Tag Archives for companion pass.
Southwest Airlines made four announcements about the Rapid Rewards program today. The best change is announcing something that’s been in effect for two years – priority boarding for Companion Pass companions. The worst change is more points required to earn a Companion Pass, but that won’t apply to the airline’s credit card holders. On net these are good updates to know, but not ones to be concerned about.
Southwest Airlines will give you a companion pass valid for two months at the start of next year for booking just two one way flights or a single roundtrip.
Register by September 9 and then travel on Southwest Airlines by November 18, 2021 and you’ll earn a Companion Pass that will be valid January 6, 2022 through February 28, 2022.
That’s two months of companion pass for two one-way flights (that can be a roundtrip, of course). That companion pass means being able to take someone with you on your travels (whether paid or award) for just the cost of security taxes.
The card that comes with a companion pass is a great deal – but – consider the current 80,000 point offer that ends February 8.
Meet the spending requirement and you’ll have a minimum of 90,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points. These count towards companion pass. As long as your Southwest Rapid Rewards account was open in 2020 you’ll only need 10,000 more qualifying points for a companion pass that’s valid longer – through 12/31/22 – and you have a lot more points.
Southwest Airlines hadn’t yet shared reduced requirements for elite status and companion pass in 2021. That’s changed. And like Marriott they’re giving members credit towards status rather than lowering requirements. They’re also extending Companion Passes that were earned in 2019 for 2020.
Southwest has another offer to make spending on a Southwest credit card get you to a Companion Pass faster, allowing you to bring someone on your travels (whether buying a ticket or redeeming points) for jus the cost of modest taxes.
Southwest is offering a 30% bonus on points that post to your account between August 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020 under the ‘credit card’ category. You’ll earn this bonus if you have at least 6000 credit card points post during the promotion period, and you can earn up to 25,000 bonus points. These points count towards a Companion Pass, which itself has reduced requirements to earn this year already.
Southwest Airlines announced an extension of members’ elite status, Companion Pass benefits, and the validity of travel vouchers.
They’re also making it easier to earn elite status this year, as well as to earn a Companion Pass and extending the life of travel credits, in some cases giving up to an additional 2.5 years to use those credits.
A companion pass is arguably the best deal in all of travel, it allows you to bring a companion along on your Southwest Airlines travels for just the cost of taxes – whether you buy your own ticket with cash or with points.
Now is the best time to prepare to earn one – because if you earn it at the start of 2020 it’ll last nearly two full years.
Southwest Airlines is eliminating expiration of points, raising the requirements for the Companion Pass, and announcing that starting in 2021 they’ll collect any changes in TSA fees and airport facilities charges when elites use free standby.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
