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Southwest Companion Pass: Earning Timelines
This guide will give you specific card combinations and considerations for earning the Southwest Companion Pass. We aim to keep this page up to date all through the fall as offers change.
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Southwest Companion Pass Overview
This article is not in depth about the ins and outs of earning a Companion Pass. Those details are covered in this blog post. But they are covered even more in depth in the Southwest Companion Pass Bootcamp module in my free course. Sign up today! This is the most complete set of resources I have (arguably, the most complete set on the whole internet, as far as I know).
In the free course, I cover one person vs two person considerations in depth as well as how to earn two passes with three years and set yourself up to do it perpetually.
The most straightforward way to earn a companion pass way is by opening 1 or 2 new Southwest credit cards from Chase, which is the exclusive issuer of Southwest cards.
If a person earns 135,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year, besides all those points you just got, you will also earn a Southwest Companion Pass.
Once you earn the Companion Pass: for the rest of that calendar year and the next calendar year, you can name a person who will then fly with you anytime you fly and only pay about $5 in fees each way. (International Flights will have higher taxes).
Southwest credit card holders also automatically earn 10,000 Companion Pass “Qualifying Points” so the requirement essentially if you hold a Southwest credit card is to earn 125,000 points. These are not points that you can redeem for flights, these just basically jumpstart your Companion Pass Tracker with 10,000 points.
Each dollar spent on a Southwest credit card earns you at least 1 Southwest Rapid Rewards point but it is the sign up bonus that is most helpful in earning a companion pass.
Since earning our first companion pass in 2015, we have exclusively traveled on Southwest for domestic flights. For much of that time, my husband and I EACH held a companion pass. That means both of our kids were flying domestically for $5 each!
Timing Is Everything
Timing is important when it comes to the companion pass.
You have to earn 135,000 points in a calendar year (January 1 – December 31) in order to earn your Companion Pass.
When you log in to Southwest’s website, you’ll see your Companion Pass Tracker on your Account page. This resets on January 1 each year.
The good news: if you’re applying for cards early in the year, you really don’t have to worry about timing. Those warnings are all for people who are jump starting the process in the fall.
Promo Offer: February and March 2025
The Southwest personal cards are currently running a different kind of credit card welcome offer through March 23, 2025 according to referral links.
This promo allows you to earn a shorter promotional Companion Pass plus 30,000 points. I dive into the full pros and cons of this offer here.
Check your Eligibility
Card eligibility varies by card.
To be eligible for the Southwest personal credit card bonuses you need to:
- have good or excellent credit
- qualify under Chase’s unofficial “5/24 rule“
- not be a current cardholder of any Southwest personal card
- not have earned a welcome bonus in the past 24 months from any personal Southwest card
If you are a current cardholder of any Southwest personal card and want to earn another bonus, you need to (1) make sure it has been 24 months since you got your bonus and (2) cancel your card and wait at least 14 days before applying to a new card.
The free course covers how to close your Southwest card for max value in depth and I recommend you review that lesson.
In contrast to the personal cards, you are allowed to open each of the Southwest business cards.
Updates February 2025
Since we’re passed January 1, earning a Companion Pass is easy because you don’t have to worry about timing!
You just need to earn 135,000 points and the sooner you do, the sooner you’ll have your Companion Pass.
The most popular way to earn those points is by earning welcome offers on 2 Southwest cards. You can see sample card combos below.
The lowest cost (for annual fees) + lowest total spend requirement as of right now would be:
- Use this offer which is only advertised in-airport for 65,000 points
- Open a Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card with a 60,000 point offer.
- Between the welcome offers + 10k boost, you’ll have 135,000 points!
When you open any Southwest card, you’ll also get 10,000 points added to your Companion Pass “tracker” which means you really only have to EARN 125,000 points total.
Promo Offer
In February and March, the Southwest personal cards have offers that earn you a promotional offer plus 30,000 points.
This means you’ll get the Companion Pass faster, with only one card, but you’ll have it for less time. You could do that, and then later open a business card to earn the full 135,000 points and extend it through the end of 2026. Read my full analysis of this offer here.
Business Card Approval Issues
We’ve seen a lot more people getting denied for these business cards this year. We’re currently gathering data points to find patterns. The biggest pattern so far is that almost everyone with 3 or more business cards from Chase is getting denied for additional business cards.
