm your sign-up offer, there are a few things you can do:

• When you call to activate your card, although most activation lines are automated, you can transfer to a live agent who can look up what your sign-up offer was.
• You can chat from within your credit card account.  A lot of the major credit card companies have an online chat function after you login to your account.  Simply chat with the agent saying you recall there was a new cardmember bonus when you applied but can’t remember the details.  They will quickly pull up your offer details for you.  This saves your from making a call, navigating an automated phone system, and waiting for a live agent.
• You can also send a secure message from within your credit card account.  Simply send a message saying you recall there was a new cardmember bonus when you applied but can’t remember the details.  I’ve always received a prompt response that outlined the offer details  I prefer this method best as I now have written proof of the offer details.

The Fine Print

Did you notice the ‘Offer Details’ and ‘Pricing & Terms’ links under the ‘Apply Now’ button?  If you looking for some light reading before bed, this is for you 😉  Some people are adamant about ready every single line of the fine print.  I read through a few of these when I first started out but quickly got bored of them.  I think the main application page does a decent job of showing you the important this.

A lot of beginner’s questions can be answered if the fine print.  Let’s see if you can answer these:

• Does the $75 annual fee that is charged during the first month count towards the $2000 in 3 month spending requirement?
• It’s been exactly one year since my account was opened, but I didn’t get my free night certificate?
• I got my two free night awards but the 5000 bonus points didn’t post to my account even though I added an authorized user and a purchase was made with the authorized user’s card.

• Does the $75 annual fee that is charged during the first month count towards the $2000 in 3 month spending requirement?   No, the annual fee does NOT count towards the $2000 in purchases.  Neither does balance transfers or cash advances.
• It’s been exactly one year since my account was opened, but I didn’t get my free night certificate?   Please allow up to the end of your Anniversary month each year for the free night award to be issued to you.
• I got my two free night awards but the 5000 bonus points didn’t post to my account even though I added an authorized user and a purchase was made with the authorized user’s card.   Please allow 6-8 weeks for your bonus points to post to your World of Hyatt account after qualifying.

Hotel/Airline Loyalty Account #

A common problem with beginners when applying for new hotel and airline credit cards is they forget to fill in their frequent flier number or hotel loyalty membership number on the credit card application.

If you already have a World of Hyatt account number, be sure to fill it in on the Chase Hyatt credit card application. If you don’t you will be assigned a new World of Hyatt account number and end up with two loyalty accounts at Hyatt. It’s an extra step and sometimes a pain to get two accounts combined.

Time Requirement

Just about all of the sign-up bonuses have a time requirement in addition to the spending requirement – i.e.  $5000 in 3 months.  But how exactly is the 3 month period calculated?  Is it 3 months from

• the day I applied for the card?
• the day I am approved for the card?
• the day I receive the card in the mail?
• the day I activate the new credit card?
• the day of my first statement closing date?
• the day my annual fee posts to my account?

Typically the time period starts from the day you are approved for the card. You may know this if you are immediately approved during online application process.

If not automatically approved, you will usually get a message saying ‘thank you for your application, we need to review your application further and will provide a response by mail within 7-10 days’. And your new card arrives in the mail a week later. So your approval date is sometime in between the day you applied for the card and day you receive it in the mail.

You can always call up and ask or send a secure message to find out the exact date you need to meet the spending requirement. To keep things simple, I just use the earliest possible date (the day I apply for a card) as the start of the time period.

I also like to complete my spending requirements as quick as possible and not wait until the very end. I’ve heard of stories of people thinking they met the spending requirement on the very last day only to find out that sometimes charges take a couple days to actually post to your account and they missed out on the bonus – DON’T BE THAT PERSON!

Keeping Track

So how do you keep track of all of these dates, spending requirements, etc?

I created a simple Google Documents spreadsheet – which lists what the card is, when I applied, when I was approved, activated the card, what the sign up bonus is, how much I need to spend to get the signup bonus, etc.

Click here to download a copy of my spreadsheet .

Here’s an example of what I use:

• Row 1 – the bank and credit card type.  I used to put my name or my wife’s name in ( )s but the list of credit cards quickly got too long so I separated her cards on one tab and mine on another tab in the spreadsheet
• Row 2  – last 4 digits of the credit card
• Row 3 – date I applied for the card
• Row 4 – date I was approved for (if I know)
• Row 5 – date I activated the credit card
• Row 6 – which day of month the statement closes on
• Row 7 – what the main sign-up bonus is
• Row 8 – if there is a secondary sign-up bonus (like the 5000 points for adding an authorized user in the above Chase Hyatt example)
• Row 9 – any special perks of the card (bonus points for certain categories, free checked bag on an airline, free hotel status, etc)
• Row 10 – the annual fee and if it is waived the first year
• Row 11 – cancel by date, typically one year from application date.  This is not as important since almost every credit card issuer has a grace period where they will refund the annual fee that posts to your account if you cancel within 30 days of the annual fee posting to your account.
• Row 12 – what the spending requirement is
• Rows 13-24 – how much spending I put on the card during each month’s statement closing
• Row 25 – automatically will subtract the total of rows 13-24 from row 12 so you know how much spending you still need to put on a card to earn the sign-up bonus.  when it’s negative, you’ve met the requirement
• Row 27 & 28 – the date the sign-up bonus is received.  Remember in the Chase Hyatt example above you are not eligible for a bonus if you received it within the past 24 months.
• Row 30 – the date I closed the account or I will simple write ‘USING’ in this box if it is a card a keep every year.

