Act fast: Earn the Southwest Companion Pass by booking just 1 round-trip flight
Editor's Note
Southwest Airlines' Companion Pass, which allows you to bring a friend for nearly free (you have to pay the taxes and fees) on unlimited flights, is one of the most valuable assets in the world of points and miles. It typically takes a lot of Southwest flights and/or credit card spending to nab one of these coveted passes, but sometimes, the airline runs a flash promotion that lets you earn a Companion Pass much faster.
Related: Why flying to Orlando before lunch will save me almost $600 in airfare in 2026
From now until Thursday, Feb. 5, you can earn a two-month promotional Companion Pass by booking a single round-trip flight. Here's how.
First, register for the promotion with your Rapid Rewards number, then book one qualifying round-trip flight or two one-ways by 11:59 p.m. CST on Thursday, Feb. 5. Flights must be completed by March 31.
You'll then earn a promotional Companion Pass valid for use between Aug. 10 and Oct. 7.
All fare classes, including the carrier's new Basic option, are eligible for this promotion. And it doesn't matter how you pay for your flight: Rapid Rewards point redemptions and Cash + Points bookings qualify as well, as long as you book through Southwest channels, such as the carrier's website or mobile app.
Southwest makes it easy to rebook tickets with no cancellation fee, even on Basic fares. So, if you already have travel booked before March 31, consider canceling your flight for a travel credit and then using the credit to rebook the same flight. Several TPG staffers have done this in the past to earn a promotional Companion Pass.
However, if you make any changes to your itinerary after Thursday, you may no longer qualify for the promotional Companion Pass.
Southwest's Companion Pass is almost legendary in the world of points and miles. It lets you bring a companion along on unlimited flights, whether you book with cash or points, for almost free. As long as there's an open seat on the plane, your companion can fly with you for just the cost of taxes and fees (starting at $5.60).
The one catch of the Companion Pass is that you can't bring just anyone along each time you fly; you must designate a companion in your Rapid Rewards account. However, you're allowed to change your designated companion up to three times per year, and this rule applies to promotional passes as well.
If you'd like to earn a Companion Pass for longer, you'll need to accrue 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year. This will give you companion privileges for the remainder of the qualification year and the next calendar year.
You can get more than a third of the way there by adding a cobranded credit card to your wallet and earning the welcome offer. All three of these cards are offering 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees)
The information for the Southwest Premier card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
After a year of sweeping changes at Southwest, the coveted Companion Pass is one of the few things that haven't changed.
Besides axing its signature open-seating and "Bags Fly Free" policies, Southwest also announced several new international partnerships. Although partner bookings are not yet available through Southwest's channels, if this feature is up and running by August, it could open up new international routes to give you even more value from of your promotional Companion Pass.
If you haven't finalized your spring travel yet, consider booking it with Southwest to snag a valuable Companion Pass to use this fall. But this offer won't last long, so book your qualifying flight(s) by Thursday, Feb. 5.
Related reading:
- I've earned the Southwest Companion Pass for over a decade — here's how I maximize its value
- How to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points
- Southwest Airlines announces St. Maarten as newest Caribbean destination
- Best Southwest Airlines credit cards
- 2 for 1: How airline companion tickets can save you serious money on your next trip
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
*Reserve cardmembers will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more.Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.Earn up to 125,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$650Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
*Reserve cardmembers will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more.Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees