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The Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is one of the most coveted airline perks as it’s essentially an unlimited buy-one-get-one free coupon for flights on the airline. Whenever you’re flying Southwest you can bring along a companion for “free” if you have the Companion Pass — you’ll only have to pay the taxes for their flight (just $5.60 for one-way flights within the U.S.). And you can even use the Companion Pass for flights you redeemed points on, making the entire flying experience extremely cheap.
And now, because of a new credit card promotion, the Companion Pass is easier than ever to earn.
To gain access to the benefit you normally you have fly 100 one-way qualifying flights on Southwest or earn 125,000 Southwest miles through a combination of flying and/or spending on a credit card. With this promotion, however, you’ll only need to spend a moderate amount to enjoy the perk for over a year.
Select details the promotion and what you need to know about qualifying for the offer.
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Southwest Airlines Companion Pass bonus is back
You can earn the Southwest Companion Pass and a bucket of points after signing up for a Southwest consumer credit card and meeting the minimum spending requirements. Here’s what you’ll earn:
- A Companion Pass which is valid through Feb. 28, 2023
- 30,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points that don’t expire
To earn the bonus, you must spend $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months from account opening. But to qualify for the welcome offer, you must:
- Not be a current Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card member, and
- Not received a new cardholder bonus for any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card in the past 24 months
Southwest points are worth around 1.3 cents each, meaning the 30,000 bonus points are worth about $390. However, the more you fly Southwest and use the Companion Pass, the more money you’ll save with this deal.
This isn’t the first time Southwest has offered this attractive promo, but it’s now brought it back for 2022. However, it remains unclear when the bonus will end, so consider grabbing a card before it’s too late.
Southwest cards with Companion Pass welcome bonus
Each of these cards below now have this valuable bonus:
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Who this card is best for: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is great for someone looking for a low annual fee travel credit card, and flies with the airline occasionally.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
-
Rewards
Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; 1X points on all other purchases
-
Welcome bonus
Earn Companion Pass® through 2/28/23 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
-
Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fees
-
Credit needed
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Who this card is best for: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is a solid choice for someone who spends a bit more regularly with the airline. The Plus awards 2X points per dollar spent on Southwest flights, while the Premier gives 3X. You’ll also get two EarlyBird check-ins per year and 6,000 Southwest points every account anniversary,
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
-
Rewards
Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; 1X points on all other purchases
-
Welcome bonus
Earn Companion Pass® through 2/28/23 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
-
Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fees
-
Credit needed
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Who this card is best for: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is the highest tier Southwest credit card available, and comes with great perks for someone who regularly flies with the airline. It comes with an annual $75 travel credit, 7,500 Southwest points every account anniversary and four upgraded boardings per year for a $149 annual fee.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
-
Rewards
Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; 1X points on all other purchases
-
Welcome bonus
Earn Companion Pass® through 2/28/23 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
-
Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fees
-
Credit needed
Bottom line
The Southwest Companion Pass is a great way to save money on travel if you regularly fly with someone. While it’s often not recommended to spend more than you normally would to earn rewards points or elite status, as long as you’re operating within your budget, this welcome offer is an enticing one.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
https://www.cnbc.com/select/southwest-companion-pass-welcome-bonus-credit-cards/
