Companion Pass | Rapid Rewards | Southwest Airlines (2024)

FAQs

Can you use companion pass on a points flight? ›

Companion Pass benefits can be used on any eligible flight. You can add your designated companion to your flight if you've paid with cash, points or travel credits.

To qualify, simply fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 qualifying points^1,3 in a calendar year. You'll earn a Companion Pass for the following full calendar year, plus the remainder of the year in which you earned it.

The following do not count as Companion Pass qualifying points: purchased points; points transferred between Members; points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, e-Rewards®, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club®; points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment; tier bonus points; flight bonus points; and ...

The Companion Pass can fly a passenger for free to any destination Southwest flies. This includes all domestic and international destinations, including Hawaii. Note that the taxes and fees you pay on your companion ticket for international flights can be significantly more than those for domestic flights.

The companion voucher allows you to effectively 'buy one, get one free' on the Avios element when you redeem Avios for a British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus flight redemption. This could save you as much as – for example – 340,000 Avios on a return business class flight to Sydney.

Also, you cannot use Delta miles in tandem with a Delta companion certificate. You must purchase your fare with your eligible card to qualify.

Please note, Companion Certificates and eCredits are valid for 1 year from the original date of issue. If the unused primary ticket or the companion ticket is canceled, both tickets will be canceled, and the companion ticket will be reissued for use.

Keep in mind that a Companion must travel with the Companion Pass holder. If the Companion and Companion Pass holder choose not to travel together, the Companion must purchase a ticket at the applicable fare in order to travel.

Southwest allows pass holders to change their companion up to three times per calendar year. There's no limit on how many times or on which routes a Companion Pass can be used. Even better, there are no blackout dates or seat restrictions for using the Companion Pass.

Bottom Line: The Southwest Companion Pass allows you to add a companion for just the cost of the taxes and fees ($5.60 one-way on a domestic ticket) to any and every flight you take while you have the pass. It can be used an unlimited number of times and works on tickets purchased both in points or cash.

How many Rapid Rewards points for companion pass? ›

To qualify for a traditional Companion Pass, you'll need to do one of the following: Fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year, or; Earn 135,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year.

If you earn the required number of points in November 2024, you will only be able to use the Companion Pass through December 2025 — just a little over a year. But if you earn the Companion Pass in June 2024, you can use it through December 2025 — nearly two years of nearly-free travel.

Essentially, this status gains you access to two-for-one tickets. For instance, if you book a round trip ticket to Hawaii on Southwest, with the Companion Pass you could add your designated companion on those flights with you for no charge other than taxes and fees.

Nope, you will keep your points and the Companion Pass. The points you earn from the card are sent to Southwest from Chase and then put in your Rapid Rewards Account.

Companion Pass travel has no blackout dates, but is subject to availability. While there are no seat restrictions, a seat must be available on a flight for a Companion. Some Members may have legacy Companion Pass cards. The Companion Pass card is the property of Southwest and must be surrendered upon request.

Can I use my companion fare code in conjunction with a mileage award ticket? No. The companion fare code is only valid for use with published purchased fares.

You will not earn new Avios or BA Tier Points on the flight booked with your companion voucher. You can add an infant under 2 to your booking for two adults, the cost will be 10% of the Avios and taxes required for an adult ticket.

Travel for Companion Certificate must be booked and completed (i.e., fully flown) by the date on the front of certificate. Validity is not based on calendar year. Primary ticket will accrue miles. Companion ticket will not accrue miles.

Yes you are correct about points "expiring" when it comes to earning companion pass again. Your points never expire - they stay in your account forever until you use them to book a flight. However, I should have clarified that to earn companion pass you have to earn an additional 135,000 points in a calendar year.