IMPORTANT! On October 15, Southwest announced major changes to how you can earn a Companion Pass starting January 1, 2027. The changes mean it will be nearly impossible for most people to earn a Companion Pass in 2027, unless you do an enormous amount of spending on credit cards or flights (like $100,000+ in a year).
What this means is that the most feasible path to earn a Companion Pass is now exactly the opposite of what I've been teaching for the past 10 years.
You'll want to earn your 135,000 points ASAP. You're trying to earn them by December 31, 2026. But -- and this is really important -- if you're earning via credit card bonuses that means you have to achieve your minimum spending BEFORE your December statement closes.
If you want to earn a Companion Pass via credit card offers, you will need to
1) Confirm that you're actually eligible for the credit cards. Check here with our eligibility checker
2) 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.
3) Then you can head to the Card Combo Calculator to see which cards can help you get there.
4) Apply for the business card ASAP since approval is harder there. My affiliate links
5) Due to terms we're seeing (below), I think you can wait a bit to apply for the personal card, I'd suggest waiting to see if offers go up. If you're on my email list, we will send this out to you!
UPDATE: There is a note in the fine print of FAQs that reads:
If I get a Rapid Rewards Credit Card now, can my points count towards Companion Pass if and when I meet the requirements through the new Cardmember welcome bonus I apply for?
Yes, any 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.
MY TAKE: It seems like Southwest may be backdating points earned from a welcome bonus to 2026 if you opened the card before December 2, 2026 -- so you might have a grace period here where you can finish your spending and not HAVE to do it before your December statement closes. Waiting for precise confirmation.