If you have other Chase business cards that you’re not using that are 1+ year old, you may have better success getting approved if you cancel them before applying.
Example: How to use a 50,000 point personal offer to earn a Companion Pass
Note: I’m using a 50,000 point offer as a point of comparison here. You might be able to get a 65,000 point offer here with this link. You might choose to use 30,000 point plus Companion Pass offer and later top it up to 135,000 points for a full Companion Pass through December 2026.
Standard Method (1 Business Card, 1 Personal Card):
With the standard method to earn 1 Companion Pass, you’ll open 1 business card and 1 personal card to earn the total 135,000 needed for a Companion Pass.
The exact dates of when you open the cards aren’t so specific. What IS important is that you do not earn your points too soon. You cannot have your bonus points post in 2024.
Family Method (3 cards, 2 Pass):
This method is described in detail in my free course as well as in this YouTube video.
Using this offer for the 2 pass/3 card method will alter the standard way I teach this method but still works!
Now: Person 1 opens a Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Card.
Anytime you can meet spending: Refer Person 2 to two different Southwest cards. You can refer them to each of the business cards or one personal and one business card.You’ll earn 20,000 points per referral.
UPDATE THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED The past few years, Chase has changed the offer in late January to one that has fewer points (30,000ish) and a shorter promo companion pass. You’ll want to refer Person 2 in the first few weeks of January to the personal card if you’re going that route.
Complete the spending on you cards and you’ll earn 2 Companion Passes.
Person 1 earns 80,000 (bonus) + 5000 (points from spending) + 10,000 boost + 20,000 referral = 135,000
Person 2 earns 80,000 (bonus) + 50,000 (bonus) + 6,000 (points from spending) + 10,000 boost = 146,000
Card Combos Compared:
I’ve added tables to compare how you can earn a Companion Pass. You can do any combination of a personal card + business card with this 85,000 point offer. Personally, I hold the Priority Card + Business Premier card.
Lowest Annual Fee Combo
Important! If this link for the 65k airport offer works for you, you should use that instead to get more points!
| Cards Opened | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card |
| Total Annual Fees paid | $168 |
| Total points earned after minimum spending | 114,000 points 110,000 from both bonuses combined + 4,000 from spending |
| Total spending needed to earn bonus points | $6000 |
| Additional points needed to reach 135k and earn a Companion Pass | 21,000 points. You will get 10,000 points added to your tracker for holding any SW card, but still need 11,000 more |
| Additional premium benefits | 4 Early Bird Check Ins per year |
Highest Annual Fee and Highest Total Points
This card combo gives you the highest level of benefits from Southwest cards. It requires a higher level of spending to achieve both bonuses but will offer more points, too.
| Cards Opened | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card |
| Total Annual Fees paid | $348 |
| Total points earned after minimum spending | 136,000 points 130,000 from both bonuses combined + 6,000 from spending |
| Total spending needed to earn bonus points | $8000 |
| Additional points needed to earn Companion Pass | None! You’ve earned it! |
| Additional premium benefits | 8 upgraded boardings per year $75 back on Southwest purchases, which includes taxes and fees from booking flights Free Wifi on flights TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit |
Standard Method (2 cards, 1 Pass): using 2 Business Cards
If you aren’t eligible for any of the Southwest personal cards, you can also earn a Companion Pass by opening both business cards.
Card Combo for 2 business cards
| Cards Opened | Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card |
| Total Annual Fees paid | $298 |
| Total points earned after minimum spending | 148,000 points -140,000 from bonus -8,000 from spending |
| Total spending needed to earn bonus points | $8000 |
| Additional points needed to earn Companion Pass | None! You’ve earned it! |
| Additional premium benefits | 4 upgraded boardings per year 2 free Early Bird Check-Ins per year Free Wifi on flights TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit |
Timelines Using (now expired) 85,000 personal offer
All of the Southwest personal cards had an elevated offer in early October where you can earn 85,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
I’m keeping the timelines on this page for people who started their Companion Pass Earning with these offers.
