This is a pretty good offer for Southwest and for customers. They’ll give you a free companion to travel with you for about two months if you book just two one way flights right away (and use them for travel in the next couple of months). Registration required.
By running a short-term promotion like this, they generate incremental ticket sales. And then they limit the period when you can use the offer – usually to a time they expect to have plenty of empty seats.
- Register and then purchase one round trip or two one-way flights by September 5.
- Travel by November 20
- Earn a companion ticket valid January 6 – March 6, 2025
If you already have travel booked through November 30, consider cancelling and rebooking (if the price of the ticket hasn’t gone up too much) to qualify for this offer. They ran a nearly identical offer in the spring last year and again in late summer. They ran it in March this year and then an offer restricted to Hawaii flights in May.
It’s cool that this runs concurrently with Southwest’s promotion giving you four ways to fast-tracking earning status as well.
What’s especially interesting about the two month promotional companion pass is that – just like a regular annual one – you can change your selection companion up to three times during the companion pass’s validity. Normally that’s limiting, say if you earn a companion pass for 22 months as I’ve done a couple of times. However changing 3 times during a two month period is far more flexible. Take anyone with you that you wish!
My last companion pass, earned in January 2022, ran through December 2023. I’d buy a ticket for myself, my wife was my companion (so most trips cost just TSA fees for her travel) and then I redeemed Rapid Rewards points for my daughter’s seat. If you live in a big Southwest city as I do (they’re the largest carrier in Austin) and you have the time to take advantage of the offer, it’s a good one. I’m flying Southwest next week and may rebook just to earn this.
Gary
To me the most interesting aspect of this offer is that either rewards tickets or cash + points tickets are specifically allowed to qualify for the needed two flow flights prior to 11/20/24
Normally only revenue tickets qualify.
Does this work if you currently have a CP that expires on December 31?
Thank you for the heads up! I will register and make a speculative booking tonight, would be cool to try the companion pass out.
Question for Gary. What happens if I book a qualifying flight within the booking window but later need to change that flight?
I sort of assume repricing (to a lower fare) would disqualify because the ticket is reissued and then has.a booking date outside the promo booking window, or not? What of I had to change my dates last minute and would reprice at a higher fare? What about same day change for A-list (free)?
Just like the two women in the previous article above, I often arrive at this site after the door is closed. However, Gary’s second sentence has my interest . . . what type of free companion will SWA give you for two months? Are pictures available?
Would this be a 2nd CP if you already have one? Could name a 2nd person on this temporary pass?