Southwest Companion Pass Changes: One Last Chance to Earn It With Credit Card Bonus Points
Southwest just made one of the best deals in the points world much harder to earn. Today, you can earn Companion Pass by earning 135,000 qualifying points or taking 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year. Many people have achieved that by applying for one personal Southwest card and one business Southwest card (and earning both welcome bonuses).
But, starting January 1, 2027, credit card welcome bonuses will no longer help you qualify for a Companion Pass.
Ready for the good news? New cardmembers who apply on or before December 2, 2026, are approved and complete the welcome-offer requirements can still have the bonus count toward a Companion Pass valid through the end of 2027.
And, some elevated Southwest credit card offers just launched.
What Is the Southwest Companion Pass?
Companion Pass lets you choose one person to fly with you on Southwest for only the taxes and fees, starting at $5.60 each way. You can use it when booking your own ticket with either cash or points.
The Southwest Credit Card Offers
Here are the current card offers:
Personal Cards
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn 80,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. $99 annual fee.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn 85,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months. $149 annual fee.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn 90,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months. $229 annual fee.
Business Cards
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. $149 annual fee.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. $299 annual fee.
If your primary goal is earning a Companion Pass with the lowest spending requirement and annual fee, the Plus personal card and Premier business card combo is ideal. One welcome bonus on its own is not enough to meet the 135k point minimum requirement (unless you have other qualifying activity).
If you are approved for the cards before Dec 2, 2026, and earn a Companion Pass in 2026 under the current program rules? You’ll enjoy unlimited Companion Pass trips through December 31, 2027.
Keep in mind: card approval is never guaranteed, and eligibility rules apply. You generally can’t receive a new Southwest personal card bonus if you currently hold a Southwest personal card or received a personal card welcome bonus within the past 24 months.
What Changes in 2027?
Starting January 1, 2027, there will be two standard ways to earn Companion Pass benefits through Southwest’s regular qualification track:
Milestone Reward (between Gold and Platinum status): Earn 95,000 TQPs or complete 75 qualifying one-way flights to unlock three Companion Pass trips. Each Companion Pass trip allows your designated Companion to fly with you on either a one-way or round-trip itinerary.
Southwest credit card spending earns one Tier Qualifying Point per $1 spent.
Platinum status: Earn 140,000 TQPs or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights and your three Companion Pass trips increase to unlimited Companion Pass trips.
Note: Southwest cardmembers who reach 130,000 TQPs in 2027 will receive a one-time 10,000-TQP boost, bringing them to Platinum.
The biggest loss is what will no longer count: welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, points earned above the base rate in bonus categories, and hotel or rental-car partner activity. You'll still earn those Rapid Rewards points to use toward flights, they simply won’t help you qualify for Companion Pass.
Why the December 2 Deadline Matters
Southwest says new cardmembers who apply on or before December 2, are approved and complete their offer requirements can have the welcome bonus count as 2026 Companion Pass qualifying points (even if they finish the spending requirement in early 2027).
If those points help you reach the 135,000-point requirement, your Companion Pass will be valid through December 31, 2027.
This does not extend the pass through 2028. The bonus is being treated as 2026 qualifying activity, even if it arrives in early 2027.
Also, don’t assume all early-2027 activity will be backdated. The exception specifically covers the new-cardmember bonus. Other qualifying points generally need to post by December 31, 2026.
My Take
These changes are bad news for anyone who has used credit card bonuses to earn a Companion Pass without flying or spending heavily on a Southwest card.
But if Companion Pass fits your 2027 travel plans, these new offers may provide one final opportunity to earn it under the current system.
Don’t apply simply because a deadline is approaching. Make sure you’re eligible, can meet the spending requirement through normal purchases and will pay the balance in full.
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