Southwest Companion Pass: How to Fly a Plus-One for Less in 2026

Before You Book

• Watch the calendar: Qualification depends on points posting or flights counting within the same calendar year, so late-year activity can miss the deadline.
• Separate earning from redeeming: Rapid Rewards points you can spend are not automatically Companion Pass qualifying points.
• Check the companion seat: Your ticket can be booked while a seat for your companion is no longer available.
• Read the offer’s fine print: Promotional passes may have separate registration, travel, and use windows from the standard pass.
• Choose your target year: The 2026 qualification rules end December 31; starting in 2027, Southwest shifts to Tier Qualifying Points, qualifying flights, and limited Companion Pass trips.

If you travel with the same person often, the Southwest Companion Pass can cut the cost of flying together. A designated companion can join you on eligible Southwest flights for taxes and fees, even when you book your own seat with Rapid Rewards points. The important details are the 2026 qualification rules, the seat availability requirement, and the program changes scheduled for 2027.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• What the pass covers and what your companion pays.
• How to get a Southwest Companion Pass in 2026.
• How to book with it, including on award flights.
• What changes when Southwest’s new program begins in 2027.

What Is the Southwest Companion Pass, and What Does a Companion Pay?

The Southwest Companion Pass is a Rapid Rewards benefit that lets you designate one person to travel with you on eligible Southwest flights. Your companion does not pay the fare, but does pay applicable taxes and fees. Southwest currently lists these charges starting at $5.60 one-way. Southwest Airlines

The benefit works this way:

• You book your own flight first. Your ticket can be paid with cash or Rapid Rewards points.
• You book the companion separately. Their reservation must be linked to the same flights and dates as yours.
• A seat must be available. The pass has no blackout dates, but your companion still needs a seat on the flight.
• You pay taxes and fees for the companion. The final amount depends on the itinerary.

In short, how the Southwest Companion Pass works is simple: it can reduce the cost of a second ticket, but it does not guarantee a seat or cover taxes and fees.

How Do You Earn the Southwest Companion Pass in 2026?

To get a Southwest Companion Pass under the 2026 rules, you must meet one of two thresholds in a calendar year. You need 135,000 Companion Pass qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights. The pass is earned after you reach either threshold, and qualifying flights must meet Southwest’s rules.

Which Flights and Points Count Toward Qualification?

Not all Rapid Rewards points count toward Southwest Companion Pass requirements. Qualifying points are different from the points you redeem for travel, and a flight that earns redeemable points may not count as a qualifying flight.

Check these details before choosing your path:

• Qualifying points: Southwest lists eligible revenue flights, Rapid Rewards credit card and debit card points, and base points from certain partners as qualifying sources.
• Qualifying flights: Southwest-operated flights paid with eligible payment methods may count. Reward flights and Companion Pass travel do not count as qualifying flights.
• Posting date: Credit card points generally count when they post to your Rapid Rewards account. Points that post in January may count toward the new year, even if you made the purchase in December.

Can Credit Cards or Promotions Speed Up Qualification?

Credit card points and a Southwest Companion Pass promotion may help you reach a threshold, but their terms matter. A welcome bonus, card spend, or promotional flight counts only if Southwest’s current rules say it qualifies.

Before relying on an offer, check:

• Promotion registration: Some offers require you to register before booking or traveling.
• Qualifying flights: A qualifying round-trip flight may count differently from an award flight or a ticket booked through another site.
• Travel period and validity: The travel period to earn a promotional pass may differ from the promotional Companion Pass validity period.
• Promotion terms and conditions: Check eligible fares, booking dates, travel dates, and any spending requirements.

A limited-time Southwest Companion Pass offer is not necessarily the same as the standard pass. The secondary phrase “southwest companion pass promotion” can refer to offers with different requirements, so check Southwest’s current promotion page before you book. Do not assume an older offer is still active.

How Long Does the Southwest Companion Pass Last, and What Changes in 2027?

A standard Southwest Companion Pass earned in 2026 is valid for the rest of the calendar year in which you qualify and all of the following calendar year. Southwest says a pass earned under the current rules in 2026 remains valid through December 31, 2027. A promotional pass may have a shorter, offer-specific validity period.

Southwest has announced new Companion Pass paths starting January 1, 2027:

The 2027 program will also include promotional opportunities. Companion Pass qualifying points will be retired after 2026, so if you are working toward the Southwest Companion Pass 2026 threshold, check that your points post by December 31.

How Do You Use the Southwest Companion Pass for Cash and Award Flights?

