Information in this article accurate at the time of posting, however some offers may not be available anymore.
The Southwest Airlines Companion Pass is a sought after travel benefit. It allows you to get two for one flights for you and a set companion, whether you book with points or cash (minus taxes of $5.60 each way), for the whole time the pass is active. Right now the three personal Southwest Airlines credit cards from Chase are offering the Companion Pass and 30,000 Southwest points as a welcome bonus. All you have to do is open the card and spend $4000 in your first three months of card membership.
However this bonus ends in just a few days. March 11th will be the final day when you can apply for one of these cards and get this bonus, the offer will be removed by the end of the day on March 11th. If you take three months to do the spending, expect your Companion Pass to hit your account around June, ready for the summer travel season. The pass will be valid until February 28th 2025.
Now this promotional Companion Pass is not valid for as long as if you got the pass the regular way, through earning 135,000 Southwest points in a year. But it is way easier to earn by just getting a credit card and spending $4000.
There are three Southwest credit cards currently offering this bonus:
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Annual fees on these cards range from $69 to $149 and benefits increase as you move up through the annual fees. However the bonus and the spending requirement is exactly the same on each card. Check out the table below to see how the benefits differ on each card.
Conclusion
I think this is a fantastic bonus for anyone who would consider flying Southwest. Especially if you have a travel companion who you are planning a load of trips with. Usually this is going to be your significant other, but could also be a friend who you have decided to travel with. Just remember it has to be the same person.
Done right, the companion pass could literally save you hundreds or even a few thousand dollars. For example a round trip from New York to LA costs around $685, but with the companion pass you would get another ticket for free.
If you did several trips with similar savings while your pass is valid, it really could be worth thousands. The only con that people point out about the Companion Pass is that you have to fly Southwest! Which is basically alluding to the fact that Southwest is technically a budget airline, there is no business class and no assigned seats either. However the airline does have some plus points like they have no change fees and you get two free checked bags on all fare types. So for some this bonus could literally be the best thing ever and for others who are looking for luxury travel it is just meh. But remember the opportunity ends on March 11th 2024.
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