YOUR Beginner’s Strategy

My recommendation for beginners is to keep it simple when starting out. Plan to apply for just a single credit card to start with. Or if you have a spouse/partner, you can enter ‘two-player mode’ and have them also apply for a single credit card in their own name.

If you are in two-player mode, only apply for if you are comfortable meeting the minimum spending requirements on both cards in order to receive the sign-up bonus.

After getting approved, you will put ALL of your spending, no matter how small, on this card for the next few months until you hit the sign-up bonus spending requirement. Typically the requirements for sign-up bonuses are to complete a certain amount of spending ($2000, $3000, etc) in a certain time frame (usually 3 months). Your plan is to then apply for another credit card every 3 months for a total of 4 cards per year (or 8 total cards if you are in two-player mode).

Check Your Current Status

Before you apply for any cards, it’s a good practice to check your current credit card status. I recommend using Experian’s free account to verify how many credit cards you may already have or unknowingly opened in the past. Remember that 30% discount the cashier might have sold you on at a clothing store for opening a credit card?

Here is a step by step guide to how to check to see how many credit cards you have opened along with the date it was opened. If you are absolutely positive you haven’t opened any new credit cards in the past two years you can skip this step.

There are a couple of questions you have to ask yourself before picking your first card to apply for.

First – Can you apply for business credit cards?

Remember from the business cards lesson – you might already have a business and not know it. I highly recommend a ‘side hustle’ business so you can earn lots more miles and points with business credit cards.

If you answered no, move down to the ‘Personal Cards’ section below.

Next – Do you want to earn the Southwest Companion Pass? Do you live near an airport with lots of Southwest non stop flights? And do you have a companion you would like to travel with you for FREE?

If you answered no, move down to the ‘Have a Business’ section below.

If the answer to both of these questions is YES and it’s early in the year , I recommend applying for the Southwest Premier Business card first followed by one of the three Southwest Personal cards (Priority, Premier, or Plus). Obtaining and meeting the sign-up bonus requirements for both of these cards will likely get you the 110,000 miles required (or get your really close) for the Southwest Companion Pass.

If it’s late in the year (July-December), I would recommend waiting on both of these cards until January of the following year so you can maximize it’s value. Remember the companion pass is good for the rest of the year that you obtain the 110,000 miles as well as the entire following year . The earlier in the year you get it, the longer you can take advantage of it.

Just make sure you don’t go above 5/24 (opened 5 new credit cards within 24 months) or you won’t be able to get the Chase Southwest cards.

Apply for Chase Southwest Credit Cards:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business ($99) and ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority ($149)
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus ($69)
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier ($99)

Have a Business?

If you are not really interested in the Southwest Companion Pass but have a business. Your first card should be a Chase Business card . If you don’t have a business, move down to the ‘Personal Cards’ section below.

Since Chase implemented their 5/24 rule, you will want to apply for business cards that do not show up on your personal credit report first so they are NOT counted by Chase.

Remember only Barclay, Capital One, and Discover report business card to your personal credit report so DO NOT apply for any of those. All other issuers are fair game (American Express, Chase, Citi, Bank of America, etc)

Chase currently has six different business credit cards – three earn Chase’s flexible currency Ultimate Rewards and the other three are co-branded cards (United, Marriott, & Southwest).

When my status fell below 5/24, I applied for the Ink Business Preferred which offered 80,000 Chase Ultimate Reward Points as the sign up bonus.

Then two months later, I was instantly approved for the Ink Business Unlimited which had a 50,000 Chase Ultimate Reward Points sign up bonus to go along with 1.5% points on all purchases. These 50,000 Ultimate Reward Points can be transferred to United.

My next Chase Business card with probably be the United Explorer card since it is offering a 75,000 United miles sign up bonus.

In case the offer decreases by the time I apply, I might end up applying for the third Chase Ultimate Rewards card – the Ink Business Cash which offers 50,000 points to go along with 5% points in rotating quarterly categories.

Apply for Chase Business Credit Cards:

• Ink Business Preferred
• Ink Business Unlimited
• Ink Business Cash
• United Explorer Business
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business
• Marriott Bonvoy Premier Plus Business

Word of Caution – if you are meeting the sign up bonuses quickly and applying for cards quicker than every three months, I would sprinkle in other business credit cards between the Chase applications. I personally have three Chase Business credit cards. I’ll try for my fourth soon but that may be pushing my luck with Chase.

Next, continue to work through all business credits that don’t report to your personal credit report. Remember American Express allows only one bonus per lifetime per each card.

Other banks also have rules that restrict how often you can get a sign-up bonus so make sure these bonus cards are the highest (or near the highest) ever offered. Doctor of Credit periodically updates this spreadsheet that lists the highest offers ever on credit cards so you can compare the current offer to.

Personal Cards

If you don’t have a business (and don’t want to open one), your application strategy will revolve around personal credit cards. And due to the banks rules, you will definitely want to apply for Chase credit cards first since Chase implemented the 5/24 rule (Chase won’t approve you for their credit cards if you have opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months so check your status at Experian ).

