I just got this email from Southwest: It says: “We know how important it is to experience new places with family and friends, which is why we created the unparalleled benefit of Companion Pass2. Let’s start with a quick overview of this benefit and why it’s so valuable. In order to take advantage of this promotion:. The amount of points each credit card earns changes throughout the year, but you can generally get these cards with bonuses between 25-60k. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.”. Yes, some people earn it the first few weeks of January, but most likely you won’t be using it until spring or summer anyway. You need to earn 125,000 Rapid Reward points (this was increased from 110,000 points in 2020) to earn the pass. Those who already qualified this year suffer from the same reduced ability to use their CP as those who did not, but only the latter are receiving an extension accommodation. Since then, the industry has struggled to convince passengers it is safe to fly. The Southwest Companion Pass (often abbreviated as “CP” or “SWCP”) is a perk offered by Southwest Airlines that allows you to bring a companion on any Southwest flight you fly for just the taxes and fees. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). The person who earns the companion pass gets to name one person as their companion. A perfect time for family gatherings and celebration. For those eligible, getting a nice bonus from a Southwest credit card — especially while one bonus is up to 100k points — makes quickly scoring the Companion Pass a vastly easier task than by flying alone. The Southwest Companion Pass is truly a no-strings-attached perk, as it comes with very few restrictions. It allows you to take along a companion for free (plus applicable taxes and fees) on unlimited Southwest flights for up to two years, depending on when you earn it. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. The Southwest Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program offers some outstanding redemptions for travel around the U.S. and international locations. If a Rapid Rewards member has a Companion Pass set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020, its expiration date will be extended through June 30, 2021. If you get it January 1st 2020, you'll have Companion Pass until December 31st, 2021. The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable airline benefits available. Southwest Airlines is offering a limited time Companion Pass. This card confers really great perks when you fly, too. Remember too that Southwest does allow you to cancel or change tickets without any fees, so locking in flights while you try to confirm other plans could be a good way to snag some of these seats before they’re gone. This includes four upgraded boarding positions each year, free Southwest WiFi credits, 9,000 bonus points each year, and more. Southwest Awards their Companion Pass to members of their Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program that earn 125,000 points during a single calendar year. The requirements to earn the Southwest Companion Pass are fairly straightforward. However, Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards are game. You need to fly 100 one-way flights (within a calendar year) on Southwest to qualify for the Companion Pass. You can use Southwest’s online shopping portal to earn more points on top of most purchases you make online. Southwest Awards their Companion Pass to members of their Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program that earn 125,000 points during a single calendar year. Working towards Companion Pass, Need help with promotion understanding . Once you are qualified for a Promotional Companion Pass, meaning you registered, booked, and traveled on a qualifying flight during the applicable dates specified in the promotions terms and conditions, you will receive an email from Southwest that includes information on next steps and how to designate and utilize the Promotional Companion Pass. Remember, the bonuses will be the biggest point balances you earn towards your companion pass. The Southwest Companion pass, according to Southwest’s website 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) every time you purchase or redeem points for a flight.” One of the things that sometimes worries first-timers … While one whole year of buy-one-get-one-free(ish) is great, two years is even better. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. That’s 366 more days to take advantage of the buy-one-get-one-free(ish) simply by earning it one day later. ), Related: Choosing the best Southwest credit card. Around this time of year, you’ll see the Southwest credit card bonuses start rising. The Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is one of the best deals available in the travel world. For starters, buy-one-get-one-(ish) ticket for your named companion. You’d have earned enough in that calendar year to get the pass. Instead of flying 100 flights, all you’ll need to do to earn the Southwest Companion Pass is earn 125,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year. Image Credit: Shutterstock Southwest may not be the largest carrier, but it is probably the most popular carrier due to its commitment to customer service and status as a great low-cost carrier. There are a few more details than that, but that’s the quick overview. Thankfully, there’s an easier way. Points earned from Rapid Rewards credit cards count toward the Southwest Companion Pass, and at the time of writing, this includes any sign-up bonuses you receive from the cards. And the old saying that “timing is everything” definitely applies to the Companion Pass: The pass is valid for the rest of the year in which you earn it plus the entire following calendar year. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. If you earn your companion pass December 31, 2020, then it would be good through December 31, 2021. 2 Companion Pass qualifying points are earned from your revenue flights booked through Southwest®, your points earned by making purchases with a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, and your base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners. Log in to your Rapid Rewards account at Southwest.com. You can earn these points by purchasing and flying tickets on Southwest, or by using one of the several Rapid Rewards credit cards offered by Chase. Yes! The Companion Pass is one of the best deals in the world of travel, period. Related: How to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points. To earn 125,000 qualifying points, you’d need to spend at least $20,833 on Wanna Get Away fares, or $10,417 on Business Select fares (note that the total spending is actually a little higher, since you only earn Rapid Rewards points on the base fare). It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered. You can earn this special privilege by: Flying 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year, or The amount of points each credit card earns changes throughout the year, but you can generally get these cards with bonuses between 25-60k. So let’s get right to it. If you can get it, a friend can fly with you for (almost) free for up to 2 years. This time of year you’d normally be smelling pumpkin spice wafting through the air, but that may be a bit difficult to smell through your mask. That’s what makes this promo so great. Now, before you go transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards to Southwest, let’s dig a bit deeper. The Southwest Companion Pass (often abbreviated as “CP” or “SWCP”) is a perk offered by Southwest Airlines that allows you to bring a companion on any Southwest flight you fly for just the taxes and fees. The Companion Pass page on Southwest’s website provides some examples of partner activity that will count toward qualification, including: However, there are many things that do not count toward earning the Companion Pass. A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Unfortunately, it isn’t quite as easy as that. How do you earn the rest of the points towards your Companion Pass? Instead of flying 100 flights, we’re going to focus on earning 125,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year without ever stepping on a Southwest flight. Southwest Companion Pass extension. Remember, be patient. With that in mind, this weekend will be using our Southwest Companion Pass to visit his 46 th state (Oklahoma)–a trip we likely would never have scheduled had we not set this goal. So if you meet the requirements at the beginning of 2020, you’ll get the pass for the rest of 2020 plus all of 2021. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). That means you have from January 1st, 2020 to December 31st, 2020 to earn it in 2020. The Southwest Companion Pass is the best airline perk because it lets a friend or family member travel with you for free on Southwest. Both the member and the companion must be booked on the same flights and dates. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points are worth approximately 1.5 cents each towards airfare, so the 125,000 points required to earn the Companion Pass are … Here are the Top 10 … In addition, Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred members will have their status extended through Dec. 31, 2021. You may even be at 120,000 points, but right now it is impossible to tell since we don’t know the elevated bonuses yet. The Companion Pass is a sought-after highlight of the Southwest Rapid Rewards program because it's among the most valuable benefits of its kind. However, the Southwest small business credit cards do not — as of now — have any of the same verbiage. Using the Southwest Companion Pass is a breeze. That’s it! Southwest Airlines’ Companion Pass is undoubtedly one of the best frequent flier perks around. The best part about it is the Companion Pass has unlimited uses for the year you earn it and the following year. Choose your companion and start adding them to any flights you want them to fly with you! Using the Companion Pass is pretty simple. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Thankfully, this is pretty avoidable with some care. Second, don’t rush to apply. The Southwest Companion Pass is a special benefit for elite members of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards programs. Then, you can go to “My Account” on the Southwest website. On your Snapshot tab, locate Choose Your Companion, click Enter Companion Info, and follow the posted instructions. If that sounds interesting to you, and it likely does, let’s talk about how you can earn the Southwest Companion Pass. Companion passes were extended to everyone who had one in 2020 until June of 2021. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. If they asked the question, I’m sure there’s plenty of others who have the very same one. But earning the Companion Pass effectively doubles the value of your points (or cash) when flying on Southwest using the pass. If they do not do this they are rewarding many people who may of gotten a companion pass in 2020 due to signing up for a card and getting bonus points. As a result, you can’t open a new Southwest personal card if you already have one, nor can you open a personal version if you earned a sign-up bonus on any of the Southwest cards in the last 24 months. Purchased points also don’t count, nor do bonuses earned on flights or with partners. Earning the Companion Pass isn’t a race. This is especially valuable because it applies to both paid and award tickets, allowing you to redeem Rapid Rewards points for you and t… The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to fly a lucky companion along with you on your travels for an unlimited number of flights for up to 2 years!. Although you may not be smelling pumpkin spice as well this year, it can only signal one thing: Southwest Companion Pass season. Here are some common questions that people have, and I’ll provide you with the answers I have! There’s no limitations on the Companion Pass that you’ll find from other airlines. It’s worth noting that even if you switch back to a previous companion, it’ll still count as one of your three allotted changes per calendar year. To me anyone who qualifies for a companion pass in 2021 should get the pass for 1 year having it expire June of 2022. Once you earn the Companion Pass you can add your companion to any existing reservation. You would need to earn enough points by YE 2020 to have the pass for the last half of 2021, and would have to earn enough points in 2021 to have a pass in 2022. You can earn these points by purchasing and flying tickets on Southwest, or by using one of the several Rapid Rewards credit cards offered by Chase. That’s what makes this promo so great. But for some seasoned travel hackers who often fly domestically, it’s also the time for earning the Southwest Companion pass. Get Your Companion Pass ASAP. Waiting until the end of October or early November will give you plenty of time in the new year to finish your spend. When the companion pass holder books a ticket on Southwest, either with cash or points, their named companion gets to fly for free(ish). The 125,000 points during a single calendar year times per calendar year to... 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