Standard Method (2 cards, 1 Pass): using (now expired) 85,000 point offer
October 8: Open a personal Southwest Card. You can see the different options here in our card guide but overall I recommend the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
October 8-December 31: Spend no more than $2250 on your card. Returns count (if you spend $500 and then return the items, they still sometimes count that $500 to your total required spending)! Error on the side of spending LESS.
November 8 (or this can be shifted later if you prefer): Open a Southwest business card. To keep your total expenses the lowest, you can open the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card.
November 8-December 31: Spend no more than $2250 on your business card (this is assuming you opened the $99 annual fee Premier card). Returns count (if you spend $500 and then return the items, they still sometimes count that $500 to your total)! Error on the side of spending LESS.
January 1: Complete the spending on your personal card. You must spend a total of $3000 by January 7th.
February 1: Complete the spending on your business card. You must spend a total of $3000 by February 7th if you opened the Premier Business card (or 90 days after you opened it, if you opened it later).
You will earn your Companion Pass when you’ve completed the spending on both cards and your credit card statements have closed that show all the spending being completed.
Family Method (3 cards, 2 Pass): Using Expired 85,000 point Offer
This method is described in detail in my free course as well as in this YouTube video.
Using this offer for the 2 pass/3 card method will alter the standard way I teach this method but still works!
Usually when I teach this method I recommend starting with the 80,000 point offer on the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card. But here’s how it would work with the 85,000 point offer.
October 8: Person 1 opens a personal Southwest Card. You can see the different options here in our card guide but overall I recommend the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
October 15: (Optional if you’re trying to earn this ASAP in January) Call Chase to change the payment due date. You want to change your payment due date to force your statement close date to be as close as possible to December 1st (or later, you want this early in the month). There is a full lesson on this in the Companion Pass Bootcamp module of my free course.
October 8-December 31: Spend no more than $2250 on your card. Returns count (if you spend $500 and then return the items, they still sometimes count that $500 to your total)! Error on the side of spending LESS.
After the December statement closes: Refer Person 2 to two different Southwest cards. You can refer them to each of the business cards or one personal and one business card. You can also wait to do this step until January if you’re not in a huge rush to earn the Companion Pass. But caution! The past few years, Chase has changed the offer in late January to one that has fewer points (30,000ish) and a shorter promo companion pass. You’ll want to refer Person 2 in the first few weeks of January to the personal card if you’re going that route.
January 1: Complete the spending on Person 1’s personal card
Southwest Cards (Affiliate Links)
Personal Cards
welcome offer:
Earn 50,000 points
after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee:
welcome offer:
Earn 50,000 points
after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee:
Business Cards
Table of Contents
- Southwest Companion Pass Overview
- Timing Is Everything
- Promo Offer: February and March 2025
- Check your Eligibility
- Updates February 2025
- Example: How to use a 50,000 point personal offer to earn a Companion Pass
- Standard Method (1 Business Card, 1 Personal Card):
- Family Method (3 cards, 2 Pass):
- Standard Method (2 cards, 1 Pass): using 2 Business Cards
- Timelines Using (now expired) 85,000 personal offer
- Southwest Cards (Affiliate Links)
Related Posts
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Hi Katie, I am wondering for Standard Method (2 cards, 1 Pass): why is there a “Spend no more than $2250 on your card” for the first 2 months October 8-December 31, would it be the same if Dec 31 – Jan 4 I spent 3k all in one go?
I just opened the personal cc today and want to know if there is a specific reason for the 2250 rules.
Yes, you can spend it all on Jan 1 if you want to! It’s more than you can’t spend it too soon.
Hi Katie, Just getting started on your Standard Method (2 cards, 1 Pass) and have a similar question to Angela above. I’m not sure how to handle my spend as I was approved for the personal Priority on 10/1/24. Did I make a huge mistake because I have to meet min spend requirements by 12/30/24 (90 days)? Will my SUB apply to 2024? I wish I had found this blog post and your timeline earlier!
