Earn a Southwest Companion Pass After One Round Trip
Southwest Airlines has launched another limited-time Companion Pass promotion, giving Rapid Rewards members an easy path to one of the airline’s most valuable benefits.
Members can earn a promotional Companion Pass after registering and completing just one qualifying round-trip flight or two qualifying one-way flights. The booking window is extremely short, with reservations required by August 6, 2026.
Once earned, the promotional Companion Pass can be used for unlimited qualifying travel from January 5 through March 3, 2027. Your designated companion flies with you for only the applicable taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 each way on domestic flights.
How to Earn the Promotional Companion Pass
To qualify for this offer:
- Register for the promotion through your Southwest Rapid Rewards account.
- After registering, book either:
- One qualifying round-trip Southwest flight, or
- Two qualifying one-way Southwest flights.
- Complete the booking by 11:59 p.m. CT on August 6, 2026.
- Complete all qualifying travel by November 18, 2026.
The promotional Companion Pass will then be valid for qualifying flights taken from January 5 through March 3, 2027.
All Southwest fare types qualify, including Basic fares. Reservations can be paid for with cash, Rapid Rewards points, Cash + Points, Southwest gift cards, flight credits or another eligible form of payment. The reservation must be booked directly through Southwest, such as through Southwest.com, the Southwest mobile app, Southwest Business, Southwest Vacations or an authorized Southwest channel.
How the Promotional Companion Pass Works
The promotional Companion Pass lets you designate one person to travel with you on Southwest flights during the eligible period. Your companion can fly with you on both paid and award bookings, as long as there is still a seat available on the flight.
You must first book your own ticket. Once your Companion Pass is active, you can add your designated companion to the reservation and pay only the applicable taxes and fees for their ticket.
This promotional version works like the standard Southwest Companion Pass, but it is valid for only about two months. The regular Companion Pass typically requires 135,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year.
Guru’s Wrap-Up
This is one of the easiest opportunities to earn a Southwest Companion Pass. Booking and completing just one round trip can unlock nearly two months of companion travel in early 2027.
The timing will be particularly useful for anyone planning several winter trips between January 5 and March 3. Since the pass works with both paid and award reservations, you could book your own ticket with Rapid Rewards points and bring your companion for only the taxes and fees.
The biggest drawback is the extremely short booking window. You must register and book by August 6, then complete the qualifying travel by November 18. If you already have eligible Southwest travel scheduled through November 18, you may be able to cancel and rebook it after registering for the promotion.
