Southwest Companion Pass Changes 2027 For the Worse (and what to do now)

On October 15, 2026, Southwest hit us with some big changes to the Rapid Rewards program including (what we’ve been fearing for a while) an end to the Companion Pass program as we know it.

Ever since Elliott Investment Management came into the picture with Southwest, I think we’ve all been wondering when the Companion Pass would be on the chopping block. It was a fantastic deal and all the best deals seem to inevitably end. Even more so when companies sell out to private equity.

Officially the Companion Pass is not going away, but the way to earn it is completely changing, which means that effectively, for almost everyone, it is going away.

Quick Hits

• You can still earn a Companion Pass the old way (135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points) until December 31, 2026. A Companion Pass earned in 2026 is good through December 31, 2027.
• If you’re approved for a Southwest credit card on or before December 2, 2026, its welcome bonus can still count toward a Companion Pass. Southwest say even if you finish the spending in early 2027 this will backdate to 2026. This was confirmed by Frequent Miler.  Note that the language says “approved on or before” — that mean you should apply by November 15 to make sure your application is fully approved by December 2.
• Starting January 1, 2027, you can only get Companion Pass trips by earning 95,000 Tier Qualifying Points (three trips), reaching Platinum status at 140,000 Tier Qualifying Points (unlimited trips), or through a promotion.
• Credit card welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, Southwest hotels, Rapid Rewards Shopping, and anniversary points won’t count toward a Companion Pass in 2027.

What’s changing with the Southwest Companion Pass

You will no longer earn a Companion Pass by reaching 135,000 points on your Companion Pass tracker. Southwest is retiring Companion Pass qualifying points after December 31, 2026.

Now earning a Companion Pass will be tied to Tier Qualifying Points (TQP), the same points that earn elite status.

Starting January 1, 2027, there are three ways to earn a Companion Pass:

• Earn 95,000 Tier Qualifying Points (or fly 75 qualifying one-way flights) for three Companion Pass trips.
• Reach Platinum status at 140,000 Tier Qualifying Points (or 100 qualifying one-way flights) for unlimited Companion Pass trips.
• Limited-time Rapid Rewards promotions.

And it’s a lot harder to reach those levels.

The old standard method of opening one or two credit cards and earning a certain number of points through bonus offers to earn a Companion Pass will be dead starting on January 1st. That’s because credit card welcome bonuses won’t earn Tier Qualifying Points.

New elite status names: Silver, Gold and Platinum

Southwest for a long time has had only 2 status levels: A-List and A-List Preferred.

These are being renamed starting January 1, 2027.

A-List will now be called Silver.

A-List Preferred will now be called Gold.

A new higher level is being added at the top: Platinum.

It’s at this Platinum level where you’d unlock an unlimited Companion Pass.

How you’ll earn elite status starting in 2027

Earning a Companion Pass now will be about earning elite status. So to understand how hard it will be, you need to understand how to earn elite status.

You achieve different elite status levels by earning a certain number of “Tier Qualifying Points” or flying a certain number of flights.

Tier Qualifying Points

Tier Qualifying Points are different than Rapid Rewards points.

They can’t be redeemed; they are just a marker of how close you are getting to different status levels.

They accrue and then reset every year on January 1.

Note that Tier Qualifying Points from credit card spending post to your account after your statement closes, not when you make the purchase.

Ways to earn Tier Qualifying Points

Starting in 2027, Southwest is expanding the ways you can earn Tier Qualifying Points.

Currently you only earn Tier Qualifying Points through (1) qualifying flights and (2) spending on a Southwest credit card (rates vary per card).

In 2027, Southwest has said you will be able to earn Tier Qualifying Points by:

• Completing travel on qualifying Southwest Airlines flights.
  • This is the same as now.
• Making qualifying purchases on Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards.
  • The rates will improve: every Southwest card will earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point per $1 spent. Currently the highest-fee cards give you 2,500 TQP for spending $5,000.
  • Note that while spending on a credit card will earn TQP, only the base spending counts. Welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points and bonus points from categories (like 2X on gas) don’t earn TQP.
  • There’s no limit on how many TQP you can earn from credit card spending.

