If I could pick one travel benefit that had the biggest impact on our family’s travel over the years, it would be the Southwest Companion Pass.
In its simplest form, the Companion Pass allows you to bring one designated companion with you on Southwest flights for only the cost of taxes and fees.
Whether you paid cash for your ticket or booked it using points, your companion flies for nearly free.
For domestic flights, that usually means paying just $5.60 each way for your companion.
That might sound too good to be true, but it’s real—and for our family, it completely changed how often we were able to travel.
Why The Companion Pass Is So Valuable
Most travel rewards help you reduce the cost of a trip.
The Companion Pass essentially cuts the cost of airfare for two people in half.
Think about that for a moment.
Every time you book a Southwest flight:
- You fly.
- Your companion flies too.
- You only pay taxes and fees for the second ticket.
And unlike many travel benefits, there is no limit to how many times you can use it.
Use it once.
Use it twenty times.
The benefit works the same way.
The Year We Put Our Companion Passes To Work
At one point, my husband and I each earned a Companion Pass.
That allowed our family of five to travel for the points cost of only three tickets.
During that time, we used our Companion Passes for:
- Denver (multiple trips)
- Bozeman, Montana (Tetons and Yellowstone)
- Austin, Texas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Maui and Kauai, Hawaii
- Las Vegas
- Reno/Lake Tahoe
- Multiple trips to visit family in Pennsylvania
The savings added up incredibly quickly.
And because Southwest serves many family-friendly destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, and the Caribbean, we found ourselves using the pass constantly.
How The Companion Pass Works
Once you earn the Companion Pass, you select a companion.
When you book your Southwest flight, you simply add your companion to the reservation.
Your companion does not need points.
Your companion does not need their own ticket.
They fly on your reservation for only the required taxes and fees.
One of my favorite features is flexibility.
Southwest allows you to change your designated companion multiple times each calendar year.
This means you aren’t locked into one person forever.
Over the years I used my Companion Pass with:
- My husband
- My daughters
- My Son
- My mom
That flexibility made the pass even more valuable for our family.
The Most Important Thing To Understand: Timing
If you take nothing else away from this article, remember this:
Timing matters.
In fact, timing is the difference between having the Companion Pass for almost two full years versus having it for only one year.
The Companion Pass is valid for:
- The remainder of the year in which you earn it
- Plus the entire following calendar year
That means the goal is to earn the pass as early as possible in the calendar year.
For example:
If you earn the Companion Pass in January 2026, you would keep it through December 2027.
That’s nearly two years of unlimited companion travel.
The Biggest Beginner Mistake
Many beginners earn the required points too early.
Let’s say you open a card in October and complete the required spending in November.
If the bonus posts before January, those points may count toward the current year instead of the following year.
That can dramatically shorten the life of your Companion Pass.
This is why I generally recommend that beginners start planning their Companion Pass strategy during what many points enthusiasts call “Companion Pass Season”—typically late in the year.
The goal is to have your applications approved before year-end while ensuring your welcome bonuses post after January 1.
Done correctly, you’ll maximize the amount of time you can use the pass.
How Do You Earn a Southwest Companion Pass?
To earn a Southwest Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying Southwest points within the same calendar year.
While it’s technically possible to earn those points through credit card spending alone (by spending $135,000 on a Southwest credit card) or by taking a large number of paid Southwest flights, that’s not how most travelers earn the Companion Pass.
Instead, most points and miles travelers earn the Companion Pass through a combination of:
- Southwest credit card welcome bonuses
- The spending required to earn those bonuses
- Occasionally, referral bonuses
This allows many families to earn a Companion Pass with a fraction of the spending that would otherwise be required.
Below are the most common strategies travelers use.
Note: Card offers, eligibility rules, and referral opportunities change frequently, so the exact cards available today may be different from those available when you read this.
Two Cards, One Companion Pass
One person opens a combination of Southwest cards (typically one personal card and one business card) and earns enough qualifying points to reach the 135,000-point requirement.
This is often the simplest Companion Pass strategy for couples or solo travelers.
Once earned, the pass allows that person to designate a companion who can fly with them on both paid and award tickets for only the taxes and fees.
Three Cards, Two Companion Passes
This is the strategy my husband and I used.
By strategically earning welcome bonuses and referral bonuses, we were both able to earn a Companion Pass.
For a family of four, this can be incredibly powerful because you effectively only need points for two airline tickets while two companions fly for just the taxes and fees.
Here’s how our strategy worked:
Step 1: I opened a Southwest business card and completed the required spending.
(I qualified for a business card because I occasionally sell items through platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace.)
Step 2: After earning my welcome bonus, I referred my husband for the same business card and earned a referral bonus when he was approved.
Step 3: My husband completed the spending requirement on his business card and earned his welcome bonus.
Step 4: I then referred my husband for a Southwest personal card and earned a second referral bonus when he was approved.
Step 5: My husband completed the spending requirement on his personal card and earned a second welcome bonus.
At that point:
- I had earned one welcome bonus and two referral bonuses.
- My husband had earned two welcome bonuses.
Combined with the spending required to earn those bonuses, we both crossed the 135,000-point threshold and earned Companion Passes.
Four Cards, Two Companion Passes
Some couples prefer a more straightforward approach.
In this strategy, each partner earns their own Companion Pass by completing the Two Cards, One Companion Pass strategy.
This usually means each person opens a combination of one personal Southwest card and one business Southwest card.
While this requires more card approvals and more spending, it can be simpler to understand and execute than the referral strategy above.
The Most Important Part: Timing
If you remember only one thing from this article, remember this:
Do not earn your qualifying points too early.
The Companion Pass is valid for:
- The remainder of the year in which you earn it
- Plus the entire following calendar year
That means someone who earns the Companion Pass in January could keep it for nearly two full years.
Someone who earns it in November would only keep it for about 13 months.
This is why many points and miles enthusiasts begin preparing for a Companion Pass strategy in late fall and complete their spending requirements in January.
Proper timing can make the difference between enjoying the Companion Pass for 13 months versus nearly 24 months.
Is The Companion Pass Repeatable?
Yes.
Many travelers earn the Companion Pass multiple times over the years.
Whether it makes sense depends on your travel goals.
In recent years, our family has focused heavily on international travel, so we have not pursued another Companion Pass.
But if our travel priorities shifted back toward domestic travel, Hawaii, Mexico, or visiting family around the country, I would absolutely consider earning it again.
My parents, for example, continue to find tremendous value in the Companion Pass because they frequently travel to visit grandchildren.
Who Should Consider The Companion Pass?
The Companion Pass may be a great fit if you:
- Travel domestically several times per year
- Live near a Southwest airport
- Frequently travel as a couple
- Have children who fly with you regularly
- Visit family several times per year
The Companion Pass may not be your best next move if you:
- Primarily travel internationally
- Mostly fly premium cabins
- Rarely fly Southwest routes
Final Thoughts
I’ve earned points through many airline and hotel programs over the years.
I’ve booked international business class flights.
I’ve stayed at incredible hotels around the world.
But when it comes to practical value for families, it’s hard to beat the Southwest Companion Pass.
For us, it wasn’t just a travel benefit.
It was the tool that made more trips possible.
And for many families just getting started with points and miles, it remains one of the most powerful travel benefits available.