Depending if you tried to obtain the Southwest Companion Pass in step 1, your 5/24 status should be 0/24 or 1/24 (one Chase personal Southwest credit card). This means you can get four or five more Chase personal credit cards before they will not approve you for any more.

Chase offers a BOATLOAD of personal credit cards. Since you are only going to be able to get five, you want to make sure you get the best. I recommend the Chase cards that offer flexible Ultimate Rewards so you can transfer them to airline and hotel partners. I recommend starting with one of Sapphire cards (remember Chase limits to only one at a time).

First – Chase Sapphire Cards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve both typically offer a 50,000 Ultimate Reward sign up bonus (the Reserve card actually offered 100,000 sign up bonus when it first launched but I doubt it will ever be offered again).

The Reserve has a big $450 annual fee, but don’t be scared by it. It also comes with a $300 annual travel credit ($300 is automatically credited to your account when you make travel purchases) which really knocks the annual fee down to $150 per year. The Reserve also gives you 3X points on travel and dining purchases. Finally if you don’t transfer your Ultimate rewards to travel partners and instead use them at the Chase travel portal they are worth 50% more – meaning the 50,000 point sign up bonus is worth $750 at the Chase travel portal.

The Reserve also pays your $100 fee for Global Entry or TSA Precheck so you can use the short security line at airports. It also comes with airport lounge access through Priority Pass.

The Preferred has a much smaller annual fee at only $95 but there is NO travel credit like the reserve. You also earn only 2X points on travel and dining instead of 3X. And if you use your points at the Chase travel portal, they are worth 25% more – so the 50,000 point sign up bonus is worth $625 in travel.

It’s up to you to decide if the Reserve extra perks are worth the higher annual fee. I personally prefer the Reserve card.

Apply for Chase Sapphire Credit Cards:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Sapphire Preferred

Second, Third, (& Fourth) – Chase Co-Branded Cards

The next few personal Chase co-branded (hotel, airlines, Amazon, Disney, etc) credit cards that you get are really up to you and your personal preference. Some are better than others, some I would avoid at all cost. Let’s dig into the Co-Branded card types.

Hotel Cards

Looking the current sign up bonuses for each card, you might be thinking IHG is the best (at 80,000 point) and Hyatt is the worst (only 50,000 points) but you would be wrong. All points are not created equal and have different values.

Hyatt’s highest category hotel is a category 7 and costs 30,000 points per night. While IHG’s top category hotel costs 70,000 points. And Marriott’s highest category on peak hotel will cost a whopping 100,000 points in 2019.

Personally my first choice of all of the co-branded cards would be the World of Hyatt card. As you saw in the hotel free night sign up bonus and annual certificates lesson, you can score some really amazing Hyatt redemptions to go along with the free award night each year.

My second choice would be for the IHG Rewards Club Premier, I just don’t love Marriott as much as Hyatt or IHG.

One thing to remember is that Chase Ultimate Reward points (from the Sapphire cards) all transfer to Hyatt, Marriott, & IHG.

Apply for Chase Hotel Credit Cards:

• Chase World of Hyatt
• Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier
• Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

Airline Cards

While there will be a bunch (10+) of different airline credit cards on Chase’s site, there are really only three airline frequent flier programs – Southwest Rapid Rewards miles, United miles, and Avios (British Airways, Aer Lingus, & Iberia). Just like the hotel cards, Chase Ultimate Reward points (from the Sapphire cards) all transfer to Southwest, United, & Avios.

Avios – all three frequent flier programs (British Airways, Aer Lingus, & Iberia) all use Avios as their points for their frequent flier programs. This makes is possible to transfer Avios between all three airline partners. You can use Avios to book flights on American Airlines.

The choice of which card to get will come down to personal preference – some people love Southwest while others hate it. Some people live near a United hub (Newark, San Francisco, Houston, Dulles, etc) and may fly United often.

Southwest Cards

Of the three Southwest credit cards, I would recommend the highest annual fee one – Rapid Rewards Priority. Even with a $149 annual fee, the ongoing perks that come with it are worth more than $149. Let’s take a look:

First it gives you a $75 Southwest annual travel credit.

It also gives you 7500 points each year on your cardmember anniversary. Southwest points are generally worth 1.6 cents each so 7500 points is worth $120.

Finally it also gives you four upgraded boarding positions each year. These are actually better than purchasing early bird since you will get boarding position A1-A15 when you purchase this at the check-in counter or ticket counter. While early bird is usually $15-$25, upgraded boardings cost $30-$50. For simplicity, let’s just say these are worth $15 (like the cheapest early bird).

$75 (travel credit) + $120 (7500 miles) + $60 (upgraded boarding) = $255 value vs $149 annual fee.

• Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
• Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
• Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier

United Cards

Of the three United credit cards, I would recommend either the United Explorer card ($95 annual fee) or if you are a die-hard United fan the United MileagePlus Club card ($450 annual fee).

The only reason to splurge on the United MileagePlus Club card is if you don’t have United elite status that already gets you into United Clubs since this card includes a $550 membership to United Clubs. It also gives you and your companion a second checked bag free (Explorer card only gives you one checked bag free).

I would stay away from the no annual fee United TravelBank card since it only earns 2% back with travel on United. You should already have a Sapphire card that earns 2X or 3X on ALL travel not just on United.