New in 2027:

• Making qualifying purchases on the Rapid Rewards® Debit Card.
  • You will earn 1 TQP for every $2 spent.
• Completing qualifying Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings.
• Completing travel on qualifying Southwest Groups bookings.

How much you’d need to spend for a Companion Pass

You’ll need 140,000 TQP to earn an unlimited Companion Pass (at the Platinum status level).

In 2027, Southwest cardholders get a one-time bonus of 10,000 TQP when they reach 130,000 TQP. So starting January 1, you would need to spend about $130,000 on a Southwest credit card in one year to reach Platinum with card spending alone.

For the three Companion Pass trips at 95,000 TQP, you’d need to spend about $95,000.

Could Southwest offer bonus Tier Qualifying Point promotions?

Southwest says it will keep offering limited-time promotions to earn Companion Pass benefits, and that people already enrolled in a 2026 Companion Pass promotion will still get what they were promised.

We do see similar promotions with United and also with American. We don’t know yet how often Southwest’s will come or how generous they’ll be.

New Milestone Rewards

Southwest has also announced that they are going to introduce Milestone Rewards. These are essentially limited rewards you earn on the way to status: one before Silver and one between Gold and Platinum. You can earn each one once per calendar year.

Milestone Rewards are as follows:

• 20,000 TQP or 15 one-way flights: first Milestone Reward. You choose two Preferred Seat certificates or 2,000 points. My take: this isn’t worth much because if you’re reaching this level, you probably have a credit card that gives you seating benefits. The 2,000 points are worth about $25.If you pick the seat certificates, here’s how they work:
  • Each certificate covers a Preferred seat for you on one one-way flight. It’s only for your own seat, not for someone traveling with you.
  • On a connecting flight, you need one certificate for each flight. A direct flight that stops without changing planes only takes one.
  • You can’t use them while booking. Book your flight first, then apply them through “Modify or Upgrade Seats.”
  • If you change or cancel your trip, you get the certificate back. If you don’t show up for the flight, you lose it.
• 35,000 TQP or 25 one-way flights: Silver status.
• 65,000 TQP or 50 one-way flights: Gold status.
• 95,000 TQP or 75 one-way flights: second Milestone Reward. A limited-use Companion Pass with three Companion Pass trips.
  • Each trip covers one itinerary, one-way or round-trip. A one-way trip uses up a whole trip, so save them for round trips.
  • They work like a regular Companion Pass: you book your own flight first, then add your companion to the same flights. Your companion pays only taxes and fees.
• 140,000 TQP or 100 one-way flights: Platinum status, with an unlimited Companion Pass.

It won’t be until you reach Platinum that you would get the unlimited Companion Pass. If you’ve already earned the three trips, they become unlimited when you hit Platinum.

When Milestone Rewards expire

Your progress resets to zero every January 1. Once you earn a Milestone Reward, it’s good through December 31 of the following year. So a reward earned in 2027 is good through December 31, 2028.

Activity in 2026 doesn’t count toward 2027 Milestone Rewards.

Positive Rapid Rewards changes in 2027

There are a few smaller, positive changes that were announced on the same day.

Book partner airlines with Rapid Rewards points

You will be able to use your Rapid Rewards points to book onto certain international carriers that they have partnered with. This is going to roll out starting in spring 2027, the first ones being Icelandair, China Airlines, and Etihad.

Redemption rates are unknown.

Southwest Icon Lounges

Southwest has announced this a couple of times, but has announced it again: they will be opening lounges, which will be called Southwest Icon Lounges.

The first ones should be open in late 2027. Those will be in Austin, Nashville, Baltimore and Honolulu.

At some point in 2027, a new premium Southwest card from Chase will be released which will give access to these.

More ways to use your points

Starting in November 2026, you’ll be able to use Rapid Rewards points for car rentals with Southwest’s rental partner. Sometime in 2027, you’ll also be able to use points to buy seat upgrades on Southwest flights. I don’t expect either to be a good use of points.