You will be okay. You can complete your spending after your December statement closes. I go into statement close dates in my free course as well in the Southwest Bootcamp section. learn.katiestraveltricks.com
Hi Katie. In February 2024, I opened a personal card with Southwest and got a promotion for the free companion pass for the remainder of 2024. I then referred my husband who also did the same. I currently have 67,000 points towards my next companion pass. My question is, should I open a business card now to get the companion pass for 2025? I so, when do I have to complete all my spending? Is it January 2025? Is there anyway I can work the system to get the companion pass for 2025 and 2026? I heard something about doing your spending early in the year gets you the pass for the reminder of that year and the following year. Or because the points reset January 1 can I only get the companion pass for 2025?
In your case, if you got a business card today and completed the full spending before your December statement closes, you’d earn enough to extend your Companion Pass by one year (to end of 2025). Those 67k you have on your tracker will reset to 0 on January 1 so that is why you need it to post before January 1 (And it only posts when your statement closes). Another option for you would be to get both business cards and make sure your points don’t post until AFTER January 1.
Question about timing for a SW Companion pass. I applied for SW card on 10/2 (mainly for the 85,000 points to use toward tickets for a vacation I have planned in May 2025). However, I am thinking about trying for a companion pass. For the intro offer, I have to have minimum spend done by 1/2/25. My 1st statement is from 10/2-10/15. So I am assuming that my closing statement date will be on the 15th of each month. Question: if I complete my minimum spend after my December 15th statement close date, would that work to satisfy my minimum spend for the into offer but yet allow the points to post on Jan 15th statement toward my companion pass in 2025?
Correct! You’ll need to finish off between Dec 15 and Jan 2! I’d recommend Jan 1 or Dec 31 to be safe and make sure the transactions fully post.
Can you help me understand why the spend limit needs to be $2250 and no higher? I understand not fully spending until January 1, but needing some clarification about the under $750 amount.
Hi Kari, I’ve listened to Katies podcast episodes on the Southwest companion pass and she mentions some people having have been awarded the sign-up bonus points in December if they’re within $500 spend of hitting the minimum, even if they didn’t spend the full minimum yet! That has thrown off some people’s companion pass by a whole year! Yikes, so she states to be safe, best to not get within $750 of spending minimum to avoid Chase awarding those sign-up bonuse points early :)
It’s mostly just because we see people accidentally overspend a lot and have their points post to early. Or people spend and then return an item and forget to account for this. So this just helps be extra cautious. Some people report their points post even if they are within $500 of their spend and it’s never clear if it was an error on their part or Chase awarding early — so we just give people conservative advice to be safe.
Is there an easy way to see the date when I earned last bonus? I canceled my card like a year ago and do t have information to log in to cc.
You might be able to go back on your SW account history to see directly with Southwest.
Hi Katie,
I have the Southwest Performance Business Card.
My points total today is 96,430 out of 135,000. My statement date Hi Katie,
I have the Southwest Performance Business Card.
My points total today is 96,430 out of 135,000. My statement date is ended November 22nd with a balance of 4574.46. My payment due date is by December 19th. What formula/new card do you think I should use to earn my 2025 companion pass?
Hi Katie, I’m not sure why my comment post some of the words 2x.
Here is my post so it not confusing.
Hi Katie,
I have the Southwest Performance Business Card.
My points total today is 96,430 out of 135,000. My statement date ended November 22nd with a balance of 4574.46. My payment due date is by December 19th. What formula/new card do you think I should use to earn my 2025 companion pass?
Hi Kimberly, sorry for my delay on this! For future reference, if you email us (or message on Facebook or IG), we get those messages more reliably!. Are you still trying to earn the CP?
Hi. I just finished my spend on the personal card for 85K (closing date 1/3/25). But I got denied for the business card application for having too many accounts and not having enough biz revenue ($1000). Is my only option to refer partner 2 to two cards? Or 1 card and $15k spend? Thanks
If you can spend to get to 135k total points that will work, but it will just take longer to spend enough. Did you try calling to get the denial reconsidered?
Hi, will the 3 card/2 pass method still work even with a 40k SUB for the SW Personal CC?
it does if you get the 80k + 40k offers — with spending and the 10k bonus on the tracker it will get you to 135k
I opened the SW priority with the 4K points on 12/30/24. Prior to this I opened the Chase Ink Bisiness Preferred in 9/24. Is it likely to be approved for an additional Chase business card to get the SW pass?
You’ll probably have the best chance if you wait at least 30 days from the personal card approval — so at least till 1/30/25.