Personally I would apply for the standard United Explorer card – I rarely travel with more than one checked bag and use Priority Pass lounges (with Sapphire Reserve).

Apply for Chase United Credit Cards:

• Chase United Mileage Plus Club
• Chase United Explorer
• Chase United TravelBank

Avios Cards

At first glance, these cards seem to offer the highest sign up bonus – usually 100,000 miles. But after digging into the details there is a very large spending requirement to get those 100,000 miles.

In the offers above, you need to spend a whopping $20,000 to earn the full 100,000 miles. They do give you a full year to meet that requirement.

Getting this card may make sense if you fly out of an American Airlines city since Avios can be used to book American Airline flights. Also since all of the points transfer between all three programs it really doesn’t matter which you apply for – although British Airways website is the easiest to use of the three to make online award bookings.

Apply for Chase Avios Credit Cards:

• Chase British Airways Visa
• Chase Aer Lingus Visa
• Chase Iberia Visa

Other Chase Co-Branded Cards

I would NOT recommend applying for any of Chase’s other co-branded credit cards. You might be tempted when you see Starbucks or Disney thinking you go there a lot, but when you dig into the details, these are not very good credit cards.

A $50 statement credit or a few free drinks at Starbucks? You can do a lot better than that.

Apply for Other Chase Credit Cards:

• Don’t do it!

So how many co-branded Chase credit cards will you apply for? I would personally apply for at least two but no more than four of them. My top four are:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

Fourth (& Fifth?) – Chase Freedom Cards

The next personal Chase credit card I would recommend applying for is one of the Freedom cards.

Cash Back or Ultimate Rewards?

After looking at the current offer, you might be thinking I thought he recommended Ultimate Reward but these cards offer cash back. That is true, but both of these cards actually earns Ultimate Reward points. If you don’t have one of Chase’s Sapphire cards, you would only be able to redeem the Freedom UltimateRewards for cash back.

For example, the $200 cash bonus listed above for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card is actually 20,000 Ultimate Reward points. You can transfer the 20,000 points to your Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card. Once with a Sapphire card, you could then transfer them to airline or hotel partners or use at the Chase travel portal for $300 in travel if you have the Reserve card (or $250 with the Preferred).

Which Freedom?

Back to the Freedom cards, the sign up bonus (typically 15,000 or 20,000 points) will be lower than the Sapphire cards since these are NO annual fee cards.

You will next want to decide on either the original Freedom card or the Freedom Unlimited card. The difference is the Freedom card earns 5% points on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1500 per quarter) and 1% on all other purchases while the Freedom Unlimited earns a flat 1.5% on ALL purchases.

I personally prefer the higher 5% rotating categories with the Freedom. It’s a little more work but gives you much better returns. Even though I may not typically spend $1500 per quarter in certain categories, I like to maximize it anyway – here’s how:

Amazon is almost always one of the rotating categories each year. While I usually don’t spend $1500 at Amazon in a 3 month period, I’ll buy an Amazon gift card to get to the $1500 threshold so I earn 7500 Chase Ultimate Reward points ($1500 x 5X points = 7500 Chase Ultimate Rewards) in the quarter. I’ll then just load the gift card to my account and use it during the rest of the year.

Now if you don’t want to remember which categories are in which quarter, you might be better with the Freedom Unlimited with its 1.5% points on ALL purchases the whole year.

I should mention that you can also downgrade either the Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred to one of the Freedom cards if you want to. But remember you have to have at least one premium card if you want to be able to transfer the points to travel partners. If you downgrade to a Freedom card you also will NOT get the 15,000 or 20,000 point sign up bonus.

Apply for Chase Freedom Credit Cards:

• Chase Freedom
• Chase Freedom Unlimited

Two-Player Mode

I know there are a lot of choices, but don’t forget if you are in two-player mode (applying for cards with a spouse/partner) you can split up card choices. Maybe you get the Sapphire Reserve and your spouse gets the Sapphire Preferred. You get the original Freedom card, and they get the Freedom Unlimited card.

You get the United Explorer card and your spouse gets the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. Most likely you will be traveling together anyway, so there is no need for both of you to get the United Explorer card since it allows your companion to also get a free checked bag too.

5 Chase Cards, Now What?

After your fifth Chase credit card, you will now be over their dreaded 5/24 rule and no longer be able to be approved for any more Chase cards. This should have taken you anywhere from 9 to 18 months to get to. Now it’s time to move on to other banks – and there are a BUNCH more.

Go back to the credit card rules lesson to refresh your memory. Here are the basics:

• Flexible currencies other than Chase Ultimate Rewards should be at the top of your list (American Express Membership Rewards, Citi Thank You Points, Capital One Miles).
• American Express cards are generally pretty easy to get approved for but make sure you apply for them when they have historically high welcome bonus offers since you can generally only obtain one American Express welcome bonus once per LIFETIME. (Doctor of Credit periodically updates this spreadsheet that lists the highest offers ever on credit cards so you can compare the current offer to.)
• Citibank has implemented restrictions on their best credit cards – you can only earn the sign-up bonus if you haven’t opened or closed that specific credit card family type in the past 24 months.
• Bank of America has the 2/3/4 rule. They will only approve you at most 2 cards per rolling 2 months, 3 cards per rolling 12 months, and 4 cards per rolling 24 months.