What to do now if you want a Companion Pass

If you want to earn a Companion Pass, you’ll need to act quickly to secure one.

Earn your Companion Pass before December 31, 2026

If you were hoping to go for a Companion Pass for 2027-2028, you need to pivot since that will no longer be possible.

Your next best option is to try to get one ASAP.

You’ll want to earn all of your points before December 31. Southwest says all Companion Pass qualifying activity must post by the end of 2026.

Your Companion Pass will then expire on December 31, 2027.

A little more time to earn credit card welcome offers

When the new terms rolled out there was a lot of chatter and confusion due to some seemingly contradictory terms. 

Southwest makes it clear throughout the information on these changes that the new earning scheme starts January 1, 2027.

Southwest says: “Companion Pass qualifying points will be retired and no longer be valid after December 31, 2026. Beginning January 1, 2027, TQPs will become the single qualifying-points currency for earning Rapid Rewards Tiers, Milestone Rewards, and Companion Pass benefits.”

And again: “If you earn Companion Pass for 2027 under the current program rules, you’ll continue to enjoy those benefits through December 31, 2027.”

But the confusion stemmed from where Southwest also says: “Cardmembers who are approved for a Rapid Rewards Credit Card on or before Dec. 2, 2026 and meet the requirements for the new Cardmember welcome bonus will have the opportunity to have those points count as Companion Pass qualifying points, even if the spend threshold is met in early 2027.”

This led people to hope that if they pushed off their earning to 2027 that they would still earn a Companion Pass that expires December 31, 2028. 

This is not accurate. Southwest has confirmed (via Frequent Miler) that what will happen is that even if you finish the spending in early 2027 this will backdate to 2026.

But Southwest hasn’t said exactly how far into 2027 you can finish the spending, so I’d still aim to finish it in 2026 if you can.

Check your eligibility

Confirm that you’re actually eligible for the Southwest cards.

Use our eligibility checker here.

Unfortunately this comes at the same time that Chase has just made it really hard to get approved for a business card if you are applying as a sole proprietor. We’ve been collecting data points on this and publishing updates. So far it looks like if you are at 3/24 or above (which means if you have opened 3 personal cards from any bank in the past 24 months), you are not likely to get approved for any business card from Chase if you apply as a sole proprietor.

If you’re at 3/24 or 4/24, I think it’s okay to try to apply but just keep your expectations in check.

Check how many points you still need

Check the exact number of points you have on your Companion Pass tracker.

In the Southwest app, click the profile icon in the top right corner.

Then you’ll see how many points you have towards 135,000 so far.

This is how mine looks after having earned a Companion Pass.

Calculate your card combo

Next, head to the Card Combo Calculator on our site to see which cards can help you get to 135,000. Don’t forget to enter in what you have on your tracker so far!

Apply ASAP for the Business Card

You’ll want to apply as soon as possible for your cards, and no later than December 2.

I’d suggest applying for a business card ASAP because that approval is harder to get. My affiliate links 

Wait to see about elevated personal offers – but apply by November 15

I’d suggest waiting into November to apply for a personal card in case we see elevated offers. We often see elevated offers around that time. 

Officially you get the grace period as long as you are approved before December 2 — but not all approvals are instant! I suggest applying by November 15. 

Refer ASAP

If you are hoping to refer somebody to a Southwest credit card and get those points counted towards a Companion Pass, again you would want to do that as soon as possible. Sometimes it does take 6 to 8 weeks for those referral points to show up in your Southwest account. Referral points need to post by December 31, 2026 to count, and they won’t count toward Companion Pass benefits in 2027.

If you’re short: top off your Companion Pass points

If you’re a little short, review this article that goes into the different ways that you can top off in order to reach those 135,000 points.

One of the fastest ways that you can do it is by opening a Southwest debit card, which gives you 7,500 points on your tracker.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Southwest Companion Pass going away?

Not officially. Southwest says the Companion Pass will continue in 2027 and beyond. But the way you earn it is changing completely. Starting January 1, 2027, you’ll need 95,000 Tier Qualifying Points for three Companion Pass trips or 140,000 for unlimited trips (Platinum status). Which means that effectively, for most people, it is going away.

