The offer mentioned below for the Southwest cards is no longer available.
Right now, you can receive a Southwest Companion Pass as part of a limited-time welcome offer for three Southwest credit cards:
- 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)
A Southwest Companion Pass allows you to bring a designated companion on any Southwest flight for the cost of taxes and fees. You can use it an unlimited number of times, and the Companion Pass that's available through these offers is valid through Feb. 28, 2027. That's a shorter timeframe than a standard Companion Pass, but it's much easier to earn. You can also earn 20,000 to 40,000 bonus points with these welcome bonuses.
The bonuses on the Southwest Plus and Southwest Priority cards, in particular, are ending soon; you have until March 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. EST to apply and take advantage of them.
Last chance: Southwest credit card Companion Pass offers
A Southwest Companion Pass is normally valid for the rest of the year you earn it in and all of the following calendar year. So, if you earn a Companion Pass right now, it would be valid through the end of 2027.
However, you need to earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying flights in the same calendar year to earn a Southwest Companion Pass. Having a Southwest credit card makes meeting these requirements easier, and right now, you can skip all of that by opening a personal Southwest credit card and meeting its spending requirements.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
After spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, you'll receive 20,000 bonus points and a Companion Pass that's valid through Feb. 28, 2027. Offer ends March 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. EST.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
After you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, you'll receive 30,000 bonus points and a Companion Pass that's valid through Feb. 28, 2027.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
After spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, you'll receive 40,000 bonus points and a Companion Pass that's valid through Feb. 28, 2027. Offer ends March 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. EST.
How do these welcome bonuses compare to previous offers?
The standard intro offer for these Southwest credit cards is typically 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in three months. The current elevated bonuses are worth far more if you frequently travel with someone else.
Since you're getting an automatic Companion Pass, you could think of it as doubling the value of your points — but the value extends beyond that. The Southwest Companion Pass applies to flights paid for with points or cash, so you can also book unlimited travel for two people and pay almost half the cash price (though you'll still pay the taxes and fees).
Unless you're strictly a solo traveler or won't be flying Southwest with someone else over the next year, it's easy to squeeze a ton of value from these deals. That said, there are caveats.
You need to spend more to earn these bonuses, so they're a bit more difficult to earn. And before you jump on these offers, be sure to read all the rules of the Companion Pass. For example, you have to designate a companion, and only that person may travel with you. Additionally, you can only change your companion up to three times per calendar year.
How to qualify for these Southwest card offers
These Southwest cards typically require a good-to-excellent credit score, but there are additional application restrictions. You aren't eligible for a Southwest consumer card if you:
- Currently have a Southwest consumer credit card
- Have earned a welcome offer from any Southwest consumer credit card in the past 24 months
This means you can't have more than one personal Southwest card, but having a Southwest business credit card doesn't disqualify you from getting any of these personal cards. Also, Southwest cards are subject to Chase's unofficial 5/24 rule, so if you've opened five or more cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, you're less likely to get approved for a new Chase credit card.
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