American Express cards are my second favorite cards behind Chase. With Citibank coming in third. Capital One has been making many improvements over the past few years to come in as my fourth favorite.

Finally US Bank and Barclays tie for my fifth favorite. I’ve also had cards with BBVA Compass, Wells Fargo, Discover & TD Bank in the past.

There are just so many different credit cards you can get and new cards are always being introduced. It’s an endless supply of miles, points, and cash back.

So get through the Chase family of credit cards per the recommendations above in the next few months. And be sure to subscribe The Art of Travel Hacking website and browse recommended card at: https://dkr.lmu.mybluehost.me/credit-cards/

Don’t Forget to Support this FREE Course

Hopefully you have been finding this FREE course helpful (and there is a bunch more lessons to come). If you have, I would be grateful of your support by applying for at least one of your first credit cards using one of my affiliate links above. This will keep this course FREE and send me on some more trips 🙂

Need to Knows

• It’s a good practice to take a screenshot of the credit card you are applying for in case of issue with bonus
• Get familiar with the fine print and offer details – you can typically answer all of your own questions about an offer
• Don’t forget to use a spreadsheet to track details about the credit card (date opened, closed, annual fee, etc)
• Remember to include your award program account number if you already have one on a credit card application to avoid getting duplicate accounts
• Support this FREE course by applying for your first credit card using one of the links above – THANK YOU!

It’s finally time to apply for your first credit card!  Are you ready?

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How To Earn The Southwest Companion Pass

May 11, 2023

• themaxwellstravel

First off … what the heck is the Southwest Companion Pass?! Arguably one of the greatest flight perk travel tools on the market. We have dozens of videos on TikTok, FB and IG talking about WHAT this thing actually is! Or, you can read below 🙂

The Southwest Companion Pass is a highly sought-after benefit offered by Southwest Airlines to its frequent flyers. It allows a designated companion to fly with the pass holder for free on Southwest flights, excluding taxes and fees. The Companion Pass essentially doubles the value of the pass holder’s Rapid Rewards points, as the companion can travel without using any additional points. Think of it like a BOGO on every Southwest flight you purchase, whether that be with cash, vouchers or points.

Here are some key details about the Southwest Companion Pass:

Designated Companion : The pass holder can choose a designated companion who can travel with them for free on both paid and award flights. The companion can be changed up to three times during the validity of the pass.

Unlimited Use : The Companion Pass has no limit on the number of times the companion can fly with the pass holder during its validity. As long as there is an available seat on the flight, the companion can fly for free.

Flexibility : The Companion Pass can be used with any type of fare, including promotional fares and award tickets. The pass holder can book a flight using cash or Rapid Rewards points, and the companion can still fly for free.

Validity : The Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the year in which it is earned, plus the entire following year. For example, if the pass is earned in June 2023, it will be valid from June 2023 until December 2024.

At first glance … it seems almost impossible to earn. Most people think you need to spend $135,000 in a calendar year or fly on 100-one way Southwest flights to qualify. BUT … that’s why you are reading this. Courtney and Austin have had this little card twice now: June 2018-December 2019 and March 2022-December 2023). We would have gone for it in 2020-2021 but we all know what was going on in the world during that time period! Once our current pass expires we will using this exact advice (continue reading below) to get the SWCP once again in 2024-2025!

To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you need to accumulate a specific number of Rapid Rewards points within a calendar year. Here’s how you can earn the Companion Pass:

• Earn Rapid Rewards Points : Rapid Rewards is the loyalty program of Southwest Airlines. You can earn Rapid Rewards points by flying on Southwest Airlines, booking hotels, renting cars, shopping through their partners, or using Southwest Airlines credit cards .
• Accumulate 125,000 Rapid Rewards Points : To qualify for the Companion Pass, you need to accumulate 125,000 Rapid Rewards points within a single calendar year. This includes all points earned through Southwest Airlines and its partners.
• Base Points and Bonus Points : It’s important to note that not all Rapid Rewards points count toward the Companion Pass. Base points earned from flights, partner transactions, and Rapid Rewards credit cards count, while bonus points, such as promotional or purchased points, do not count.
• Timing : Once you earn the required 125,000 Rapid Rewards points, the Companion Pass is valid for the remainder of the year in which you earned it and the entire following year. For example, if you earn the pass in June 2023, it will be valid from June 2023 until December 2024.
• Choose Your Companion : After earning the Companion Pass, you can designate a companion who can fly with you for free (excluding taxes and fees) on any Southwest flight, whether you booked with cash or points. You can change your designated companion up to three times during the life of the pass.

As you can see above, starting January 1st, 2023 they increased the points required from 125k to 135k. HOWEVER, that’s not a big deal at all because if you are a Rapid Rewards CC member then you automatically get 10k points which brings us back down to needing 125k points to qualify. Having a SW credit card (or multiple) makes earning the Companion Pass a million times easier! 

Timing is critical for the CP, especially when factoring in credit cards. We are going to use the bonus of a credit card to help us get there. We want to MAKE SURE that the min spend bonus hits in 2024 and not 2023. You have to earn the 125k points in a calendar year. We’ll explain below!