Can I still earn a Companion Pass the old way?

Yes, until December 31, 2026. You still need 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points, and all of them need to post to your account by the end of 2026. After that, Companion Pass qualifying points are retired.

How long is a Companion Pass earned in 2026 good for?

Through December 31, 2027. You get unlimited Companion Pass trips for all of 2027, under the current rules.

What happens to the Companion Pass I already have?

You keep it until the end date shown in your Southwest account. If your Companion Pass ends on December 31, 2026 and you don’t earn a new one in 2026, it ends as scheduled.

If I open a Southwest card now, will the welcome bonus count toward a Companion Pass?

Yes, if you’re approved on or before December 2, 2026 and you meet the welcome bonus requirements. Even if you finish the spending in early 2027 this will backdate to 2026. Cards approved after December 2 don’t get this exception.

Apply by November 15 at the latest to be sure your application is approved by December 2. 

What stops counting toward a Companion Pass in 2027?

Anything that doesn’t earn Tier Qualifying Points. That includes:

• Credit card welcome bonuses
• Referral bonuses
• Card anniversary points
• Bonus points from card categories, like 2X on gas
• Spending with Rapid Rewards partners, like hotels and rental cars

These will still earn Rapid Rewards points. They just won’t help you get a Companion Pass.

What’s the difference between Rapid Rewards points and Tier Qualifying Points?

Rapid Rewards points are what you redeem for flights, and they don’t expire as long as your account is open. Tier Qualifying Points can’t be redeemed. They only count toward status and Milestone Rewards, and they reset to zero every January 1.

How much would I have to spend on a Southwest card to get a Companion Pass in 2027?

About $95,000 for three Companion Pass trips, or about $130,000 for unlimited trips at Platinum. The $130,000 includes the one-time 10,000 TQP bonus Southwest cardholders get when they reach 130,000 TQP in 2027. Paid flights you take also earn TQP, so some people would need to spend less.

What are Southwest Milestone Rewards?

Two new rewards you can earn each year on the way to status. The first (20,000 TQP or 15 qualifying one-way flights) gives you a choice of two Preferred Seat certificates or 2,000 points. The second (95,000 TQP or 75 qualifying one-way flights) gives you three Companion Pass trips.

How do the three Companion Pass trips work?

Each trip covers one itinerary, either one-way or round-trip. If you use one on a one-way flight, the whole trip is used up, so save them for round trips. If you keep going and reach Platinum, your three trips become unlimited.

When do Milestone Rewards expire?

They’re good through December 31 of the year after you earn them. Your progress toward them resets every January 1, and you can earn each Milestone Reward once per calendar year.

Does my 2026 activity count toward 2027 status or Milestone Rewards?

No. Tier Qualifying Points reset on January 1, 2027, and only activity from 2027 counts toward 2027 status and Milestone Rewards.

What happens to my A-List or A-List Preferred status?

If you earned A-List for 2027, you’ll become Silver on January 1. If you earned A-List Preferred for 2027, you’ll become Gold. A couple of things carry over through 2027: A-List members who become Silver pay $35 for a second checked bag, and A-List Preferred members who become Gold keep their 100% flight earning bonus.

Does the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card earn Tier Qualifying Points?

Starting January 1, 2027, yes. Every Southwest card, including the Plus cards and business cards, will earn 1 TQP per $1 spent on purchases.

When do Tier Qualifying Points from my credit card show up?

After your statement closes. Southwest also counts your card’s TQP year by statement: it runs through your December statement, not to December 31. So spending after your December statement closes counts toward the next year.

Will Southwest still offer Companion Pass promotions?

Southwest says yes: it will keep offering limited-time promotions to earn Companion Pass benefits. If you’re already registered for a 2026 Companion Pass promotion, Southwest will honor it once you meet the requirements.

Can I still earn status by flying?

Yes. Every status level and Milestone Reward can be reached either with Tier Qualifying Points or with a set number of qualifying one-way flights: 25 for Silver, 50 for Gold and 100 for Platinum.