The Southwest Rapid Rewards program’s Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in all of travel. Once you earn it, you can bring a designated companion with you on both paid and award Southwest Airlines flights, leaving you only the taxes and fees to pay.
Whether you’re looking to fly to Las Vegas, take the family to Orlando or explore Cancun, Mexico, this guide will walk you through the current ways to earn the Companion Pass fastest. We’ll cover what counts and what doesn’t, and how to maximize the benefit through 2026 and potentially into 2027.
This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.
What Is the Southwest Companion Pass?
You’ll earn the Southwest Companion Pass when you collect 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a single calendar year. Once you hit that threshold, you can designate one companion to travel with you on cash and award tickets.
The pass is valid for the rest of the year in which you earn it, plus the entire following year. For example, if you reach 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points in mid-2026, your Southwest Companion Pass is good through the rest of 2026 and all of 2027, until Dec. 31, 2027. The earlier you hit the goal, the longer you have to enjoy the pass.
You can change your designated companion up to three times per calendar year you hold the pass, which means you could potentially fly with up to eight different people across two years (four people a year).
What Counts Toward Earning the Companion Pass?
The following earning activities count toward your Companion Pass qualifying points goal:
- Qualifying flights
- Points from Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card welcome offers and ongoing spending
- Base points earned from purchases with Rapid Rewards partners, such as hotels, car rentals and the Rapid Rewards shopping portal
- The 10,000-point annual Companion Pass boost for Southwest Rapid Rewards cardholders
- Points earned on the cash portion of Cash + Points bookings
The following do not count toward your qualifying points goal:
- Purchased, gifted or transferred points
- Points converted from other loyalty programs (including Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt and Marriott Bonvoy)
- Tier bonus points from A-List and A-List Preferred status
- Promotional or courtesy bonus points unless Southwest specifies otherwise
Check out Southwest’s guide to qualifying transactions to see the full list.
How Much Does It Cost to Earn a Companion Pass From Flying Alone?
Southwest now sells four fare bundles, each with its own earning rate:
- Basic: 2 points per dollar
- Choice: 6 points per dollar
- Choice Preferred: 10 points per dollar
- Choice Extra: 14 points per dollar
To reach 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points from purchasing flights alone, you would need to spend roughly $67,500 on Basic fares, $22,500 on Choice fares, $13,500 on Choice Preferred fares, or $9,643 on Choice Extra fares. For most travelers, combining flight spending with credit card welcome offers and everyday card spending is the fastest and most practical path to earning the pass.