Here are the 2 ways we could earn the Companion Pass for 2024 and 2025 and another way to earn it randomly:

Option Number 1: Personal CC + Hotel Hack

We’re going to apply for a Southwest Personal Credit Card in December of 2023. Each of the 3 cards have a 50,000 point bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. This is historically a very easy bonus to earn, but also historically a very low bonus amount. We have frequently seen 80,000 to 100,000 point bonuses after spending $3,000-$5,000 in 3-6 months. Our fingers are crossed that the offer improves between now and December, which will make life a little easier. However – it’s still possible to earn with this! We will put our monthly living expenses on the card in December 2023 and in January 2024 after our statement closes we will earn the bonus + 1-3 points per dollar spent which will leave us with around 55,000 points at this point. We still have another 70,000 points to go! Here’s how we would do it: by booking my hotel rooms through Southwest!

Southwest has preferred hotel partners, and some of these hotel partners offer significantly more Companion-Pass-Qualifying points than just the normal 1-3 points per dollar spent. Check out this Marriott in Myrtle Beach for $122/night earning 5,000 points in 3 nights. If you do some serious digging you’ll be able to find places that offer 10k points for just a single night! This was the first hotel I came across and hopefully it helps clarify the strategy here but we can take it even a step further!

Once you click “Select Your Room” you’ll be prompted with another option to boost your points! We don’t always recommend this but if you are trying to get to the Companion Pass as quickly as possible and you know you’ll be saving more money having it in your possession then you will be boosting your hotel … then by all means this is worth it! Even after you boost it, you’ll see another option at checkout to boost it again lol

Take some trips in early 2024 using this method and you’ll hit the 125k points by Spring or Summer, which will give you 18-22+ months with the Companion Pass!

Option Number 2: Personal and Business Combo

Option number 2 is a way to avoid having to use the hotel hack. If you own a small business or LLC, you can open up a business Southwest Card . The business card is offering an 80,000 point bonus after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. Pair this bonus with any of the Personal cards 50k point bonus and BOOM you’ve got the Companion Pass immediately. This could happen as soon as February or March 2024 even. Giving you 22 months of the Companion Pass!

Option Number 3: Promotional Companion Pass

Every once and a while Southwest will run a promotion that can help you easily earn the Companion Pass for a fixed amount of time. Just this April they ran a promo which allowed you to purchase a single roundtrip flight and travel before 5/24 and then you’d earn a Companion pass for 6 weeks in the Fall. If you took a short and cheap domestic flight in May you could take 2 international trips to Puerto Vallarta and Costa Rica in the Fall with a free +1. Below is another example of a promo from 2019. Keep your eyes peeled and be prepared to act quickly when they go live!

In closing … no it’s not EASY to get the true Companion Pass (not the promotional one, that’s normally pretty easy!) … BUT it is easier than most people think. You do not have to fly 100 times or spend $135,000. Since Courtney and I have had the companion pass here are the trips we have taken … Puerto Vallarta (x4), Liberia Costa Rica, Cancun (x3), Aruba, Grand Cayman (x2), Denver, Las Vegas (x2), Baltimore (x10 – Austin’s hometown is Annapolis), St. Louis (x6 – Courtney’s Hometown is nearby), West Palm Beach (x12), Fort Lauderdale (x4) and many many more times. We’ve saved thousands of dollars, especially considering that we book most of our flights with points so we both end up flying free (minus the taxes). If you want to earn the Companion Pass for 2023-2024 you still can! Use any of the methods above and if you can earn quickly you’ll have it for the rest of this year and all of next year.

Hope this was helpful and see y’all in the sky!  -Austin and Courtney

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AUSTIN & COURTNEY MAXWELL

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4 thoughts on “How To Earn The Southwest Companion Pass”

Do you go directly to Newark New Jersey from LAX?

EWR to LAX – Spirit, United, Alaska and JetBlue fly nonstop!

Hello! Should I wait to do option number 2? I am highly interested. We have a flight with Avianca in October and we were going to drive 6 hours to get to the state that has Avianca but are opting to fly instead with SW to get to the Avianca flight. I want to apply for a SW business and personal credit cards. I really want to travel more with my family. I was told to wait a little longer to take advantage of companion pass for 2 years.

Hi! If you need to earn it within the calendar year would you start trying to get the new card bonus, purchases, etc Jan 1?

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Don't fly alone. Here's how Southwest's Companion Pass lets you bring a buddy for free.

Southwest Airlines is running a promotion to let Rapid Rewards members earn a Companion Pass more easily.

With the pass, qualifying travelers can bring a designated buddy with them for free on any trip between Aug. 5 and Oct. 2.

Normally, to earn a Companion Pass, Southwest frequent flyers need to fly 100 one-way flights in a year or earn 135,000 qualifying points. These points can be accumulated through flight purchases or eligible spending on Southwest-branded credit cards or with program partners.

Under the promotion, all travelers have to do to qualify is register on Southwest’s website and purchase one round-trip or two one-way flights.

“We know the Companion Pass is a favorite perk of our Rapid Rewards program, and we’re thrilled to bring back this promotion for a limited time so that customers can experience why this popular benefit is so meaningful,” Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President Marketing at Southwest Airlines said in a statement. “We invite our customers to take advantage of this offer because traveling with your favorite companion supports sharing of adventures and creating memories that can last a lifetime.”