So I opened a personal card when I was suppose to last year, got the rest of the spend for the bonus the first week of January. For the business card, I had less than $3000 by statement end on December 27th but accidentally put over $3000 already. I know I was suppose to wait until the first week of February for the rest of the spend but I am not sure how bad of a mistake that was. I’ll be awarded the companion pass just for this year then? TIA!
As long as. all your points posted in 2025, you’re good to go!
Hi Katie, we are trying to earn 2 CP for the first time using the 3 card, 2 person method for 2026/27. I’m not sure we can meet the spend. Could you breakdown exactly how much we need to spend within given dates? We will be meticulous with the spend tracking. We want to earn the CPs as early in the year as possible. Also, we plan to travel in April 2026 and hope to use the passes for that trip. Are we cutting it too close with the timing?
The cards we want are P1 ( SW Biz Performance), and P2 (SW Biz Premier and SW Priority Personal). If you could do a sample breakdown of dates and spend that would be so helpful. Thank you!
So you’re saying you’re going to wait for Fall 2025 to apply? Why don’t you send me an email katie@katiestraveltricks.com — it may be easier via email to write that up
Hi Katie, we received a referral from a friend for the Feb/March 2025 personal card CP offer. My husband and daughter travel frequently together for travel on SW so we were thinking of having him take out the Priority personal card and put our D down for the CP. I am a business owner and can also apply for the Business Performance card and can get to the spending levels for a 2nd CP reward for daughter #2. Is there any extra benefit to having me be the cardholder for the personal and business cards? If so, should I apply for one before the other? It sounds like I could get referral bonuses if I refer my husband to his personal card?
The order doesn’t specifically matter — once you or your husband have any Southwest card, you can refer the other to any of the Southwest cards!
Hi Katie,
“If you are a current cardholder of any Southwest personal card and want to earn another bonus, you need to (1) make sure it has been 24 months since you got your bonus and (2) cancel your card and wait at least 14 days before applying to a new card.”
You suggested it’s possible to only wait 14 days before applying to a new card and still being eligible for the new card bonus. When I called Chase, they suggested waiting 30 days. We currently having the RR Priority Card and are planning to apply for the RR Premier Card (Personal). I’d prefer to only wait 14 days but don’t want to risk getting denied by the system and hurting my chances of getting the companion pass bonus.
My understanding is that you will be auto denied until your card clears out of the system. If you have any balance on your card (waiting to be paid with auto pay), I believe this is what takes longer for the card to be cleared out of the system.
We have seen people get approved as soon as 7 days after closing a card and reapplying. You wouldn’t get approved and not qualify, you’d just get auto-denied — at which point you could call in and talk to reconsideration. Or you could immediately go and apply for the other version of the card.
If you’re in my Facebook group, you could answer this question there as a lot of people cancel and reapply for cards.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/314621752943155
Hi Katie! I had a couple possible scenarios that I’m thinking about and wondering which you might think is better for what we’re wanting to do:
P1 (has a RR account, but no cards currently) signs up for current Personal Card 65k airline offer, then signs up for the Biz Card 60k offer to try and extend the CP through the end of 2026:
65k (personal card bonus) +
60k (biz card bonus) +
4k (spending) +
10k boost (we get that within 30 days of signing up for our first CC, correct? It’s not Jan 2026 when we get it, right?) =
139,000k (triggering CP through 2026)
Question – what do you think the realistic earliest we could make this happen (let’s say we have $4k of spending lined up and ready to go)?
P2 (currently has a personal card that can be canceled once they get the 20k referral for the business card sign up above) waits and signs up for whatever the current personal card promo is towards the end of the year and the biz card offer…not triggering any of the bonuses until the first month or two of 2026 (thus getting a CP through the end of 2027).
This scenario really only gets us a double CP life for 2026, correct? We’ll have a gap of only one CP for a chunk of early 2027 because P1 can’t do the Persona/Biz combo signups until this time of the year in 2027.
Really, we’re just hoping to get a double CP life for as long and consistently as possible, while still starting a CP signup process now (hopefully to use for trips over summer and fall of 2025). Am I missing a scenario that might be better that allows for a CP as soon as we can while still getting a system in place that maintains a dual CP life consistently?
Thank you SO much!