Southwest Airways not too long ago introduced it can end its bags-fly-free policy, ditch its Wanna Get Away fare and make several other customer-unfriendly changes. However, at the least to date, probably the most advantageous choices within the journey trade — the Southwest Companion Move — stays intact.
This beneficial profit enables you to deliver a companion alongside without cost (excluding relevant taxes and costs) on limitless Southwest Airlines flights till the go expires. For frequent Southwest flyers, this profit alone can simply quantity to 1000’s of {dollars} saved yearly. So, here is what you must find out about incomes and utilizing the Southwest Companion Move.
Find out how to earn the Southwest Companion Move
To earn a Southwest Companion Pass legitimate by the top of the subsequent calendar yr, it’s essential to accrue 135,000 qualifying factors or full 100 qualifying flights inside a calendar yr.
You possibly can earn qualifying factors by numerous means, together with flying with Southwest and interesting with its companions. The latter consists of making purchases through the Rapid Rewards shopping portal, finishing lodge stays and automotive leases with companions, and utilizing a Southwest bank card for purchases.
Cobranded Southwest bank cards are sometimes the best technique to earn the Companion Move since you may earn qualifying factors on purchases, and the welcome bonus factors are qualifying. Moreover, vacationers with a cobranded Southwest bank card get 10,000 qualifying factors every calendar yr, successfully decreasing the Companion Move requirement to 125,000 qualifying factors yearly.
Talking of welcome bonuses on Southwest bank cards, here is a take a look at a few of the present affords:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn a Companion Move by Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (this provide ends March 31).
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn a Companion Move by Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening (this provide ends March 31).
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
The 2 shopper Southwest playing cards provide a Companion Move legitimate by Feb. 28, 2026, as a part of their welcome provide. Nonetheless, the bonus factors from every provide may show you how to earn a Companion Move legitimate by the top of 2026.
Lastly, it is also value noting that Southwest sometimes affords promotions for limited-time Companion Passes. For instance, for a short while in February, Southwest let vacationers earn a two-month Companion Move for later this yr after only one spherical journey or two one-way flights.
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Find out how to use the Southwest Companion Move
As soon as you have earned a Companion Move, Southwest makes it extremely simple to make use of.
Arrange your Companion Move
After you earn the Companion Move, Southwest will ship you a congratulatory e-mail inside a number of days. Log in to your Southwest Fast Rewards account to trace your progress towards incomes the Companion Move.
Upon receiving the e-mail, click on the hyperlink to arrange your preliminary companion alternative. The method is fast, however you may want to offer details about your companion, together with their authorized title (matching their ID) and beginning date.
If you wish to maintain the identical companion at some stage in your Companion Move, you may solely must set it up as soon as. Nonetheless, bear in mind you’ll be able to change your companion as much as thrice every calendar yr.
Associated: 2 for 1: How airline companion tickets can save you serious money on your next trip
Guide your flight
Earlier than utilizing your Companion Move, it’s essential to e book your personal Southwest flight. And when you’re touring with somebody who is not your designated companion, e book their flight, too. For instance, suppose you’re a household of 4 with one grownup holding the Companion Move and the opposite grownup being the companion. In that case, you must initially e book tickets for the Companion Move holder and the 2 children.
You possibly can pay in your flights with money or redeem Southwest points when utilizing a Companion Move. Nonetheless, if you are going to buy the tickets with money, bear in mind to incorporate every traveler’s Fast Rewards quantity when reserving to allow them to earn Southwest points on their flights.
Associated: Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it
Add your companion to your reservation
After you have booked your flight, you’ll be able to add your companion to your reservation. Doing so instantly after reserving your flight is one of the best ways to make sure you add your companion earlier than the flight sells out.
Nonetheless, you’ll be able to’t change a flight with a companion hooked up. And you may usually save critical factors or money by sometimes checking whether or not you’ll be able to rebook at a lower rate. As such, TPG lead author Katie Genter suggests establishing a Y9 alert in ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s dad or mum firm, Pink Ventures) so you may get an e-mail when solely 9 seats stay in your flight. Then, as soon as your flight is lower than two weeks out — the purpose at which Southwest flights often change into costlier — or while you get the Y9 alert e-mail, add your companion.
So as to add your companion to a flight, log in to your Southwest account and discover the flight in your upcoming journeys. If you have not added your companion but, you must see an „Add companion“ button for the flight.
Click on the button and double-check the prefilled data. Proceed by the method till you attain the purpose the place you may must pay the taxes and costs in your companion’s flight. Pay the taxes and costs, and your companion can be confirmed on the flight. Your companion will get a unique affirmation quantity than you, although.
Associated: ‚The Day Southwest Died‘: Reactions pour in about the carrier’s big changes
Backside line
The Companion Move would possibly present important worth when you regularly fly Southwest with a favourite companion. Likewise, when you would fly Southwest regularly with one other traveler when you may accomplish that for about half the associated fee, the Companion Move is value contemplating.
Southwest bank cards can put incomes the Companion Move inside attain even when you do not meet the usual necessities by flights. Better of all, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card have welcome affords by March 31 for a Companion Move legitimate by Feb. 28, 2026, plus 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
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