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To earn the promotional Companion Pass, travelers must purchase their qualifying flights by Wednesday, and travel must take place by May 22 after registering for the deal. 

Promotional Companion Pass holders can change their designated companion up to three times during the eligibility period. Full terms and conditions of the deal are available here on Southwest’s website . 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

Last chance: Book just 1 Southwest ticket to earn a Southwest Companion Pass

For a limited time, Southwest Airlines is offering travelers a complimentary Southwest Companion Pass valid for travel from August through October.

Travelers must book a round-trip flight or two one-way tickets by March 27 and redeem for travel by the end of May to take advantage of this offer.

Deal basics

Airlines : Southwest Routes : Across the Southwest network How to book : Register for the promo directly through the airline and then book travel Travel dates : Travel by May 22 and use the Companion Pass between Aug. 5 and Oct. 2 Book by : Travel must be booked by March 27

To take advantage of this deal, log into your Southwest Rapid Rewards account using this link before booking travel as you would normally.

As mentioned above, this deal requires you to book and travel before receiving the Companion Pass for your companion. The pass could be for a friend, family member or random person off the street — wouldn't that be a good reality show?

If you are unfamiliar with how the Companion Pass works, passholders can essentially use it to bring a travel companion to accompany them on flights for nearly free. Holders of the Southwest Companion Pass can use the pass as many times as they want until it expires; this means your companion could come with you for just the cost of taxes and fees. The pass can be used for award tickets as well, allowing you to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points for yourself and bring your companion without using additional points.

When using this pass, travelers can change which companion they use the pass on three times over a calendar year; in the case of this promo, this amounts to four different people over the specified time frame of two months.

Under regular circumstances, you can earn Southwest's Companion Pass by accruing 135,000 qualifying points or taking 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. This can be expedited by opening one of the five Southwest credit cards with varying sign-up bonuses, as these points count toward the Southwest Companion Pass.

Lastly, remember that Companion Pass fares do not include $5.60 in taxes and fees one-way and are not valid on award bookings with Rapid Rewards points.

Maximize your purchase

To book Southwest flights and earn points toward a Southwest Companion Pass, use:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card : 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card : 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card : 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases

Bottom line

This is a good deal for frequent Southwest flyers who have not been able to traditionally earn a Southwest Companion Pass and want to try it out. Be sure to book travel by Wednesday, March 27.

Related reading:

• How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
• Quick Points: Fly with a friend for almost free with the Southwest Companion Pass
• 15 lessons from 15 years of having the Southwest Companion Pass
• How to qualify for Southwest Companion Pass with 1 credit card sign-up bonus
• I vastly overestimated the value of a Southwest Companion Pass

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Simple Flying

Southwest airlines brings back companion pass promotion.

Be quick, as you'll need to register and purchase a flight before March 28.

• Southwest Airlines offering a limited-time Companion Pass promotion.
• Passholders can bring a companion for free between August and October.
• A regular Companion Pass requires earning 135,000 qualifying points or flying 100 one-way flights in a calendar year.

Southwest Airlines is offering a special Companion Pass promotion that lets Rapid Rewards members earn a limited-time pass with a single roundtrip flight. The pass will enable holders to fly with a companion during a two-month period between August and October.

Companion Pass promotion

Rapid Rewards members can now get their hands on a coveted Companion Pass by booking a single flight thanks to Southwest's new promotion. All you have to do is register for the promotion via Southwest's website, then book a Southwest roundtrip or two one-ways before 23:59 CT on March 27th for travel by May 22nd (and you need to turn up for the flight too).

If these conditions are fulfilled, members will be granted a two-month Companion Pass valid for flights between August 5th and October 2nd, allowing holders to bring a companion free of Southwest's base fare (but you'll have to pay taxes and fees starting at $5.60 each way).

Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing at Southwest Airlines, commented,

"We know the Companion Pass is a favorite perk of our Rapid Rewards program, and we're thrilled to bring back this promotion for a limited time so that Customers can experience why this popular benefit is so meaningful."

Be advised that this promotional Companion Pass can not be acquired by booking a flight with reward points.

Normal Companion Pass conditions

Since January 2023, members will need to earn 135,000 qualifying Companion Pass points (up from 125,000) or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a year. The way the pass works is that you get to use it during the calendar year you qualified for it plus the next calendar year too, meaning you can feasibly enjoy two-for-one fares for almost two years if you time it right.

A Complete Guide To The Southwest Companion Pass In 2024

Depending on your fare type, Rapid Rewards members earn between six and 12 points per dollar spent on bookings, with points earned on base fare and airline charges only. This means if you purchase a flight with a $100 base fare, you'd earn 600–1200 points - do the math, and you'd need to spend at least $11,000 in a single year to qualify for the pass conventionally, and that's not counting taxes and fees either.

Discover more aviation news with Simple Flying.

One way to bump up your points is to sign up for one of Southwest's branded credit cards, some of which offer up to a 50,000-point bonus. As noted by Nerd Wallet , there are a few things not to do if you plan on accumulating all those points - this includes transferring points from another card and purchasing rewards points directly, as neither of these qualifies for the Companion Pass.

The best in the industry

Looking at similar initiatives offered by other airlines in the US and abroad, Southwest clearly has the most generous companion scheme out there. Along with no blackout dates and unlimited usage, the scheme allows holders to change their designated companion up to three times each year, and isn't tied exclusively to credit card usage either.