Once you qualify, you can use the Southwest Companion Pass when you purchase your own eligible flight or redeem Rapid Rewards points for it. The pass holder’s ticket and the companion’s reservation are separate bookings, so make the first reservation before adding the companion.

Use these booking steps:

• Designate a companion: Add one person to your Rapid Rewards account through Southwest.com or the Southwest app.
• Book your flight: Choose an eligible Southwest flight and pay with cash or points.
• Add the companion: Open the trip in your account and select the option to add a companion.
• Review the reservation: Confirm that both travelers are on the same flights and dates, then pay the companion’s taxes and fees.
• Check restrictions: The pass does not apply to certain bookings, including group travel, charter flights, and Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings.

The pass can be used on award flights, so your own seat may be booked with Rapid Rewards points while your companion pays the required taxes and fees. If you change or cancel your flight, review the companion reservation too. Southwest says the companion’s reservation will be canceled if you cancel, change, or do not take your own flight.

How Do You Add or Change Your Companion?

You must designate a person before using the pass, and you can change that person up to three times per calendar year. Southwest says a change can take up to 21 business days to process, so plan ahead if you need to switch companions. 

For each trip:

• Add the companion after booking your flight: Open your trip in the Southwest app or on Southwest.com and follow the Add Companion steps.
• Check the companion reservation: Make sure it matches your flight dates and itinerary.
• Change your designated companion when needed: Cancel any existing reservation with your current companion before requesting the change.

Is the Southwest Companion Pass Worth It for Your Travel?

The Southwest Companion Pass is most useful when you regularly fly with the same person and Southwest serves the routes you want. Its value depends on the companion fares you avoid, how often you use it, and the taxes and fees you still pay.

Use a simple estimate before pursuing the pass:

• Estimate the second ticket’s cost: Add up what your companion would otherwise pay for the trips you expect to take.
• Subtract taxes and fees: For a domestic round trip, Southwest’s listed starting amount of $5.60 each way means at least $11.20, though charges vary by itinerary.
• Compare the savings with your qualification effort: Include any spending or travel you would take on solely to earn the pass.
• Consider your travel pattern: If you usually travel solo, change companions often, or fly routes Southwest does not serve, you may get less value.

For example, if your companion’s round-trip fare would be $250, the pass could save close to that fare less applicable taxes and fees, provided you both take the trip and a seat is available. Treat this as an estimate, not a guaranteed fare or savings amount.

Can Flightpoints Help You Plan a Companion Pass Trip?

Flightpoints is an award-flight search and points-planning platform. It may help with broader award travel planning, but do not assume it searches Southwest Rapid Rewards or books a Southwest Companion Pass reservation. Check which programs Flightpoints supports before relying on it for a specific itinerary.

If you are planning a separate award trip through a supported program, you can search award flights with Flightpoints or review Flightpoints Pro plans. Flightpoints does not qualify you for the Southwest Companion Pass or replace the Southwest booking steps above.

Conclusion

The Southwest Companion Pass can make traveling with a plus-one less expensive, especially if you qualify early and use it on several trips. Before booking, confirm your qualifying points or flights, check companion seat availability, and review any offer’s validity dates.

• If you are pursuing the 2026 pass, make sure your qualifying activity posts by December 31.
• For award-flight planning beyond Southwest, get Flightpoints Pro and check that your preferred program is supported.

FAQs

1. Can you use the pass when you book your own flight with points?
A: Yes. You can add a companion when you book your own eligible Southwest flight with cash or Rapid Rewards points. You still need to book the companion separately, and applicable taxes and fees remain due.

2. Can you designate more than one companion at a time?
A: No. You can designate only one person at a time. If you need to switch, Southwest allows up to three companion changes per calendar year, and says processing a change can take up to 21 business days.

3. Does your companion earn Rapid Rewards points on the trip?
A: No. Southwest says a companion reservation does not earn points, Tier Qualifying Points, or Companion Pass qualifying points for the traveler listed as the companion. The pass holder may still earn points on an eligible paid fare.

4. What if no companion seat is available on your flight?
A: If your flight departs without a companion seat available, you cannot use the pass on that flight. Companion travel has no blackout dates, but Southwest makes each companion reservation subject to seats available for booking.

5. Do purchased or transferred points count toward qualification?
A: Usually not. Purchased points and points transferred between Rapid Rewards members are among the exclusions in Southwest’s qualifying-points terms. Check the latest list before transferring or buying points to close a qualification gap this year.

6. Can your companion travel if you do not take the same flight?
A: No. You and your companion must be booked on the same flights and dates, and the pass holder must travel. If you cancel, change, or miss your own trip, Southwest says the companion reservation will be canceled too.