Alaska Airlines has a 'Companion Fare' for Alaska Airlines Visa credit card holders, but this perk is only redeemable once a year and also costs $99 (plus taxes and fees). American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also offer a 'Companion Certificate' for co-branded credit card holders, although this comes with a once-per-year usage too.

Have you ever held a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass before? Let us know in the comment section!

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Southwest companion pass available after making one round trip flight.

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Southwest Airlines is giving travelers a chance to earn a promotional Companion Pass® after flying one round-trip flight. This pass is essentially a buy one ticket, get one ticket free, allowing two companions to travel together. However, this promotion is only available until March 27, 2024.

People attach wish notes for the Year of the Dragon on the wish trees at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, ... [+] in Escondido, California, the United States, on Feb. 17, 2024. San Diego Zoo Safari Park held a special event over the weekend to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

How To Earn The Promotional Companion Pass

Getting the promotional pass is pretty simple. First, travelers must register for this promotion and provide their Southwest Rapid Rewards® account number. Travelers can register for free at Southwest.com/rapidrewards if they don't have an account.

Once registered, travelers must book either one round-trip flight or two one-way qualifying flights by 11:59 p.m. CST on March 27, 2024, for travel between March 25, 2024, through May 22, 2024. If travel is completed during that time and the user is registered, they will earn the promotional Companion Pass, which will be valid for use between August 05, 2024, and October 02, 2024.

Note that charter flights, flights booked for reward and group travel, flights used with the Companion Pass, and Southwest Vacations packages do not qualify for this promotion. The designated travel companion can be changed up to three times with the promotional Companion Pass.

What Does The Companion Pass Include?

Earning the Companion Pass lets travelers pick one lucky person to travel with them for nearly free on Southwest Airlines. They only need to pay for their flight ticket’s taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 per one-way flight. So, for less than $12, someone can travel along with the person who earned the Companion Pass.

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Usually, the Companion Pass is earned after flying 100 qualifying flights or after earning 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points. Once it is earned, it is good for the remaining year in which it is earned, plus the following year. For example, if the Companion Pass is earned in May 2024, the Pass will be good for the rest of 2024 and in 2025.

The promotional Companion Pass doesn’t last as long but doesn’t require as much travel.

Southwest Airlines has a limited-time promotion that allows travelers to earn a promotional Companion Pass that is good for travel between August 05 and October 02, 2024. The pass will enable travelers to bring one companion for nearly free (they only need to pay for the taxes and fees of the flight, which start at $5.60 one-way).

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Southwest to bring back its buddy pass to fly a friend for free

O nce reserved exclusively for flight attendants and other air crew, the idea of choosing a "designated traveler" who can travel with you for free is increasingly being explored by airlines as a way to bring in customers (and get them to spend more.)

In February 2024, Southwest Airlines  ( LUV )  announced that those who sign up for Chase Bank  ( JPM ) 's Southwest Rapid Rewards Consumer Credit Card and spend $4,000 in the first three months would be able to get the "Companion Pass" that it formerly reserved to those who took 100 flights a year or amassed 135,000 miles with the airline.

Related: An airline just launched a new way to fly a friend for free

The promotion, which lets the pass holder pick a friend to accompany them on any flight they take while paying only airport taxes that usually amount to about $10-$20, was available until March 11. It proved popular enough that, two weeks after the last day to sign up passed, Southwest brought back the offer.

Southwest Airlines: 'This popular benefit is so meaningful'

This time, the promotion takes even less to get but needs to be jumped on fast. Members of Southwest's Rapid Rewards loyalty program need to buy a qualifying flight (either one round trip or two one-way fares) by the end of March 27, 2024. After completing the flight by May 22, the customer can then pick a designated companion who can join them on any new flight they book between August 5 and October 2.

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"We know the Companion Pass is a favorite perk of our Rapid Rewards program, and we're thrilled to bring back this promotion for a limited time so that Customers can experience why this popular benefit is so meaningful," Southwest VP of Marketing Jonathan Clarkson said in a statement. "We invite our Customers to take advantage of this offer because traveling with your favorite Companion supports sharing of adventures and creating memories that can last a lifetime."

There are certain conditions, including paying for the flights with cash instead of miles and picking from flights within a designated period. Those who want a Companion Pass valid for an entire year can still do this by taking over 100 flights or spending the qualifying amount with Southwest.

This other airline offers a pass for family members

While few airlines offer a similar type of buddy pass to customers, Frontier Airlines  ( FRON )  has experimented with expanding its all-you-can-fly GoWild! Pass for children. It also allows frequent flyers who pay for its Discount Den membership to bring a child younger than 14 for free on certain flights they take.

The two-for-one promotion is more common for kids more so than adults — at the end of 2023, South African Airways also held a sale in which parents could bring kids aged two to 11 for free on certain flights.

"Since launching the GoWild! Pass earlier this month, we’ve received countless requests to include children in the program," Frontier Vice President of Marketing Tyri Squyres said in March 2022. "We've been hard at work building the program infrastructure to make that happen and are now thrilled to expand the program to include children, who can now enjoy the unlimited flight benefits GoWild! offers, along with their parents."